diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/loopFlow/LimitDecider.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/loopFlow/LimitDecider.java
index 1663fa6a2..c50b28b04 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/loopFlow/LimitDecider.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/loopFlow/LimitDecider.java
@@ -30,17 +30,12 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.JobExecutionDecider;
 public class LimitDecider implements JobExecutionDecider {
 
 	private int count = 0;
+
 	private int limit = 1;
 
-	/*
-	 * (non-Javadoc)
-	 * 
-	 * @see org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.support.state.JobExecutionDecider#decide(org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution,
-	 *      org.springframework.batch.core.StepExecution)
-	 */
 	public FlowExecutionStatus decide(JobExecution jobExecution, StepExecution stepExecution) {
 		if (++count >= limit) {
-			return new FlowExecutionStatus("COMPLETE");
+			return new FlowExecutionStatus("COMPLETED");
 		}
 		else {
 			return new FlowExecutionStatus("CONTINUE");
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/resources/jobs/skipSampleJob.xml b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/resources/jobs/skipSampleJob.xml
index 5b4c5cb76..e426a2f95 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/resources/jobs/skipSampleJob.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/resources/jobs/skipSampleJob.xml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 			<tasklet ref="errorLogTasklet"/>
 		</step>
 
-		<step id="step2" parent="secondPass" next="skipCheckingDecision"/>
+		<step id="step2" parent="step2parent" next="skipCheckingDecision"/>
 
 		<decision id="skipCheckingDecision" decider="skipCheckingDecider">
 			<end on="*"/>
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 		</step>
 	</job>
 
-	<step id="secondPass" parent="t2" xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/batch">
+	<step id="step2parent" parent="t2" xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/batch">
 		<tasklet>
 			<chunk writer="itemTrackingWriter">
 				<skippable-exception-classes merge="true">
@@ -102,17 +102,6 @@
 		</property>
 	</bean>
 
-	<bean id="customerReportItemWriter" class="org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.trade.internal.FlatFileCustomerCreditDao">
-		<property name="itemWriter">
-			<bean id="customerFlatFileOutputSource" class="org.springframework.batch.item.file.FlatFileItemWriter">
-				<property name="resource" value="target/test-outputs/20070122.testStream.CustomerReportStep.TEMP.txt" />
-				<property name="lineAggregator">
-					<bean class="org.springframework.batch.item.file.transform.PassThroughLineAggregator" />
-				</property>
-			</bean>
-		</property>
-	</bean>
-
 	<bean id="errorLogTasklet" class="org.springframework.batch.sample.common.ErrorLogTasklet">
 		<property name="dataSource" ref="dataSource"/>
 	</bean>
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/resources/jobs/tradeJob.xml b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/resources/jobs/tradeJob.xml
index 081aa8f46..5e98b2e03 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/resources/jobs/tradeJob.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/resources/jobs/tradeJob.xml
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 	<bean id="customerReportItemWriter" class="org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.trade.internal.FlatFileCustomerCreditDao">
 		<property name="itemWriter">
 			<bean class="org.springframework.batch.item.file.FlatFileItemWriter">
-				<property name="resource" value="target/test-outputs/20070122.testStream.CustomerReportStep.TEMP.txt" />
+				<property name="resource" value="file:target/test-outputs/20070122.testStream.CustomerReportStep.TEMP.txt" />
 				<property name="lineAggregator">
 					<bean class="org.springframework.batch.item.file.transform.PassThroughLineAggregator" />
 				</property>
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/AbstractBatchLauncherTests.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/AbstractBatchLauncherTests.java
index 5b9ea2619..612116148 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/AbstractBatchLauncherTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/AbstractBatchLauncherTests.java
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
+import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.BatchStatus;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.Job;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobParameters;
@@ -38,20 +40,19 @@ import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContextAware;
  */
 public abstract class AbstractBatchLauncherTests implements ApplicationContextAware {
 
-	/** Logger  */
+	/** Logger */
 	protected final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(getClass());
 
 	protected ApplicationContext applicationContext;
 
 	private JobLauncher launcher;
-	
+
 	private JobExecution jobExecution;
 
 	private Job job;
 
 	private JobParameters jobParameters = new JobParameters();
 
-
 	public void setApplicationContext(ApplicationContext applicationContext) {
 		this.applicationContext = applicationContext;
 	}
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractBatchLauncherTests implements ApplicationContextAw
 	public void setJob(Job job) {
 		this.job = job;
 	}
-	
+
 	public JobExecution getJobExecution() {
 		return jobExecution;
 	}
@@ -84,7 +85,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractBatchLauncherTests implements ApplicationContextAw
 
 	@Test
 	public void testLaunchJob() throws Exception {
-		jobExecution  = getLauncher().run(job, jobParameters);
+		jobExecution = getLauncher().run(job, jobParameters);
+		Assert.assertEquals(BatchStatus.COMPLETED, jobExecution.getStatus());
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/TradeJobFunctionalTests.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/TradeJobFunctionalTests.java
index a70f7e4ce..5d1c26019 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/TradeJobFunctionalTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/TradeJobFunctionalTests.java
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import javax.sql.DataSource;
 
 import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Before;
-import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.trade.Trade;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
@@ -40,7 +39,6 @@ import org.springframework.jdbc.core.simple.SimpleJdbcTemplate;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner;
 
-
 @RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
 @ContextConfiguration()
 public class TradeJobFunctionalTests extends AbstractValidatingBatchLauncherTests {
@@ -74,15 +72,8 @@ public class TradeJobFunctionalTests extends AbstractValidatingBatchLauncherTest
 		simpleJdbcTemplate.update("delete from TRADE");
 	}
 
-	@Test
-	public void testLaunchJob() throws Exception{
-		super.testLaunchJob();
-	}
-
 	protected void validatePostConditions() {
 		
-		// assertTrue(((Resource)applicationContext.getBean("customerFileLocator")).exists());
-		
 		customers = Arrays.asList(new Customer("customer1", (credits.get("customer1") - 98.34)),
 				new Customer("customer2", (credits.get("customer2") - 18.12 - 12.78)),
 				new Customer("customer3", (credits.get("customer3") - 109.25)),
@@ -126,9 +117,6 @@ public class TradeJobFunctionalTests extends AbstractValidatingBatchLauncherTest
 		// check content of the output file
 	}
 
-	protected void validatePreConditions() {
-	}
-
 	private static class Customer {
 		private String name;
 		private double credit;
@@ -166,9 +154,7 @@ public class TradeJobFunctionalTests extends AbstractValidatingBatchLauncherTest
 			this.name = name;
 		}
 
-		/* (non-Javadoc)
-		 * @see java.lang.Object#hashCode()
-		 */
+		@Override
 		public int hashCode() {
 			final int PRIME = 31;
 			int result = 1;
@@ -179,9 +165,7 @@ public class TradeJobFunctionalTests extends AbstractValidatingBatchLauncherTest
 			return result;
 		}
 
-		/* (non-Javadoc)
-		 * @see java.lang.Object#equals(java.lang.Object)
-		 */
+		@Override
 		public boolean equals(Object obj) {
 			if (this == obj)
 				return true;