diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean.java
index 1db77387f..dcc383089 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package org.springframework.batch.core.explore.support;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.core.explore.JobExplorer;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.ExecutionContextDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobInstanceDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.StepExecutionDao;
@@ -46,6 +47,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean implements FactoryBean {
 	
 	protected abstract StepExecutionDao createStepExecutionDao() throws Exception;
 
+	protected abstract ExecutionContextDao createExecutionContextDao() throws Exception;
+
 	/**
 	 * The type of object to be returned from {@link #getObject()}.
 	 * 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBean.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBean.java
index 86d4f8c00..72802acbb 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBean.java
@@ -19,18 +19,22 @@ package org.springframework.batch.core.explore.support;
 import javax.sql.DataSource;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.AbstractJdbcBatchMetadataDao;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.ExecutionContextDao;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JdbcExecutionContextDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JdbcJobExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JdbcJobInstanceDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JdbcStepExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobInstanceDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.StepExecutionDao;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.FactoryBean;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.core.simple.SimpleJdbcOperations;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.core.simple.SimpleJdbcTemplate;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.support.incrementer.AbstractDataFieldMaxValueIncrementer;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.support.incrementer.DataFieldMaxValueIncrementer;
+import org.springframework.jdbc.support.lob.LobHandler;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 /**
@@ -40,7 +44,8 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * 
  * @author Dave Syer
  */
-public class JobExplorerFactoryBean extends AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean implements InitializingBean {
+public class JobExplorerFactoryBean extends AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean
+		implements InitializingBean {
 
 	private DataSource dataSource;
 
@@ -55,9 +60,13 @@ public class JobExplorerFactoryBean extends AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean imple
 		}
 	};
 
+	private LobHandler lobHandler;
+
 	/**
 	 * Public setter for the {@link DataSource}.
-	 * @param dataSource a {@link DataSource}
+	 * 
+	 * @param dataSource
+	 *            a {@link DataSource}
 	 */
 	public void setDataSource(DataSource dataSource) {
 		this.dataSource = dataSource;
@@ -65,12 +74,23 @@ public class JobExplorerFactoryBean extends AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean imple
 
 	/**
 	 * Sets the table prefix for all the batch meta-data tables.
+	 * 
 	 * @param tablePrefix
 	 */
 	public void setTablePrefix(String tablePrefix) {
 		this.tablePrefix = tablePrefix;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * The lob handler to use when saving {@link ExecutionContext} instances.
+	 * Defaults to null which works for most databases.
+	 * 
+	 * @param lobHandler
+	 */
+	public void setLobHandler(LobHandler lobHandler) {
+		this.lobHandler = lobHandler;
+	}
+
 	public void afterPropertiesSet() throws Exception {
 
 		Assert.notNull(dataSource, "DataSource must not be null.");
@@ -80,7 +100,19 @@ public class JobExplorerFactoryBean extends AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean imple
 	}
 
 	private Object getTarget() throws Exception {
-		return new SimpleJobExplorer(createJobInstanceDao(), createJobExecutionDao(), createStepExecutionDao());
+		return new SimpleJobExplorer(createJobInstanceDao(),
+				createJobExecutionDao(), createStepExecutionDao(),
+				createExecutionContextDao());
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected ExecutionContextDao createExecutionContextDao() throws Exception {
+		JdbcExecutionContextDao dao = new JdbcExecutionContextDao();
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setLobHandler(lobHandler);
+		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
+		dao.afterPropertiesSet();
+		return dao;
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/MapJobExplorerFactoryBean.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/MapJobExplorerFactoryBean.java
index 8f2be18ea..20b9fefcf 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/MapJobExplorerFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/MapJobExplorerFactoryBean.java
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@
 
 package org.springframework.batch.core.explore.support;
 
+import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.ExecutionContextDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobInstanceDao;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.MapExecutionContextDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.MapJobExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.MapJobInstanceDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.MapStepExecutionDao;
@@ -47,8 +49,13 @@ public class MapJobExplorerFactoryBean extends AbstractJobExplorerFactoryBean {
 		return new MapStepExecutionDao();
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	protected ExecutionContextDao createExecutionContextDao() throws Exception {
+		return new MapExecutionContextDao();
+	}
+	
 	public Object getObject() throws Exception {
-		return new SimpleJobExplorer(createJobInstanceDao(), createJobExecutionDao(), createStepExecutionDao());
+		return new SimpleJobExplorer(createJobInstanceDao(), createJobExecutionDao(), createStepExecutionDao(), createExecutionContextDao());
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/SimpleJobExplorer.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/SimpleJobExplorer.java
index 269224f02..9d43dbedd 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/SimpleJobExplorer.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/SimpleJobExplorer.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobInstance;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.StepExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.explore.JobExplorer;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.ExecutionContextDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobInstanceDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.StepExecutionDao;
@@ -50,6 +51,8 @@ public class SimpleJobExplorer implements JobExplorer {
 	
 	private StepExecutionDao stepExecutionDao;
 
+	private ExecutionContextDao ecDao;
+
 	/**
 	 * Provide default constructor with low visibility in case user wants to use
 	 * use aop:proxy-target-class="true" for AOP interceptor.
@@ -57,11 +60,12 @@ public class SimpleJobExplorer implements JobExplorer {
 	SimpleJobExplorer() {
 	}
 
-	public SimpleJobExplorer(JobInstanceDao jobInstanceDao, JobExecutionDao jobExecutionDao, StepExecutionDao stepExecutionDao) {
+	public SimpleJobExplorer(JobInstanceDao jobInstanceDao, JobExecutionDao jobExecutionDao, StepExecutionDao stepExecutionDao, ExecutionContextDao ecDao) {
 		super();
 		this.jobInstanceDao = jobInstanceDao;
 		this.jobExecutionDao = jobExecutionDao;
 		this.stepExecutionDao = stepExecutionDao;
+		this.ecDao = ecDao;
 	}
 
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
@@ -102,7 +106,9 @@ public class SimpleJobExplorer implements JobExplorer {
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.core.explore.JobExplorer#getStepExecution(java.lang.Long)
 	 */
 	public StepExecution getStepExecution(Long jobExecutionId, Long executionId) {
-		return stepExecutionDao.getStepExecution(getJobExecution(jobExecutionId), executionId);
+		StepExecution stepExecution = stepExecutionDao.getStepExecution(getJobExecution(jobExecutionId), executionId);
+		getStepExecutionDependencies(stepExecution);
+		return stepExecution;
 	}
 
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
@@ -128,6 +134,12 @@ public class SimpleJobExplorer implements JobExplorer {
 		JobInstance jobInstance = jobInstanceDao.getJobInstance(jobExecution);
 		stepExecutionDao.addStepExecutions(jobExecution);
 		jobExecution.setJobInstance(jobInstance);
+		jobExecution.setExecutionContext(ecDao.getExecutionContext(jobExecution));
+
+	}
+
+	private void getStepExecutionDependencies(StepExecution stepExecution) {
+		stepExecution.setExecutionContext(ecDao.getExecutionContext(stepExecution));		
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/exlore/support/SimpleJobExplorerTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/exlore/support/SimpleJobExplorerTests.java
index 9441c9e13..7277af07f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/exlore/support/SimpleJobExplorerTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/exlore/support/SimpleJobExplorerTests.java
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobInstance;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobParameters;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.StepExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.explore.support.SimpleJobExplorer;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.ExecutionContextDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobInstanceDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.StepExecutionDao;
@@ -44,25 +46,28 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.StepExecutionDao;
  */
 public class SimpleJobExplorerTests extends TestCase {
 
-	SimpleJobExplorer jobExplorer;
+	private SimpleJobExplorer jobExplorer;
 
-	JobExecutionDao jobExecutionDao;
+	private JobExecutionDao jobExecutionDao;
 	
-	JobInstanceDao jobInstanceDao;
+	private JobInstanceDao jobInstanceDao;
 	
-	StepExecutionDao stepExecutionDao;
+	private StepExecutionDao stepExecutionDao;
 
-	JobInstance jobInstance = new JobInstance(111L, new JobParameters(), "job");
+	private JobInstance jobInstance = new JobInstance(111L, new JobParameters(), "job");
 	
-	JobExecution jobExecution = new JobExecution(jobInstance, 123L);
+	private ExecutionContextDao ecDao;
+
+	private JobExecution jobExecution = new JobExecution(jobInstance, 123L);
 
 	public void setUp() throws Exception {
 
 		jobExecutionDao = createMock(JobExecutionDao.class);
 		jobInstanceDao = createMock(JobInstanceDao.class);
 		stepExecutionDao = createMock(StepExecutionDao.class);
+		ecDao = createMock(ExecutionContextDao.class);
 
-		jobExplorer = new SimpleJobExplorer(jobInstanceDao, jobExecutionDao, stepExecutionDao);
+		jobExplorer = new SimpleJobExplorer(jobInstanceDao, jobExecutionDao, stepExecutionDao, ecDao);
 
 	}
 
@@ -88,12 +93,15 @@ public class SimpleJobExplorerTests extends TestCase {
 	@Test
 	public void testGetStepExecution() throws Exception {
 		expect(jobExecutionDao.getJobExecution(123L)).andReturn(jobExecution);
-		expect(stepExecutionDao.getStepExecution(jobExecution, 123L)).andReturn(null);
+		StepExecution stepExecution = jobExecution.createStepExecution("foo");
+		expect(stepExecutionDao.getStepExecution(jobExecution, 123L)).andReturn(stepExecution);
+		expect(ecDao.getExecutionContext(jobExecution)).andReturn(null);
+		expect(ecDao.getExecutionContext(stepExecution)).andReturn(null);
 		stepExecutionDao.addStepExecutions(jobExecution);
 		expectLastCall();
-		replay(jobExecutionDao, stepExecutionDao);
+		replay(jobExecutionDao, stepExecutionDao, ecDao);
 		jobExplorer.getStepExecution(jobExecution.getId(), 123L);
-		verify(jobExecutionDao, stepExecutionDao);
+		verify(jobExecutionDao, stepExecutionDao, ecDao);
 	}
 
 	@Test