diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/AbstractStepParser.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/AbstractStepParser.java
index 5729f56f0..8d33cb0b1 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/AbstractStepParser.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/AbstractStepParser.java
@@ -179,11 +179,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractStepParser {
 		}
 
 		//add the allow parser here
-//		String isAllowStart = stepElement.getAttribute(ALLOW_START_ATTR);
-//		if (StringUtils.hasText(isAllowStart)) {
-//			//set the value as a property
-//			bd.getPropertyValues().add("allowStartIfComplete", Boolean.valueOf(isAllowStart));
-//		}
+		String isAllowStart = stepElement.getAttribute(ALLOW_START_ATTR);
+		if (StringUtils.hasText(isAllowStart)) {
+			//check if the value is already set from an inner element
+			if (!bd.getPropertyValues().contains("allowStartIfComplete")) {
+				//set the value as a property
+				bd.getPropertyValues().add("allowStartIfComplete", Boolean.valueOf(isAllowStart));
+			}//end if
+		}
 		
 		stepListenerParser.handleListenersElement(stepElement, bd, parserContext);
 		return bd;
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/TaskletStepAllowStartIfCompleteTest.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/TaskletStepAllowStartIfCompleteTest.java
index 6dc0f6e6f..e401ca832 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/TaskletStepAllowStartIfCompleteTest.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/TaskletStepAllowStartIfCompleteTest.java
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner;
 
-@Ignore
+//@Ignore
 @RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
 @ContextConfiguration
 public class TaskletStepAllowStartIfCompleteTest {