spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/StepScopePlaceholderIntegrationTests.java

@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ public class StepScopePlaceholderIntegrationTests implements BeanFactoryAware {
 	@Qualifier("bar")
 	private Collaborator bar;
 
+	@Autowired
+	@Qualifier("nested")
+	private Collaborator nested;
+
 	private StepExecution stepExecution;
 
 	private ListableBeanFactory beanFactory;
@@ -128,4 +132,9 @@ public class StepScopePlaceholderIntegrationTests implements BeanFactoryAware {
 		assertEquals("[bar]", list.getList().toString());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testNested() throws Exception {
+		assertEquals("bar", nested.getParent().getName());
+	}
+
 }

spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/StepScopePlaceholderIntegrationTests-context.xml

@@ -19,6 +19,15 @@
 		<property name="parent" value="#{stepExecutionContext[parent]}" />
 	</bean>
 
+	<bean id="nested" class="org.springframework.batch.core.scope.TestCollaborator">
+		<property name="name" value="foo" />
+		<property name="parent">
+			<bean class="org.springframework.batch.core.scope.TestCollaborator" scope="step">
+				<property name="name" value="#{stepExecutionContext[foo]}" />
+			</bean>
+		</property>
+	</bean>
+
 	<bean id="list" class="org.springframework.batch.core.scope.TestCollaborator" scope="step">
 		<property name="name" value="foo" />
 		<property name="list">