diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReader.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReader.java
index eadf35d2c..2ad554418 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReader.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ReaderNotOpenException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.support.AbstractItemCountingItemStreamItemReader;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.dao.InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException;
@@ -469,6 +470,10 @@ public class JdbcCursorItemReader<T> extends AbstractItemCountingItemStreamItemR
 	 */
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	protected T doRead() throws Exception {
+		if (rs == null) {
+			throw new ReaderNotOpenException("Reader must be open before it can be read.");
+		}
+
 		try {
 			if (!rs.next()) {
 				return null;
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests.java
index c8723dc34..f0d97782c 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests.java
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 package org.springframework.batch.item.database;
 
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.internal.runners.JUnit4ClassRunner;
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemReader;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ReaderNotOpenException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.sample.Foo;
-import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
-import org.junit.internal.runners.JUnit4ClassRunner;
-import org.junit.Test;
 
 @RunWith(JUnit4ClassRunner.class)
 public class JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests extends AbstractDatabaseItemStreamItemReaderTests {
@@ -45,4 +46,10 @@ public class JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests extends AbstractDatabaseItemStreamI
 		reader.open(new ExecutionContext());		
 	}
 
+	@Test(expected=ReaderNotOpenException.class)
+	public void testReadBeforeOpen() throws Exception {
+		tested = getItemReader();
+		tested.read();
+	}
+	
 }