diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/DefaultFieldSet.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/DefaultFieldSet.java
index 1a5088621..baa8ccce6 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/DefaultFieldSet.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/DefaultFieldSet.java
@@ -481,6 +481,17 @@ public class DefaultFieldSet implements FieldSet {
 		return parseDate(readAndTrim(index), dateFormat);
 	}
 
+	/* (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.file.transform.FieldSet#readDate(int, java.util.Date)
+	 */
+	public Date readDate(int index, Date defaultValue) {
+		try {
+			return readDate(index);
+		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+			return defaultValue;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * (non-Javadoc)
 	 * 
@@ -497,6 +508,17 @@ public class DefaultFieldSet implements FieldSet {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.file.transform.FieldSet#readDate(int, java.util.Date)
+	 */
+	public Date readDate(String name, Date defaultValue) {
+		try {
+			return readDate(name);
+		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+			return defaultValue;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * (non-Javadoc)
 	 * 
@@ -509,6 +531,20 @@ public class DefaultFieldSet implements FieldSet {
 		return parseDate(readAndTrim(index), sdf);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * 
+	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.IFieldSet#readDate(int,
+	 * java.lang.String)
+	 */
+	public Date readDate(int index, String pattern, Date defaultValue) {
+		try {
+			return readDate(index, pattern);
+		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+			return defaultValue;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * (non-Javadoc)
 	 * 
@@ -525,6 +561,20 @@ public class DefaultFieldSet implements FieldSet {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * 
+	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.IFieldSet#readDate(int,
+	 * java.lang.String)
+	 */
+	public Date readDate(String name, String pattern, Date defaultValue) {
+		try {
+			return readDate(name, pattern);
+		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+			return defaultValue;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * (non-Javadoc)
 	 * 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/FieldSet.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/FieldSet.java
index 061958179..1501e00ac 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/FieldSet.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/FieldSet.java
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ public interface FieldSet {
 	 * value at index '<code>index</code>' is blank.
 	 * 
 	 * @param name the field name.
+	 * @param defaultValue the default value to use if the field is blank
 	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if a column with given name is not
 	 * defined.
 	 */
@@ -340,6 +341,27 @@ public interface FieldSet {
 	 */
 	Date readDate(String name);
 
+	/**
+	 * Read the <code>java.util.Date</code> value in default format at
+	 * designated column <code>index</code>.
+	 * 
+	 * @param index the field index.
+	 * @param defaultValue the default value to use if the field is blank
+	 * @throws IndexOutOfBoundsException if the index is out of bounds.
+	 */
+	Date readDate(int index, Date defaultValue);
+
+	/**
+	 * Read the <code>java.sql.Date</code> value in given format from column
+	 * with given <code>name</code>.
+	 * 
+	 * @param name the field name.
+	 * @param defaultValue the default value to use if the field is blank
+	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if a column with given name is not
+	 * defined.
+	 */
+	Date readDate(String name, Date defaultValue);
+
 	/**
 	 * Read the <code>java.util.Date</code> value in default format at
 	 * designated column <code>index</code>.
@@ -364,6 +386,32 @@ public interface FieldSet {
 	 */
 	Date readDate(String name, String pattern);
 
+	/**
+	 * Read the <code>java.util.Date</code> value in default format at
+	 * designated column <code>index</code>.
+	 * 
+	 * @param index the field index.
+	 * @param pattern the pattern describing the date and time format
+	 * @param defaultValue the default value to use if the field is blank
+	 * @throws IndexOutOfBoundsException if the index is out of bounds.
+	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the date cannot be parsed.
+	 * 
+	 */
+	Date readDate(int index, String pattern, Date defaultValue);
+
+	/**
+	 * Read the <code>java.sql.Date</code> value in given format from column
+	 * with given <code>name</code>.
+	 * 
+	 * @param name the field name.
+	 * @param pattern the pattern describing the date and time format
+	 * @param defaultValue the default value to use if the field is blank
+	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if a column with given name is not
+	 * defined or if the specified field cannot be parsed
+	 * 
+	 */
+	Date readDate(String name, String pattern, Date defaultValue);
+
 	/**
 	 * Return the number of fields in this '<code>FieldSet</code>'.
 	 */
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/DefaultFieldSetTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/DefaultFieldSetTests.java
index 0e6d10854..2ed6ca9ec 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/DefaultFieldSetTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/transform/DefaultFieldSetTests.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import java.math.BigDecimal;
 import java.text.NumberFormat;
 import java.text.ParseException;
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
+import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Locale;
 
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -369,6 +370,13 @@ public class DefaultFieldSetTests {
 		assertNotNull(fieldSet.readDate("Date"));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testReadDateWithDefault() throws Exception {
+		Date date = null;
+		assertEquals(date, fieldSet.readDate(13, date));
+		assertEquals(date, fieldSet.readDate("BlankInput", date));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testReadDateWithFormat() throws Exception {
 		fieldSet = new DefaultFieldSet(new String[] {"13/01/1999"});
@@ -415,6 +423,13 @@ public class DefaultFieldSetTests {
 		}
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testReadDateWithPatternAndDefault() throws Exception {
+		Date date = null;
+		assertEquals(date, fieldSet.readDate(13, "dd-MM-yyyy", date));
+		assertEquals(date, fieldSet.readDate("BlankInput", "dd-MM-yyyy", date));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testStrictReadDateWithPattern() throws Exception {