diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/JdbcJobInstanceDao.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/JdbcJobInstanceDao.java
index 489d5ad7a..da6baafb2 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/JdbcJobInstanceDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/JdbcJobInstanceDao.java
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ public class JdbcJobInstanceDao extends AbstractJdbcBatchMetadataDao implements
 	private String createJobKey(JobParameters jobParameters) {
 
 		Map props = jobParameters.getParameters();
-		StringBuffer stringBuffer = new StringBuffer();
+		// Start with non-empty string for Oracle:
+		StringBuffer stringBuffer = new StringBuffer("key:");
 		for (Iterator it = props.entrySet().iterator(); it.hasNext();) {
 			Entry entry = (Entry) it.next();
 			stringBuffer.append(entry.toString() + ";");