diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/FlatFileCustomerCreditWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/FlatFileCustomerCreditWriter.java
index 888c1ef65..c21150951 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/FlatFileCustomerCreditWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/FlatFileCustomerCreditWriter.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.batch.sample.dao;
 
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.CustomerCredit;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ public class FlatFileCustomerCreditWriter implements CustomerCreditDao,
 	public void writeCredit(CustomerCredit customerCredit) throws Exception {
 
 		if (!opened) {
-			open();
+			open(new ExecutionContext());
 		}
 
 		String line = "" + customerCredit.getName() + separator
@@ -56,9 +57,9 @@ public class FlatFileCustomerCreditWriter implements CustomerCreditDao,
 		this.outputSource = outputSource;
 	}
 
-	public void open() throws Exception {
+	public void open(ExecutionContext executionContext) throws Exception {
 		if (outputSource instanceof ItemStream) {
-			((ItemStream) outputSource).open();
+			((ItemStream) outputSource).open(executionContext);
 		}
 		opened = true;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/GeneratingItemReader.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/GeneratingItemReader.java
index e67be3560..86df324a3 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/GeneratingItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/GeneratingItemReader.java
@@ -80,12 +80,6 @@ public class GeneratingItemReader extends AbstractItemReaderRecoverer implements
 		this.marked = this.counter;
 	}
 
-	/* (non-Javadoc)
-	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream#open()
-	 */
-	public void open() throws StreamException {
-	}
-
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream#reset()
 	 */
@@ -102,8 +96,10 @@ public class GeneratingItemReader extends AbstractItemReaderRecoverer implements
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContextProvider#getExecutionContext()
 	 */
-	public ExecutionContext getExecutionContext() {
-		return new ExecutionContext();
+	public void beforeSave() {
+	}
+
+	public void open(ExecutionContext context) throws StreamException {
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/StagingItemReader.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/StagingItemReader.java
index 434058f92..0ad4242a6 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/StagingItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/StagingItemReader.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public class StagingItemReader extends JdbcDaoSupport implements ItemStream, Key
 	 * 
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.io.driving.DrivingQueryItemReader#open()
 	 */
-	public void open() {
+	public void open(ExecutionContext executionContext) {
 		// Can be called from multiple threads because of lazy initialisation...
 		synchronized (lock) {
 			if (keys == null) {
@@ -227,22 +227,12 @@ public class StagingItemReader extends JdbcDaoSupport implements ItemStream, Key
 		getBuffer().rollback();
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * (non-Javadoc)
-	 * 
-	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream#restoreFrom(org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext)
-	 */
-	public void restoreFrom(ExecutionContext context) {
-		// no-op
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * (non-Javadoc)
 	 * 
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContextProvider#getExecutionContext()
 	 */
-	public ExecutionContext getExecutionContext() {
-		return new ExecutionContext();
+	public void beforeSave() {
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/InfiniteLoopTasklet.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/InfiniteLoopTasklet.java
index bf51fcd18..09733e5d7 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/InfiniteLoopTasklet.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/InfiniteLoopTasklet.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample.tasklet;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.core.tasklet.Tasklet;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContextProvider;
 import org.springframework.batch.repeat.ExitStatus;
 import org.springframework.batch.support.PropertiesConverter;
 
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.support.PropertiesConverter;
  * @author Lucas Ward
  * 
  */
-public class InfiniteLoopTasklet implements Tasklet, ExecutionContextProvider {
+public class InfiniteLoopTasklet implements Tasklet {
 
 	private int count = 0;
 
@@ -47,11 +46,4 @@ public class InfiniteLoopTasklet implements Tasklet, ExecutionContextProvider {
 		return ExitStatus.CONTINUABLE;
 	}
 
-	/* (non-Javadoc)
-	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContextProvider#getExecutionContext()
-	 */
-	public ExecutionContext getExecutionContext() {
-		return new ExecutionContext(PropertiesConverter.stringToProperties("count=" + count));
-	}
-
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/SimpleTradeWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/SimpleTradeWriter.java
index cae12ae66..3aa7b773b 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/SimpleTradeWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/SimpleTradeWriter.java
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample.tasklet;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.core.tasklet.Tasklet;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContextProvider;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.exception.StreamException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.dao.TradeDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.Trade;
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * @author Lucas Ward
  * @author Dave Syer
  */
-public class SimpleTradeWriter extends AbstractItemWriter implements ExecutionContextProvider {
+public class SimpleTradeWriter extends AbstractItemWriter implements ItemStream {
 
 	/*
 	 * writes a Trade object to output
@@ -49,6 +50,8 @@ public class SimpleTradeWriter extends AbstractItemWriter implements ExecutionCo
 	 * number of trade objects processed
 	 */
 	private int tradeCount = 0;
+	
+	private ExecutionContext executionContext;
 
 	/**
 	 * The input template is read using the readAndMap method, which accepts a
@@ -65,14 +68,18 @@ public class SimpleTradeWriter extends AbstractItemWriter implements ExecutionCo
 	public void setTradeDao(TradeDao tradeDao) {
 		this.tradeDao = tradeDao;
 	}
+	
+	public void open(ExecutionContext context) throws StreamException {
+		this.executionContext = context;
+	}
 
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContextProvider#getExecutionContext()
 	 */
-	public ExecutionContext getExecutionContext() {
-		ExecutionContext statistics = new ExecutionContext();
-		statistics.putLong("trade.count", tradeCount);
-		return statistics;
+	public void beforeSave() {
+		executionContext.putLong("trade.count", tradeCount);
 	}
 
+	public void close() throws StreamException {
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/FixedLengthImportJobFunctionalTests.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/FixedLengthImportJobFunctionalTests.java
index 6aee96386..9f44d4efd 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/FixedLengthImportJobFunctionalTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/FixedLengthImportJobFunctionalTests.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import java.sql.SQLException;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.io.file.FlatFileItemReader;
 import org.springframework.batch.io.file.transform.LineTokenizer;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.Trade;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.mapping.TradeFieldSetMapper;
 import org.springframework.core.io.ClassPathResource;
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ public class FixedLengthImportJobFunctionalTests extends AbstractValidatingBatch
 	 */
 	protected void validatePostConditions() throws Exception {
 		
-		inputSource.open();
+		inputSource.open(new ExecutionContext());
 
 		jdbcTemplate.query("SELECT ID, ISIN, QUANTITY, PRICE, CUSTOMER FROM trade ORDER BY id", new RowCallbackHandler() {
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/FlatFileCustomerCreditWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/FlatFileCustomerCreditWriterTests.java
index 3e15c5aab..0a4fb13d4 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/FlatFileCustomerCreditWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/FlatFileCustomerCreditWriterTests.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import java.math.BigDecimal;
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
 import org.easymock.MockControl;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.CustomerCredit;
@@ -28,13 +29,13 @@ public class FlatFileCustomerCreditWriterTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	public void testOpen() throws Exception {
-		
+		ExecutionContext executionContext = new ExecutionContext();
 		//set-up outputSource mock
-		output.open();
+		output.open(executionContext);
 		outputControl.replay();
 		
 		//call tested method
-		writer.open();
+		writer.open(executionContext);
 		
 		//verify method calls
 		outputControl.verify();
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ public class FlatFileCustomerCreditWriterTests extends TestCase {
 		
 		//set-up OutputSource mock
 		output.write("testName;1");
-		output.open();
+		output.open(new ExecutionContext());
 		outputControl.replay();
 		
 		//call tested method
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/StagingItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/StagingItemReaderTests.java
index 4ddeda3d4..ea8594e19 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/StagingItemReaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/reader/StagingItemReaderTests.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepSupport;
 import org.springframework.batch.execution.scope.SimpleStepContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.execution.scope.StepContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.execution.scope.StepSynchronizationManager;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.repeat.context.RepeatContextSupport;
 import org.springframework.batch.repeat.synch.RepeatSynchronizationManager;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.item.writer.StagingItemWriter;
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ public class StagingItemReaderTests extends AbstractTransactionalDataSourceSprin
 		writer.write("BAR");
 		writer.write("SPAM");
 		writer.write("BUCKET");
-		provider.open();
+		provider.open(new ExecutionContext());
 	}
 
 	protected void onTearDownAfterTransaction() throws Exception {