diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/Entity.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/Entity.java
index a23baebd3..af9bf7b2f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/Entity.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/Entity.java
@@ -63,9 +63,17 @@ public class Entity implements Serializable {
 	public Integer getVersion() {
 		return version;
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Public setter for the version needed only by repository methods.
+	 * @param version the version to set
+	 */
+	public void setVersion(Integer version) {
+		this.version = version;
+	}
 
 	/**
-	 * 
+	 * Increment the version number
 	 */
 	public void incrementVersion() {
 		if (version == null) {
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/JobExplorer.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/JobExplorer.java
index 90b4e8f8b..9b411f889 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/JobExplorer.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/JobExplorer.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobInstance;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.StepExecution;
 
 /**
  * @author Dave Syer
@@ -35,11 +36,18 @@ public interface JobExplorer {
 	List<JobInstance> getLastJobInstances(String jobName, int count);
 
 	/**
-	 * @param executionId
+	 * @param executionId the job execution id
 	 * @return the {@link JobExecution} with this id, or null if not found
 	 */
 	JobExecution getJobExecution(Long executionId);
 
+	/**
+	 * @param jobExecutionId the parent job execution id
+	 * @param stepName the step name identifier for the required {@link StepExecution}
+	 * @return the {@link StepExecution} with this id, or null if not found
+	 */
+	StepExecution getStepExecution(Long jobExecutionId, String stepName);
+
 	/**
 	 * @param instanceId
 	 * @return the {@link JobInstance} with this id, or null
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 c480d6e51..a7fb940d0 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
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import java.util.Set;
 
 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.JobExecutionDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.JobInstanceDao;
@@ -93,6 +94,14 @@ public class SimpleJobExplorer implements JobExplorer {
 		getJobExecutionDependencies(jobExecution);
 		return jobExecution;
 	}
+	
+	/* (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.springframework.batch.core.explore.JobExplorer#getStepExecution(java.lang.Long)
+	 */
+	public StepExecution getStepExecution(Long executionId, String stepName) {
+		JobExecution jobExecution = jobExecutionDao.getJobExecution(executionId);
+		return stepExecutionDao.getStepExecution(jobExecution, stepName);
+	}
 
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.core.explore.JobExplorer#getJobInstance(java.lang.Long)
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
index e6637ab27..bdd8890e6 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public class JdbcStepExecutionDao extends AbstractJdbcBatchMetadataDao implement
 			+ " where STEP_EXECUTION_ID = ? and VERSION = ?";
 
 	private static final String GET_RAW_STEP_EXECUTIONS = "SELECT STEP_EXECUTION_ID, STEP_NAME, START_TIME, END_TIME, STATUS, COMMIT_COUNT,"
-			+ " READ_COUNT, FILTER_COUNT, WRITE_COUNT, CONTINUABLE, EXIT_CODE, EXIT_MESSAGE, READ_SKIP_COUNT, WRITE_SKIP_COUNT, PROCESS_SKIP_COUNT, ROLLBACK_COUNT, LAST_UPDATED from %PREFIX%STEP_EXECUTION where JOB_EXECUTION_ID = ?";
+			+ " READ_COUNT, FILTER_COUNT, WRITE_COUNT, CONTINUABLE, EXIT_CODE, EXIT_MESSAGE, READ_SKIP_COUNT, WRITE_SKIP_COUNT, PROCESS_SKIP_COUNT, ROLLBACK_COUNT, LAST_UPDATED, VERSION from %PREFIX%STEP_EXECUTION where JOB_EXECUTION_ID = ?";
 
 	private static final String GET_STEP_EXECUTIONS = GET_RAW_STEP_EXECUTIONS + " order by STEP_EXECUTION_ID";
 
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ public class JdbcStepExecutionDao extends AbstractJdbcBatchMetadataDao implement
 			stepExecution.setProcessSkipCount(rs.getInt(15));
 			stepExecution.setRollbackCount(rs.getInt(16));
 			stepExecution.setLastUpdated(rs.getTimestamp(17));
+			stepExecution.setVersion(rs.getInt(18));
 			return 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 68aa55b23..8e1406cc0 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
@@ -72,6 +72,15 @@ public class SimpleJobExplorerTests extends TestCase {
 		verify(jobExecutionDao, jobInstanceDao, stepExecutionDao);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testGetStepExecution() throws Exception {
+		expect(jobExecutionDao.getJobExecution(123L)).andReturn(jobExecution);
+		expect(stepExecutionDao.getStepExecution(jobExecution, "foo")).andReturn(null);
+		replay(jobExecutionDao, stepExecutionDao);
+		jobExplorer.getStepExecution(123L,"foo");
+		verify(jobExecutionDao, stepExecutionDao);
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testFindRunningJobExecutions() throws Exception {
 		expect(jobExecutionDao.findRunningJobExecutions("job")).andReturn(Collections.singleton(jobExecution));
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests.java
index 88e38a66a..fb38e56c3 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests.java
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests extends AbstractTransactiona
 	}
 
 	@Transactional @Test
-	public void testSaveAndFindExecution() {
+	public void testSaveAndGetExecution() {
 		
 		stepExecution.setStatus(BatchStatus.STARTED);
 		stepExecution.setReadSkipCount(7);
@@ -104,12 +104,13 @@ public abstract class AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests extends AbstractTransactiona
 		StepExecution retrieved = dao.getStepExecution(jobExecution, step.getName());
 		
 		assertStepExecutionsAreEqual(stepExecution, retrieved);
+		assertNotNull(retrieved.getVersion());
 		
 		assertNull(dao.getStepExecution(jobExecution, "not-existing step"));
 	}
 
 	@Transactional @Test
-	public void testSaveAndGetExecution() {
+	public void testSaveAndFindExecution() {
 		
 		stepExecution.setStatus(BatchStatus.STARTED);
 		stepExecution.setReadSkipCount(7);