diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/file/SimpleFlatFileItemReader.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/file/SimpleFlatFileItemReader.java
index d2d01cf3a..701148431 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/file/SimpleFlatFileItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/file/SimpleFlatFileItemReader.java
@@ -101,15 +101,6 @@ public class SimpleFlatFileItemReader extends AbstractItemReader implements Item
 		}
 	}
 	
-	/**
-	 * Getter for the resource property.
-	 * 
-	 * @return the {@link Resource} used by this ItemReader.
-	 */
-	public Resource getResource(){
-		return resource;
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Public setter for the recordSeparatorPolicy. Used to determine where the
 	 * line endings are and do things like continue over a line ending if inside