diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SimpleItemHandler.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SimpleItemHandler.java
index b6c0c35ba..df7498dc0 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SimpleItemHandler.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SimpleItemHandler.java
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ public class SimpleItemHandler implements ItemHandler {
 		if (item == null) {
 			return ExitStatus.FINISHED;
 		}
+		contribution.incrementItemCount();
 		write(item, contribution);
 		return ExitStatus.CONTINUABLE;
 	}
@@ -93,7 +94,6 @@ public class SimpleItemHandler implements ItemHandler {
 	 * @param contribution current context
 	 */
 	protected void write(Object item, StepContribution contribution) throws Exception {
-		contribution.incrementItemCount();
 		doWrite(item);
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemSkipPolicyItemHandlerTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemSkipPolicyItemHandlerTests.java
index 688273179..9ce4b0c71 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemSkipPolicyItemHandlerTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemSkipPolicyItemHandlerTests.java
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ public class ItemSkipPolicyItemHandlerTests extends TestCase {
 		catch (SkippableException e) {
 			// expected
 		}
+		
+		assertEquals(3, contribution.getItemCount());
 		assertEquals(2, contribution.getSkipCount());
 		// No "4" because it was skipped on write
 		assertEquals(new Holder("5"), handler.read(contribution));
@@ -131,6 +133,7 @@ public class ItemSkipPolicyItemHandlerTests extends TestCase {
 		// was previously skipped
 		handler.handle(contribution);
 		assertEquals(null, handler.read(contribution));
+		assertEquals(3, contribution.getItemCount());
 		assertEquals(2, contribution.getSkipCount());
 
 		assertEquals(1, TransactionSynchronizationManager.getResourceMap().size());
@@ -182,6 +185,7 @@ public class ItemSkipPolicyItemHandlerTests extends TestCase {
 		catch (SkippableException e) {
 			// expected
 		}
+		assertEquals(3, contribution.getItemCount());
 		assertEquals(2, contribution.getSkipCount());
 		// No "4" because it was skipped on write, even though it is mutating
 		// its key
@@ -229,6 +233,7 @@ public class ItemSkipPolicyItemHandlerTests extends TestCase {
 		// re-thrown
 		handler.handle(contribution);
 
+		assertEquals(3, contribution.getItemCount());
 		assertEquals(2, contribution.getSkipCount());
 		// No "4" because it was skipped on write, even though it is mutating
 		// its key
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests.java
index 094a1b14d..6a21442a2 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests.java
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ public class SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests extends TestCase {
 
 		List expectedOutput = Arrays.asList(StringUtils.commaDelimitedListToStringArray("1,3,5"));
 		assertEquals(expectedOutput, writer.written);
+		
+		assertEquals(4, stepExecution.getItemCount().intValue());
 
 	}
 
@@ -110,6 +112,8 @@ public class SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests extends TestCase {
 
 		// no rollbacks
 		assertEquals(0, stepExecution.getRollbackCount().intValue());
+		
+		assertEquals(4, stepExecution.getItemCount().intValue());
 
 	}