diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/SimpleJobRepository.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/SimpleJobRepository.java
index c1e92950a..55d938432 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/SimpleJobRepository.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/SimpleJobRepository.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * 
  * <p>
  * Implementation of {@link JobRepository} that stores JobInstances,
- * JobExecutions, StepInstances, and StepExecutions using the injected DAOs.
+ * JobExecutions, and StepExecutions using the injected DAOs.
  * <p>
  * 
  * @author Lucas Ward
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * @see JobRepository
  * @see JobInstanceDao
  * @see JobExecutionDao
- * @see StepInstanceDao
  * @see StepExecutionDao
  * 
  */
@@ -269,6 +268,9 @@ public class SimpleJobRepository implements JobRepository {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @return the last execution of the step within given job instance
+	 */
 	public StepExecution getLastStepExecution(JobInstance jobInstance, Step step) {
 		List jobExecutions = jobExecutionDao.findJobExecutions(jobInstance);
 		List stepExecutions = new ArrayList(jobExecutions.size());
@@ -292,6 +294,9 @@ public class SimpleJobRepository implements JobRepository {
 		return latest;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @return number of executions of the step within given job instance
+	 */
 	public int getStepExecutionCount(JobInstance jobInstance, Step step) {
 		int count = 0;
 		List jobExecutions = jobExecutionDao.findJobExecutions(jobInstance);
diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
index d8f643dc4..9592bae03 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public class JdbcStepExecutionDao extends AbstractJdbcBatchMetadataDao implement
 					executionContext.putDouble(key, rs.getDouble("DOUBLE_VAL"));
 				}
 				else if (type == AttributeType.OBJECT) {
-					executionContext.putLong(key, rs.getLong("OBJECT_VAL"));
+					executionContext.put(key, rs.getObject("OBJECT_VAL"));
 				}
 				else {
 					throw new BatchCriticalException("Invalid type found: [" + typeCd + "] for execution id: ["
diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/AbstractStepDaoTests.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/AbstractStepDaoTests.java
index 41cc5ef87..28e2882b5 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/AbstractStepDaoTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/repository/dao/AbstractStepDaoTests.java
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@
 
 package org.springframework.batch.execution.repository.dao;
 
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.List;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.BatchStatus;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.Job;
@@ -191,11 +194,15 @@ public abstract class AbstractStepDaoTests extends AbstractTransactionalDataSour
 	}
 	
 	public void testSaveExecutionContext(){
+		
 		stepExecution.setExecutionContext(executionContext);
 		stepExecutionDao.saveExecutionContext(stepExecution);
 		ExecutionContext attributes = stepExecutionDao.findExecutionContext(stepExecution);
 		assertEquals(executionContext, attributes);
 		executionContext.putString("newString", "newString");
+		executionContext.putLong("newLong", 1);
+		executionContext.putDouble("newDouble", 2.5);
+		executionContext.put("newSerializable", "serializableValue");
 		stepExecutionDao.updateExecutionContext(stepExecution);
 		attributes = stepExecutionDao.findExecutionContext(stepExecution);
 		assertEquals(executionContext, attributes);