diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriterTests.java
index 3e86a0623..7026b42b2 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriterTests.java
@@ -266,8 +266,9 @@ public class FlatFileItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 		writer = new FlatFileItemWriter();
 		writer.setFieldSetCreator(new PassThroughFieldSetMapper());
 		FileSystemResource file = new FileSystemResource("no-such-file.foo");
-		file.getFile().setReadOnly();
 		writer.setResource(file);
+		file.getFile().createNewFile();
+		file.getFile().setReadOnly();
 		writer.afterPropertiesSet();
 		try {
 			writer.open(executionContext);