diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStep.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStep.java
index 403620b9c..d107e4922 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStep.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStep.java
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ public class ItemOrientedStep extends AbstractStep {
 			// reference to the ExecutionContext as the step execution.
 			listener.beforeStep(stepExecution);
 			stream.open(stepExecution.getExecutionContext());
+			itemHandler.mark();
 
 			status = stepOperations.iterate(new RepeatCallback() {
 
@@ -287,7 +288,6 @@ public class ItemOrientedStep extends AbstractStep {
 
 					try {
 
-						itemHandler.mark();
 						result = processChunk(stepExecution, contribution);
 						contribution.incrementCommitCount();