diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJob.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJob.java
index 39ec0cddc..330617bf3 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJob.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJob.java
@@ -126,11 +126,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractJob implements Job, BeanNameAware, InitializingBea
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Retrieve the step with the given name. An IllegalStateException is thrown
-	 * if there is no Step with the given name.
+	 * Retrieve the step with the given name. If there is no Step with the
+	 * given name, then return null.
 	 * 
 	 * @param stepName
-	 * @return the step
+	 * @return the Step
 	 */
 	public abstract Step getStep(String stepName);
 	
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleJob.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleJob.java
index 6a4d7fe42..0afbac13d 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleJob.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleJob.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public class SimpleJob extends AbstractJob {
 				return step;
 			}
 		}
-		throw new IllegalStateException("No Step found with name: [" + stepName + "]");
+		return null;
 	}
 	
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/Flow.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/Flow.java
index fe77e0cfd..9a8fa564b 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/Flow.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/Flow.java
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ public interface Flow {
 	String getName();
 
 	/**
-	 * Retrieve the State with the given name. An IllegalStateException is
-	 * thrown if there is no State with the given name.
+	 * Retrieve the State with the given name. If there is no State with the
+	 * given name, then return null.
 	 * 
 	 * @param stateName
 	 * @return the State
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowJob.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowJob.java
index bae06462a..c02cf0812 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowJob.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowJob.java
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public class FlowJob extends AbstractJob {
 		if(state instanceof StepState){
 			return ((StepState) state).getStep();
 		}
-		throw new IllegalStateException("State is not a StepState: [" + stepName + "]");		
+		return null;
 	}
 	
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/support/SimpleFlow.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/support/SimpleFlow.java
index 46fda44d9..28fb04ff4 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/support/SimpleFlow.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/support/SimpleFlow.java
@@ -86,11 +86,7 @@ public class SimpleFlow implements Flow, InitializingBean {
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.Flow#getState(java.lang.String)
 	 */
 	public State getState(String stateName) {
-		State state = stateMap.get(stateName);
-		if(state == null){
-			throw new IllegalStateException("No State found with name: [" + stateName + "]");
-		}
-		return state;
+		return stateMap.get(stateName);
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleJobTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleJobTests.java
index f908589a5..f5d10a577 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleJobTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleJobTests.java
@@ -446,6 +446,25 @@ public class SimpleJobTests {
 
 		assertNull("Second step was not supposed to be executed", step2.passedInStepContext);
 	}
+	
+	@Test
+	public void testGetStepExists() {
+		step1 = new StubStep("step1", jobRepository);
+		step2 = new StubStep("step2", jobRepository);
+		job.setSteps(Arrays.asList(new Step[] { step1, step2 }));
+		Step step = job.getStep("step2");
+		assertNotNull(step);
+		assertEquals("step2", step.getName());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testGetStepNotExists() {
+		step1 = new StubStep("step1", jobRepository);
+		step2 = new StubStep("step2", jobRepository);
+		job.setSteps(Arrays.asList(new Step[] { step1, step2 }));
+		Step step = job.getStep("foo");
+		assertNull(step);
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Check JobRepository to ensure status is being saved.
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowJobTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowJobTests.java
index 46ad4a501..6a1549616 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowJobTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowJobTests.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -292,6 +293,56 @@ public class FlowJobTests {
 
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testGetStepExists() throws Exception {
+		SimpleFlow flow = new SimpleFlow("job");
+		List<StateTransition> transitions = new ArrayList<StateTransition>();
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createStateTransition(new StepState(new StubStep("step1")), "step2"));
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createStateTransition(new StepState(new StubStep("step2")), "end0"));
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createEndStateTransition(new EndState(BatchStatus.COMPLETED, "end0")));
+		flow.setStateTransitions(transitions);
+		flow.afterPropertiesSet();
+		job.setFlow(flow);
+		job.afterPropertiesSet();
+		
+
+		Step step = job.getStep("step2");
+		assertNotNull(step);
+		assertEquals("step2", step.getName());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testGetStepNotExists() throws Exception {
+		SimpleFlow flow = new SimpleFlow("job");
+		List<StateTransition> transitions = new ArrayList<StateTransition>();
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createStateTransition(new StepState(new StubStep("step1")), "step2"));
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createStateTransition(new StepState(new StubStep("step2")), "end0"));
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createEndStateTransition(new EndState(BatchStatus.COMPLETED, "end0")));
+		flow.setStateTransitions(transitions);
+		flow.afterPropertiesSet();
+		job.setFlow(flow);
+		job.afterPropertiesSet();
+
+		Step step = job.getStep("foo");
+		assertNull(step);
+	}
+	
+	@Test
+	public void testGetStepNotStepState() throws Exception {
+		SimpleFlow flow = new SimpleFlow("job");
+		List<StateTransition> transitions = new ArrayList<StateTransition>();
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createStateTransition(new StepState(new StubStep("step1")), "step2"));
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createStateTransition(new StepState(new StubStep("step2")), "end0"));
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createEndStateTransition(new EndState(BatchStatus.COMPLETED, "end0")));
+		flow.setStateTransitions(transitions);
+		flow.afterPropertiesSet();
+		job.setFlow(flow);
+		job.afterPropertiesSet();
+
+		Step step = job.getStep("end0");
+		assertNull(step);
+	}
+	
 	/**
 	 * @author Dave Syer
 	 * 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/support/SimpleFlowTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/support/SimpleFlowTests.java
index fbce6be67..9bec2771f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/support/SimpleFlowTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/support/SimpleFlowTests.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.support;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
@@ -215,12 +216,13 @@ public class SimpleFlowTests {
 		assertEquals("step1", state.getName());
 	}
 
-	@Test(expected = IllegalStateException.class)
+	@Test
 	public void testGetStateDoesNotExist() throws Exception {
 		flow.setStateTransitions(Collections.singletonList(StateTransition.createEndStateTransition(new StubState(
 				"step1"))));
 		flow.afterPropertiesSet();
-		flow.getState("bar");
+		State state = flow.getState("bar");
+		assertNull(state);
 	}
 
 	private List<StateTransition> collect(StateTransition s1, StateTransition s2) {
diff --git a/spring-batch-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/test/AbstractJobTests.java b/spring-batch-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/test/AbstractJobTests.java
index 2ce7b9c3b..c57d5079f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/test/AbstractJobTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/test/AbstractJobTests.java
@@ -142,9 +142,15 @@ public abstract class AbstractJobTests {
 	 * if there is no Step with the given name.
 	 * 
 	 * @param stepName
+	 * @return JobExecution
 	 */
 	public JobExecution launchStep(String stepName) {
-		return getStepRunner().launchStep(this.job.getStep(stepName));
+		Step step = this.job.getStep(stepName);
+		if(step == null)
+		{
+			throw new IllegalStateException("No Step found with name: [" + stepName + "]");
+		}
+		return getStepRunner().launchStep(step);
 	}
 
 	/**