diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/DefaultStepExecutionAggregator.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/DefaultStepExecutionAggregator.java
index e1328dd62..b03dcbc90 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/DefaultStepExecutionAggregator.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/DefaultStepExecutionAggregator.java
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ public class DefaultStepExecutionAggregator implements StepExecutionAggregator {
 	 */
 	public void aggregate(StepExecution result, Collection<StepExecution> executions) {
 		Assert.notNull(result, "To aggregate into a result it must be non-null.");
-		if (executions == null || executions.isEmpty()) {
-			throw new IllegalArgumentException("Cannot aggregate empty or null executions: " + executions);
+		if (executions == null) {
+			return;
 		}
 		for (StepExecution stepExecution : executions) {
 			BatchStatus status = stepExecution.getStatus();
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/DefaultStepExecutionAggregatorTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/DefaultStepExecutionAggregatorTests.java
index f8f76e6c7..3111f7d3b 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/DefaultStepExecutionAggregatorTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/DefaultStepExecutionAggregatorTests.java
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ public class DefaultStepExecutionAggregatorTests {
 
 	private StepExecution stepExecution2 = jobExecution.createStepExecution("foo:2");
 
-	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	@Test
 	public void testAggregateEmpty() {
 		aggregator.aggregate(result, Collections.<StepExecution> emptySet());
 	}
 
-	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	@Test
 	public void testAggregateNull() {
 		aggregator.aggregate(result, null);
 	}