diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/SpringValidator.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/SpringValidator.java
index 086c2537d..cdf4583eb 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/SpringValidator.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/SpringValidator.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.validation.BeanPropertyBindingResult;
+import org.springframework.validation.BindException;
 import org.springframework.validation.Errors;
 
 /**
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ public class SpringValidator<T> implements Validator<T>, InitializingBean {
 		validator.validate(item, errors);
 
 		if (errors.hasErrors()) {
-			throw new ValidationException("Validation failed for " + item + ": " + errorsToString(errors));
+			throw new ValidationException("Validation failed for " + item + ": " + errorsToString(errors), new BindException(errors));
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/SpringValidatorTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/SpringValidatorTests.java
index b67218398..249c08c45 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/SpringValidatorTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/SpringValidatorTests.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.validation.BindException;
 import org.springframework.validation.Errors;
 import org.springframework.validation.Validator;
 
@@ -72,6 +73,19 @@ public class SpringValidatorTests {
 		validator.validate(MockSpringValidator.REJECT_VALUE);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Typical failed validation - {@link ValidationException} is thrown
+	 */
+	@Test(expected = BindException.class)
+	public void testValidateFailureWithErrors() throws Exception {
+		try {
+			validator.validate(MockSpringValidator.REJECT_VALUE);
+		}
+		catch (ValidationException e) {
+			throw (BindException) e.getCause();
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Typical failed validation - message contains the item and names of
 	 * invalid fields.