diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/AbstractPagingItemReader.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/AbstractPagingItemReader.java
index b2106aeac..b57618bf7 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/AbstractPagingItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/AbstractPagingItemReader.java
@@ -94,30 +94,30 @@ public abstract class AbstractPagingItemReader<T> extends AbstractItemCountingIt
 	@Override
 	protected T doRead() throws Exception {
 
-		if (results == null || current.get() >= pageSize) {
+		synchronized (lock) {
 
-			if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-				logger.debug("Reading page " + getPage());
-			}
+			if (results == null || current.get() >= pageSize) {
 
-			synchronized (lock) {
-				if (results == null || current.get() >= pageSize) {
-					doReadPage();
-					page++;
-					if (current.get() >= pageSize) {
-						current.set(0);
-					}
+				if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+					logger.debug("Reading page " + getPage());
 				}
+
+				doReadPage();
+				page++;
+				if (current.get() >= pageSize) {
+					current.set(0);
+				}
+
 			}
 
-		}
+			int next = current.getAndIncrement();
+			if (next < results.size()) {
+				return results.get(next);
+			}
+			else {
+				return null;
+			}
 
-		int next = current.getAndIncrement();
-		if (next < results.size()) {
-			return results.get(next);
-		}
-		else {
-			return null;
 		}
 
 	}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/IbatisPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/IbatisPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
index 7a486de68..639111e1e 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/IbatisPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/IbatisPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletionService;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ public class IbatisPagingItemReaderAsyncTests {
 					Foo next = null;
 					do {
 						next = reader.read();
-						Thread.sleep(10L);
+						Thread.sleep(10L); // try to make it fairer
 						logger.debug("Reading item: " + next);
 						if (next != null) {
 							list.add(next);
@@ -112,14 +114,17 @@ public class IbatisPagingItemReaderAsyncTests {
 			});
 		}
 		int count = 0;
+		Set<Foo> results = new HashSet<Foo>();
 		for (int i = 0; i < THREAD_COUNT; i++) {
 			List<Foo> items = completionService.take().get();
 			count += items.size();
 			logger.debug("Finished items count: " + items.size());
 			logger.debug("Finished items: " + items);
 			assertNotNull(items);
+			results.addAll(items);
 		}
 		assertEquals(ITEM_COUNT, count);
+		assertEquals(ITEM_COUNT, results.size());
 		reader.close();
 	}
 
@@ -149,5 +154,4 @@ public class IbatisPagingItemReaderAsyncTests {
 		return (SqlMapClient) factory.getObject();
 	}
 
-
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
index 125336be5..312be6f0a 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import java.sql.ResultSet;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletionService;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
@@ -118,14 +120,17 @@ public class JdbcPagingItemReaderAsyncTests {
 			});
 		}
 		int count = 0;
+		Set<Foo> results = new HashSet<Foo>();
 		for (int i = 0; i < THREAD_COUNT; i++) {
 			List<Foo> items = completionService.take().get();
 			count += items.size();
 			logger.debug("Finished items count: " + items.size());
 			logger.debug("Finished items: " + items);
 			assertNotNull(items);
+			results.addAll(items);
 		}
 		assertEquals(ITEM_COUNT, count);
+		assertEquals(ITEM_COUNT, results.size());
 	}
 
 	protected ItemReader<Foo> getItemReader() throws Exception {
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
index 006c05018..34674a990 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaPagingItemReaderAsyncTests.java
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletionService;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
@@ -113,14 +115,17 @@ public class JpaPagingItemReaderAsyncTests {
 			});
 		}
 		int count = 0;
+		Set<Foo> results = new HashSet<Foo>();
 		for (int i = 0; i < THREAD_COUNT; i++) {
 			List<Foo> items = completionService.take().get();
 			count += items.size();
 			logger.debug("Finished items count: " + items.size());
 			logger.debug("Finished items: " + items);
 			assertNotNull(items);
+			results.addAll(items);
 		}
 		assertEquals(ITEM_COUNT, count);
+		assertEquals(ITEM_COUNT, results.size());
 		reader.close();
 	}