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 023356dda..538640e8f 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
@@ -108,9 +108,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemWriter extends ExecutionContextUserSupport implements I
 	 */
 	public void afterPropertiesSet() throws Exception {
 		Assert.notNull(resource, "The resource must be set");
-		Assert.notNull(fieldSetCreator, "A FieldSetUnmapper must be provided.");
-		File file = resource.getFile();
-		Assert.state(!file.exists() || file.canWrite(), "Resource is not writable: [" + resource + "]");
+		Assert.notNull(fieldSetCreator, "A FieldSetCreator must be provided.");
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -232,6 +230,13 @@ public class FlatFileItemWriter extends ExecutionContextUserSupport implements I
 	// Returns object representing state.
 	private OutputState getOutputState() {
 		if (state == null) {
+			try {
+				File file = resource.getFile();
+				Assert.state(!file.exists() || file.canWrite(), "Resource is not writable: [" + resource + "]");
+			}
+			catch (IOException e) {
+				throw new ItemStreamException("Could not test resource for writable status.", e);
+			}
 			state = new OutputState();
 			state.setDeleteIfExists(shouldDeleteIfExists);
 			state.setBufferSize(bufferSize);
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/util/FileUtils.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/util/FileUtils.java
index e0bddd591..e2703af89 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/util/FileUtils.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/util/FileUtils.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package org.springframework.batch.item.util;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
 
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStreamException;
 import org.springframework.dao.DataAccessResourceFailureException;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ public class FileUtils {
 			if (!restarted) {
 				if (file.exists()) {
 					if(!overwriteOutputFile){
-						throw new  DataAccessResourceFailureException("File already exists: ["
+						throw new  ItemStreamException("File already exists: ["
 						+ file.getAbsolutePath() + "]");
 					}
 					file.delete();
@@ -53,13 +54,13 @@ public class FileUtils {
 				file.createNewFile();
 			}
 		} catch (IOException ioe) {
-			throw new DataAccessResourceFailureException(
+			throw new ItemStreamException(
 					"Unable to create file: [" + file.getAbsolutePath() + "]",
 					ioe);
 		}
 
 		if (!file.canWrite()) {
-			throw new DataAccessResourceFailureException(
+			throw new ItemStreamException(
 					"File is not writable: [" + file.getAbsolutePath() + "]");
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriterTests.java
index 5c39309da..3e86a0623 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriterTests.java
@@ -261,6 +261,22 @@ public class FlatFileItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 		assertEquals(3, executionContext.getLong(ClassUtils.getShortName(FlatFileItemWriter.class) + ".written"));
 
 	}
+	
+	public void testOpenWithNonexistentFile() throws Exception {
+		writer = new FlatFileItemWriter();
+		writer.setFieldSetCreator(new PassThroughFieldSetMapper());
+		FileSystemResource file = new FileSystemResource("no-such-file.foo");
+		file.getFile().setReadOnly();
+		writer.setResource(file);
+		writer.afterPropertiesSet();
+		try {
+			writer.open(executionContext);
+			fail("Expected IllegalStateException");
+		} catch (IllegalStateException e) {
+			String message = e.getMessage();
+			assertTrue("Message does not contain 'writable': "+message, message.indexOf("writable")>=0);
+		}
+	}
 
 	public void testAfterPropertiesSetChecksMandatory() throws Exception {
 		writer = new FlatFileItemWriter();