diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/ChunkParser.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/ChunkParser.java
index 8abe600d4..4a4989ae2 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/ChunkParser.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/ChunkParser.java
@@ -74,13 +74,25 @@ public class ChunkParser {
 		String checkpointPolicy = element.getAttribute(CHECKPOINT_POLICY_ATTRIBUTE);
 		if(StringUtils.hasText(checkpointPolicy)) {
 			if(checkpointPolicy.equals(ITEM_CHECKPOINT_POLICY)) {
-				parseSimpleAttribute(element, propertyValues, ITEM_COUNT_ATTRIBUTE, "commitInterval");
+				String itemCount = element.getAttribute(ITEM_COUNT_ATTRIBUTE);
+				if (StringUtils.hasText(itemCount)) {
+					propertyValues.addPropertyValue("commitInterval", itemCount);
+				} else {
+					propertyValues.addPropertyValue("commitInterval", "10");
+				}
+
 				parseSimpleAttribute(element, propertyValues, TIME_LIMIT_ATTRIBUTE, "timeout");
 			} else if(checkpointPolicy.equals(CUSTOM_CHECKPOINT_POLICY)) {
 				parseCustomCheckpointAlgorithm(element, parserContext, propertyValues);
 			}
 		} else {
-			parseSimpleAttribute(element, propertyValues, ITEM_COUNT_ATTRIBUTE, "commitInterval");
+			String itemCount = element.getAttribute(ITEM_COUNT_ATTRIBUTE);
+			if (StringUtils.hasText(itemCount)) {
+				propertyValues.addPropertyValue("commitInterval", itemCount);
+			} else {
+				propertyValues.addPropertyValue("commitInterval", "10");
+			}
+
 			parseSimpleAttribute(element, propertyValues, TIME_LIMIT_ATTRIBUTE, "timeout");
 		}
 
@@ -97,9 +109,9 @@ public class ChunkParser {
 
 	private void parseSimpleAttribute(Element element,
 			MutablePropertyValues propertyValues, String attributeName, String propertyName) {
-		String skipLimit = element.getAttribute(attributeName);
-		if (StringUtils.hasText(skipLimit)) {
-			propertyValues.addPropertyValue(propertyName, skipLimit);
+		String propertyValue = element.getAttribute(attributeName);
+		if (StringUtils.hasText(propertyValue)) {
+			propertyValues.addPropertyValue(propertyName, propertyValue);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests.java
index 79a2b46bf..5dc5a1239 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests.java
@@ -16,7 +16,12 @@
 package org.springframework.batch.core.jsr.configuration.xml;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import javax.batch.api.chunk.CheckpointAlgorithm;
+import javax.batch.api.chunk.ItemWriter;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
@@ -26,9 +31,6 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobParameters;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.Step;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.launch.JobLauncher;
-import org.springframework.batch.repeat.CompletionPolicy;
-import org.springframework.batch.repeat.RepeatContext;
-import org.springframework.batch.repeat.RepeatStatus;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner;
@@ -49,46 +51,72 @@ public class SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests {
 	@Autowired
 	public CountingCompletionPolicy policy;
 
+	@Autowired
+	public CountingItemWriter writer;
+
 	@Autowired
 	public JobLauncher jobLauncher;
 
 	@Test
 	public void test() throws Exception {
-		assertNotNull(job);
-		assertEquals("job1", job.getName());
-		assertNotNull(step1);
-		assertEquals("step1", step1.getName());
-
 		JobExecution execution = jobLauncher.run(job, new JobParameters());
 		assertEquals(BatchStatus.COMPLETED, execution.getStatus());
-		assertEquals(3, execution.getStepExecutions().size());
-		assertEquals(2, processor.count);
-		assertEquals(3, policy.counter);
+		assertEquals(4, execution.getStepExecutions().size());
+		assertEquals(27, processor.count);
+		assertEquals(2, policy.checkpointCount);
+		assertEquals(8, writer.writeCount);
+		assertEquals(27, writer.itemCount);
 	}
 
-	public static class CountingCompletionPolicy implements CompletionPolicy {
+	public static class CountingItemWriter implements ItemWriter {
 
-		protected int counter;
+		protected int writeCount = 0;
+		protected int itemCount = 0;
 
 		@Override
-		public boolean isComplete(RepeatContext context, RepeatStatus result) {
-			return counter == 3;
+		public void open(Serializable checkpoint) throws Exception {
 		}
 
 		@Override
-		public boolean isComplete(RepeatContext context) {
-			return counter == 3;
+		public void close() throws Exception {
 		}
 
 		@Override
-		public RepeatContext start(RepeatContext parent) {
-			counter = 0;
-			return parent;
+		public void writeItems(List<Object> items) throws Exception {
+			System.err.println("Items to be written: " + items);
+			writeCount++;
+			itemCount += items.size();
 		}
 
 		@Override
-		public void update(RepeatContext context) {
-			counter++;
+		public Serializable checkpointInfo() throws Exception {
+			return null;
+		}
+	}
+
+	public static class CountingCompletionPolicy implements CheckpointAlgorithm {
+
+		protected int itemCount = 0;
+		protected int checkpointCount = 0;
+
+		@Override
+		public int checkpointTimeout() throws Exception {
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public void beginCheckpoint() throws Exception {
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public boolean isReadyToCheckpoint() throws Exception {
+			itemCount++;
+			return itemCount % 3 == 0;
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public void endCheckpoint() throws Exception {
+			checkpointCount++;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests-context.xml b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests-context.xml
index 61b223031..376a06cf9 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests-context.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/jsr/configuration/xml/SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests-context.xml
@@ -9,23 +9,29 @@
 			<chunk checkpoint-policy="item" item-count="3">
 				<reader ref="generatingItemReader1" />
 				<processor ref="countingItemProcessor" />
-				<writer ref="sysoutItemWriter" />
+				<writer ref="countingItemWriter" />
 			</chunk>
 		</step>
-		<step id="step2" next="step3">
+ 		<step id="step2" next="step3">
 			<chunk checkpoint-policy="custom">
-				<reader ref="generatingItemReader1" />
+				<reader ref="generatingItemReader2" />
 				<processor ref="countingItemProcessor" />
-				<writer ref="sysoutItemWriter" />
+				<writer ref="countingItemWriter" />
 				<checkpoint-algorithm ref="testCompletionPolicy" />
 			</chunk>
 		</step>
-		<step id="step3">
+		<step id="step3" next="step4">
 			<chunk checkpoint-policy="item" item-count="3" time-limit="1">
-				<reader ref="generatingItemReader1" />
+				<reader ref="generatingItemReader3" />
 				<processor ref="countingItemProcessor" />
-				<writer ref="sysoutItemWriter" />
-				<checkpoint-algorithm ref="testCompletionPolicy" />
+				<writer ref="countingItemWriter" />
+			</chunk>
+		</step>
+		<step id="step4">
+			<chunk checkpoint-policy="item">
+				<reader ref="generatingItemReader4" />
+				<processor ref="countingItemProcessor" />
+				<writer ref="countingItemWriter" />
 			</chunk>
 		</step>
 	</job>
@@ -43,6 +49,9 @@
 			<list>
 				<value>One</value>
 				<value>Two</value>
+				<value>Three</value>
+				<value>Four</value>
+				<value>Five</value>
 			</list>
 		</constructor-arg>
 	</bean>
@@ -50,8 +59,11 @@
 	<bean id="generatingItemReader2" class="org.springframework.batch.item.support.ListItemReader">
 		<constructor-arg>
 			<list>
+				<value>One</value>
+				<value>Two</value>
 				<value>Three</value>
 				<value>Four</value>
+				<value>Five</value>
 			</list>
 		</constructor-arg>
 	</bean>
@@ -59,20 +71,37 @@
 	<bean id="generatingItemReader3" class="org.springframework.batch.item.support.ListItemReader">
 		<constructor-arg>
 			<list>
+				<value>One</value>
+				<value>Two</value>
+			</list>
+		</constructor-arg>
+	</bean>
+
+	<bean id="generatingItemReader4" class="org.springframework.batch.item.support.ListItemReader">
+		<constructor-arg>
+			<list>
+				<value>One</value>
+				<value>Two</value>
+				<value>Three</value>
+				<value>Four</value>
 				<value>Five</value>
 				<value>Six</value>
+				<value>Seven</value>
+				<value>Eight</value>
+				<value>Nine</value>
+				<value>Ten</value>
+				<value>Eleven</value>
+				<value>Twelve</value>
+				<value>Thirteen</value>
+				<value>Fourteen</value>
+				<value>Fifteen</value>
 			</list>
 		</constructor-arg>
 	</bean>
 
 	<bean id="countingItemProcessor" class="org.springframework.batch.core.jsr.configuration.xml.CountingItemProcessor"/>
 
-	<bean id="sysoutItemWriter" class="org.springframework.batch.item.adapter.ItemWriterAdapter">
-		<property name="targetObject">
-			<util:constant static-field="java.lang.System.out"/>
-		</property>
-		<property name="targetMethod" value="println"/>
-	</bean>
+	<bean id="countingItemWriter" class="org.springframework.batch.core.jsr.configuration.xml.SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests$CountingItemWriter"/>
 
-	<bean id="testCompletionPolicy" class="org.springframework.batch.core.jsr.configuration.xml.SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests.CountingCompletionPolicy"/>
+	<bean id="testCompletionPolicy" class="org.springframework.batch.core.jsr.configuration.xml.SimpleItemBasedJobParsingTests$CountingCompletionPolicy"/>
 </beans>