diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/NoItemsProcessedDetector.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/NoItemsProcessedDetector.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59f6b72c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/NoItemsProcessedDetector.java
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2007 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.core.step;
+
+import org.springframework.batch.core.StepExecution;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.listener.StepExecutionListenerSupport;
+import org.springframework.batch.repeat.ExitStatus;
+
+/**
+ * Fails the step if no items have been processed ( item count is 0).
+ * 
+ * @author Robert Kasanicky
+ */
+public class NoItemsProcessedDetector extends StepExecutionListenerSupport {
+
+	public ExitStatus afterStep(StepExecution stepExecution) {
+		if (stepExecution.getItemCount().intValue() == 0) {
+			throw new NoItemsProcessedException("Step has not processed any items");
+		}
+		return stepExecution.getExitStatus();
+	}
+
+	private static class NoItemsProcessedException extends RuntimeException {
+		public NoItemsProcessedException(String message) {
+			super(message);
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/NoItemsProcessedDetectorTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/NoItemsProcessedDetectorTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a5937540e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/NoItemsProcessedDetectorTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2007 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.core.step;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.JobInstance;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.JobParameters;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.StepExecution;
+
+public class NoItemsProcessedDetectorTests extends TestCase {
+
+    private NoItemsProcessedDetector tested = new NoItemsProcessedDetector();
+
+    /**
+     *  If item count is zero exception is thrown
+     */
+    public void testAfterStep() {
+        StepExecution stepExecution = new StepExecution("NoProcessingStep",
+                new JobExecution(
+                new JobInstance(new Long(1), new JobParameters(), "NoProcessingJob")));
+
+        stepExecution.setItemCount(0);
+
+        try {
+            tested.afterStep(stepExecution);
+            fail();
+        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+           assertEquals("Step has not processed any items", e.getMessage());
+        }
+    }
+}