diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJob.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJob.java
index 3b8d5c418..e565a306e 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJob.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJob.java
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.Step;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.listener.CompositeExecutionJobListener;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.JobRepository;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanNameAware;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 
 /**
@@ -36,7 +38,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
  * @author Lucas Ward
  * @author Dave Syer
  */
-public abstract class AbstractJob implements BeanNameAware, Job {
+public abstract class AbstractJob implements Job, BeanNameAware, InitializingBean {
 
 	private List steps = new ArrayList();
 
@@ -161,6 +163,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractJob implements BeanNameAware, Job {
 	public void setJobRepository(JobRepository jobRepository) {
 		this.jobRepository = jobRepository;
 	}
+	
+	public void afterPropertiesSet() throws Exception {
+		Assert.notNull(getJobRepository(), "JobRepository must be set");
+	}
 
 	protected JobRepository getJobRepository() {
 		return jobRepository;
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJobTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJobTests.java
index ad3895fd2..e72971d5f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJobTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/AbstractJobTests.java
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import java.util.Collections;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
+import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecutionException;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.step.StepSupport;
 
 /**
@@ -27,13 +29,21 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.step.StepSupport;
  */
 public class AbstractJobTests extends TestCase {
 
-	JobSupport job = new JobSupport("job");
+	AbstractJob job = new AbstractJob("job") {
+		public void execute(JobExecution execution) throws JobExecutionException {
+			throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+		}
+	};
 
 	/**
 	 * Test method for {@link org.springframework.batch.core.job.AbstractJob#getName()}.
 	 */
 	public void testGetName() {
-		job = new JobSupport();
+		job = new AbstractJob(){
+			public void execute(JobExecution execution) throws JobExecutionException {
+				// No-op
+			}
+		};
 		assertNull(job.getName());
 	}
 
@@ -49,7 +59,11 @@ public class AbstractJobTests extends TestCase {
 	 * Test method for {@link org.springframework.batch.core.job.AbstractJob#setBeanName(java.lang.String)}.
 	 */
 	public void testSetBeanNameWithNullName() {
-		job = new JobSupport(null);
+		job = new AbstractJob(null) {
+			public void execute(JobExecution execution) throws JobExecutionException {
+				// NO-OP
+			}
+		};
 		assertEquals(null, job.getName());
 		job.setBeanName("foo");
 		assertEquals("foo", job.getName());
@@ -72,15 +86,6 @@ public class AbstractJobTests extends TestCase {
 		assertEquals(1, job.getSteps().size());
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Test method for {@link org.springframework.batch.core.job.JobSupport#setStartLimit(int)}.
-	 */
-	public void testSetStartLimit() {
-		assertEquals(Integer.MAX_VALUE, job.getStartLimit());
-		job.setStartLimit(10);
-		assertEquals(10, job.getStartLimit());
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Test method for {@link org.springframework.batch.core.job.AbstractJob#setRestartable(boolean)}.
 	 */
@@ -94,18 +99,20 @@ public class AbstractJobTests extends TestCase {
 		String value = job.toString();
 		assertTrue("Should contain name: " + value, value.indexOf("name=") >= 0);
 	}
-
-	public void testRunNotSupported() throws Exception {
+	
+	public void testAfterPropertiesSet() throws Exception {
+		AbstractJob job = new AbstractJob() {
+			public void execute(JobExecution execution) throws JobExecutionException {
+			}
+		};
+		job.setJobRepository(null);
 		try {
-			job.execute(null);
-		} catch (UnsupportedOperationException e) {
-			// expected
-			String message = e.getMessage();
-			assertTrue("Message should contain JobSupport: " + message, contains(message, "JobSupport"));
+			job.afterPropertiesSet();
+			fail();
+		}
+		catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+			assertTrue(e.getMessage().contains("JobRepository"));
 		}
 	}
-
-	private boolean contains(String str, String searchStr) {
-		return str.indexOf(searchStr) != -1;
-	}
+	
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/support/job.xml b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/support/job.xml
index c2281b93c..6d450fd05 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/support/job.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/support/job.xml
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 
 	<bean id="test-job"
 		class="org.springframework.batch.core.job.SimpleJob">
+		<property name="jobRepository">
+			<bean class="org.springframework.batch.core.step.JobRepositorySupport" />
+		</property>
 		<property name="steps">
 			<bean id="step1"
 				class="org.springframework.batch.core.step.item.SimpleStepFactoryBean">