diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/StreamContext.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/StreamContext.java
index 3ca0affd7..fde18cac8 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/StreamContext.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/StreamContext.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
 
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
-import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 
 /**
  * Value object representing a context for an {@link ItemStream}. It is
@@ -76,9 +75,13 @@ public class StreamContext {
 
 		return ((Long) readAndValidate(key, Long.class)).longValue();
 	}
-
-	public Object get(String key) {
-
+	
+	public double getDouble(String key){
+		return ((Double)readAndValidate(key, Double.class)).doubleValue();
+	}
+	
+	public Object get(String key){
+		
 		return map.get(key);
 	}
 
@@ -86,10 +89,10 @@ public class StreamContext {
 
 		Object value = map.get(key);
 
-//		if (!type.isInstance(key)) {
-//			throw new ClassCastException("Value for key=[" + key + "] is not of type: [" + ClassUtils.getShortName(type)
-//					+ "], it is [" + (value == null ? null : ClassUtils.getShortName(value.getClass())) + "]");
-//		}
+		if (!type.isInstance(value)) {
+			throw new ClassCastException("Value for key=[" + key + "] is not of type: [" + type
+					+ "], it is [" + (value == null ? null : value) + "]");
+		}
 
 		return value;
 	}
@@ -124,4 +127,19 @@ public class StreamContext {
 
 		return props;
 	}
+	
+	public boolean equals(Object obj) {
+		if(obj instanceof StreamContext == false){
+			return false;
+		}
+		if(this == obj){
+			return true;
+		}
+		StreamContext rhs = (StreamContext)obj;
+		return this.entrySet().equals(rhs.entrySet());
+	}
+	
+	public int hashCode() {
+		return map.hashCode();
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/StreamContextTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/StreamContextTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..49b395003
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/StreamContextTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2006-2008 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.batch.item;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * @author Lucas Ward
+ *
+ */
+public class StreamContextTests extends TestCase{
+
+	StreamContext context;
+	
+	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
+		super.setUp();
+		
+		context = new StreamContext();
+	}
+	
+	public void testNormalUsage(){
+		
+		context.putString("1", "testString1");
+		context.putString("2", "testString2");
+		context.putLong("3", 3);
+		context.putDouble("4", 4.4);
+		
+		assertEquals("testString1", context.getString("1"));
+		assertEquals("testString2", context.getString("2"));
+		assertEquals(4.4, context.getDouble("4"), 0);
+		assertEquals(3, context.getLong("3"));
+	}
+	
+	public void testInvalidCast(){
+		
+		context.putLong("1", 1);
+		try{
+			context.getDouble("1");
+			fail();
+		}
+		catch(ClassCastException ex){
+			//expected
+		}
+	}
+	
+	public void testIsEmpty(){
+		assertTrue(context.isEmpty());
+		context.put("1", new Object());
+		assertFalse(context.isEmpty());
+	}
+	
+	public void testDirtyFlag(){
+		assertFalse(context.isDirty());
+		context.put("1", new Object());
+		assertTrue(context.isDirty());
+		context.clearDirtyFlag();
+		assertFalse(context.isDirty());
+	}
+	
+	public void testContains(){
+		context.put("1", "testString");
+		assertTrue(context.containsKey("1"));
+		assertTrue(context.containsValue("testString"));
+	}
+	
+	public void testEquals(){
+		context.put("1", "testString");
+		StreamContext tempContext = new StreamContext();
+		assertFalse(tempContext.equals(context));
+		tempContext.put("1", "testString");
+		assertTrue(tempContext.equals(context));
+	}
+	
+}