diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/ItemOrientedStep.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/ItemOrientedStep.java
index 4d72ada7b..3a30d706f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/ItemOrientedStep.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/ItemOrientedStep.java
@@ -328,12 +328,20 @@ public class ItemOrientedStep extends AbstractStep implements InitializingBean {
 							fatalException.setException(e);
 							stepExecution.setStatus(BatchStatus.UNKNOWN);
 						}
-						if (t instanceof RuntimeException) {
-							throw (RuntimeException) t;
+						
+						if(itemSkipPolicy.shouldFail(t)){
+							if (t instanceof RuntimeException) {
+								throw (RuntimeException) t;
+							}
+							else {
+								throw new RuntimeException(t);
+							}
 						}
-						else {
-							throw new RuntimeException(t);
+						else{
+							logger.error("Exception should not cause step to fail", t);
 						}
+						
+						result = ExitStatus.CONTINUABLE;
 					}
 
 					// Check for interruption after transaction as well, so that
diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/AlwaysSkipItemSkipPolicy.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/AlwaysSkipItemSkipPolicy.java
index cea764c8b..1d4ff0797 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/AlwaysSkipItemSkipPolicy.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/AlwaysSkipItemSkipPolicy.java
@@ -29,4 +29,8 @@ public class AlwaysSkipItemSkipPolicy implements ItemSkipPolicy {
 	public boolean shouldSkip(Exception ex, int skipCount) {
 		return true;
 	}
+
+	public boolean shouldFail(Throwable t) {
+		return true;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy.java
index 9d8f2a2bb..b39ecb554 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy.java
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ public class LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy implements ItemSkipPolicy {
 	private final int skipLimit;
 	
 	private ExceptionClassifier exceptionClassifier;
+	private List failurePreventingExceptions = new ArrayList();
 
 	public LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy(int skipLimit) {
 		this(skipLimit, new ArrayList(0));
@@ -95,5 +96,22 @@ public class LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy implements ItemSkipPolicy {
 			return false;
 		}
 	}
+
+	public boolean shouldFail(Throwable t) {
+		if(failurePreventingExceptions.contains(t)){
+			return false;
+		}
+		else{
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
 	
+	/**
+	 * Set the list of exceptions that will prevent step execution from failing.
+	 * 
+	 * @param failurePreventingExceptions
+	 */
+	public void setFailurePreventingExceptions(List failurePreventingExceptions) {
+		this.failurePreventingExceptions = failurePreventingExceptions;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/NeverSkipItemSkipPolicy.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/NeverSkipItemSkipPolicy.java
index fb0fd31ee..77b73ad9e 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/NeverSkipItemSkipPolicy.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/NeverSkipItemSkipPolicy.java
@@ -29,5 +29,7 @@ public class NeverSkipItemSkipPolicy implements ItemSkipPolicy{
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	
+	public boolean shouldFail(Throwable t) {
+		return true;
+	}
 }