diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriter.java
index e20ca57fe..71b11f5eb 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriter.java
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemWriter extends ExecutionContextUserSupport implements I
 
 	private FieldSetCreator fieldSetCreator;
 
-	private boolean saveState = false;
+	private boolean saveState = true;
 
 	private boolean shouldDeleteIfExists = true;
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriter.java
index 47d184733..5eeb36549 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriter.java
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public class StaxEventItemWriter extends ExecutionContextUserSupport implements
 	// current count of processed records
 	private long currentRecordCount = 0;
 
-	private boolean saveState = false;
+	private boolean saveState = true;
 
 	// holds the list of items for writing before they are actually written on
 	// #flush()