diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderAdvancedTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderAdvancedTests.java
index 6c3c82d05..ec14729d7 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderAdvancedTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderAdvancedTests.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.DefaultFieldSet;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.FieldSet;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.FieldSetMapper;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.PassThroughFieldSetMapper;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.transform.LineTokenizer;
 import org.springframework.core.io.ByteArrayResource;
 import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 public class FlatFileItemReaderAdvancedTests extends TestCase {
 
 	// object under test
-	private FlatFileItemReader reader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+	private FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet> reader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 
 	// common value used for writing to a file
 	private String TEST_STRING = "FlatFileInputTemplate-TestData";
@@ -51,11 +52,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderAdvancedTests extends TestCase {
 		}
 	};
 
-	private FieldSetMapper fieldSetMapper = new FieldSetMapper() {
-		public Object mapLine(FieldSet fs, int lineNum) {
-			return fs;
-		}
-	};
+	private FieldSetMapper<FieldSet> fieldSetMapper = new PassThroughFieldSetMapper();
 
 	/**
 	 * Create inputFile, inject mock/stub dependencies for tested object, initialize the tested object
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests.java
index 5fbfdd90b..f594aedd7 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ReaderNotOpenException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.DefaultFieldSet;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.FieldSet;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.FieldSetMapper;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.file.mapping.PassThroughFieldSetMapper;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.separator.DefaultRecordSeparatorPolicy;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.transform.DelimitedLineTokenizer;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.transform.LineTokenizer;
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
 public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 
 	// object under test
-	private FlatFileItemReader itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+	private FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet> itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 
 	// common value used for writing to a file
 	private String TEST_STRING = "FlatFileInputTemplate-TestData";
@@ -60,11 +61,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 		}
 	};
 
-	private FieldSetMapper fieldSetMapper = new FieldSetMapper() {
-		public Object mapLine(FieldSet fs, int lineNum) {
-			return fs;
-		}
-	};
+	private FieldSetMapper<FieldSet> fieldSetMapper = new PassThroughFieldSetMapper();
 
 	/**
 	 * Create inputFile, inject mock/stub dependencies for tested object, initialize the tested object
@@ -112,8 +109,8 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	 */
 	public void testReadWithLineNumber() throws Exception {
 		final List<Integer> list = new ArrayList<Integer>();
-		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(new FieldSetMapper() {
-			public Object mapLine(FieldSet fs, int lineNum) {
+		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(new FieldSetMapper<FieldSet>() {
+			public FieldSet mapLine(FieldSet fs, int lineNum) {
 				list.add(lineNum);
 				return fs;
 			}
@@ -144,8 +141,8 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	public void testReadWithMapperError() throws Exception {
-		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(new FieldSetMapper() {
-			public Object mapLine(FieldSet fs, int lineNum) {
+		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(new FieldSetMapper<FieldSet>() {
+			public FieldSet mapLine(FieldSet fs, int lineNum) {
 				throw new RuntimeException("foo");
 			}
 		});
@@ -161,7 +158,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	public void testReadBeforeOpen() throws Exception {
-		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		itemReader.setResource(getInputResource(TEST_STRING));
 		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(fieldSetMapper);
 		try {
@@ -173,7 +170,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	public void testCloseBeforeOpen() throws Exception {
-		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		itemReader.setResource(getInputResource(TEST_STRING));
 		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(fieldSetMapper);
 		itemReader.close(null);
@@ -183,7 +180,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	public void testInitializationWithNullResource() throws Exception {
-		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		try {
 			itemReader.afterPropertiesSet();
 			fail("Expected IllegalArgumentException");
@@ -198,7 +195,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	public void testSetValidEncoding() throws Exception {
-		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		itemReader.setEncoding("UTF-8");
 		itemReader.setResource(getInputResource(TEST_STRING));
 		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(fieldSetMapper);
@@ -207,7 +204,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	public void testSetNullEncoding() throws Exception {
-		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		itemReader.setEncoding(null);
 		itemReader.setResource(getInputResource(TEST_STRING));
 		try {
@@ -219,7 +216,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 
 	public void testSetInvalidEncoding() throws Exception {
-		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		itemReader.setEncoding("foo");
 		itemReader.setResource(getInputResource(TEST_STRING));
 		try {
@@ -254,7 +251,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	public void testColumnNamesInHeader() throws Exception {
 		final String INPUT = "name1|name2\nvalue1|value2\nvalue3|value4";
 
-		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		itemReader.setResource(getInputResource(INPUT));
 		itemReader.setLineTokenizer(new DelimitedLineTokenizer('|'));
 		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(fieldSetMapper);
@@ -262,11 +259,11 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 		itemReader.afterPropertiesSet();
 		itemReader.open(executionContext);
 
-		FieldSet fs = (FieldSet) itemReader.read();
+		FieldSet fs = itemReader.read();
 		assertEquals("value1", fs.readString("name1"));
 		assertEquals("value2", fs.readString("name2"));
 
-		fs = (FieldSet) itemReader.read();
+		fs = itemReader.read();
 		assertEquals("value3", fs.readString("name1"));
 		assertEquals("value4", fs.readString("name2"));
 	}
@@ -277,7 +274,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 	public void testLinesToSkip() throws Exception {
 		final String INPUT = "foo bar spam\none two\nthree four";
 
-		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		itemReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		itemReader.setResource(getInputResource(INPUT));
 		itemReader.setLineTokenizer(new DelimitedLineTokenizer(' '));
 		itemReader.setFieldSetMapper(fieldSetMapper);
@@ -285,11 +282,11 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 		itemReader.afterPropertiesSet();
 		itemReader.open(executionContext);
 
-		FieldSet fs = (FieldSet) itemReader.read();
+		FieldSet fs = itemReader.read();
 		assertEquals("one", fs.readString(0));
 		assertEquals("two", fs.readString(1));
 
-		fs = (FieldSet) itemReader.read();
+		fs = itemReader.read();
 		assertEquals("three", fs.readString(0));
 		assertEquals("four", fs.readString(1));
 	}
@@ -298,7 +295,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 
 		Resource resource = new NonExistentResource();
 
-		FlatFileItemReader testReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet> testReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		testReader.setResource(resource);
 		testReader.setLineTokenizer(tokenizer);
 		testReader.setFieldSetMapper(fieldSetMapper);
@@ -320,7 +317,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderBasicTests extends TestCase {
 
 		Resource resource = new NonExistentResource();
 
-		FlatFileItemReader testReader = new FlatFileItemReader();
+		FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet> testReader = new FlatFileItemReader<FieldSet>();
 		testReader.setResource(resource);
 		testReader.setLineTokenizer(tokenizer);
 		testReader.setFieldSetMapper(fieldSetMapper);
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderCommonTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderCommonTests.java
index f1c2bc591..a1fd86ffe 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderCommonTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemReaderCommonTests.java
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderCommonTests extends CommonItemStreamItemReaderTes
 
 	private static final String FOOS = "1 \n 2 \n 3 \n 4 \n 5 \n"; 
 	
-	protected ItemReader getItemReader() throws Exception {
-		FlatFileItemReader tested = new FlatFileItemReader();
+	protected ItemReader<Foo> getItemReader() throws Exception {
+		FlatFileItemReader<Foo> tested = new FlatFileItemReader<Foo>();
 		Resource resource = new ByteArrayResource(FOOS.getBytes());
 		tested.setResource(resource);
-		tested.setFieldSetMapper(new FieldSetMapper() {
-			public Object mapLine(FieldSet fs, int lineNum) {
+		tested.setFieldSetMapper(new FieldSetMapper<Foo>() {
+			public Foo mapLine(FieldSet fs, int lineNum) {
 				Foo foo = new Foo();
 				foo.setValue(fs.readInt(0));
 				return foo;
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ public class FlatFileItemReaderCommonTests extends CommonItemStreamItemReaderTes
 		return tested;
 	}
 
-	protected void pointToEmptyInput(ItemReader tested) throws Exception {
-		FlatFileItemReader reader = (FlatFileItemReader) tested;
+	protected void pointToEmptyInput(ItemReader<Foo> tested) throws Exception {
+		FlatFileItemReader<Foo> reader = (FlatFileItemReader<Foo>) tested;
 		reader.close(new ExecutionContext());
 		
 		reader.setResource(new ByteArrayResource("".getBytes()));
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AggregateItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AggregateItemReaderTests.java
index 062bb6f9e..fb1140d4f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AggregateItemReaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AggregateItemReaderTests.java
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.support.AggregateItemReader;
 public class AggregateItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 
 	private MockControl inputControl;
-	private ItemReader input;
+	private ItemReader<Object> input;
 	private AggregateItemReader provider;
 
 	public void setUp() {
 
 		//create mock for input
 		inputControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemReader.class);
-		input = (ItemReader) inputControl.getMock();
+		input = (ItemReader<Object>) inputControl.getMock();
 
 		//create provider
 		provider = new AggregateItemReader();
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/DelegatingItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/DelegatingItemReaderTests.java
index 45869574a..3e80c13dd 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/DelegatingItemReaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/DelegatingItemReaderTests.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemReader;
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream;
 
 /**
  * Unit test for {@link DelegatingItemReader}
@@ -30,28 +29,28 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream;
 public class DelegatingItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 
 	// object under test
-	private DelegatingItemReader itemProvider = new DelegatingItemReader();
+	private DelegatingItemReader<Object> itemReader = new DelegatingItemReader<Object>();
 
-	private ItemReader source;
+	private ItemReader<Object> delegateReader;
 	
 	private ExecutionContext executionContext;
 
 	// create input template and inject it to data provider
 	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
 		executionContext = new ExecutionContext();
-		source = new MockItemReader(this, executionContext);
-		itemProvider.setItemReader(source);
+		delegateReader = new MockItemReader(this, executionContext);
+		itemReader.setItemReader(delegateReader);
 	}
 
 	public void testAfterPropertiesSet() throws Exception {
 		// shouldn't throw an exception since the input source is set
-		itemProvider.afterPropertiesSet();
+		itemReader.afterPropertiesSet();
 	}
 
 	public void testNullItemReader() {
 		try {
-			itemProvider.setItemReader(null);
-			itemProvider.afterPropertiesSet();
+			itemReader.setItemReader(null);
+			itemReader.afterPropertiesSet();
 			fail();
 		}
 		catch (Exception ex) {
@@ -64,11 +63,11 @@ public class DelegatingItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 	 * @throws Exception
 	 */
 	public void testNext() throws Exception {
-		Object result = itemProvider.read();
+		Object result = itemReader.read();
 		assertSame("domain object is provided by the input template", this, result);
 	}
 
-	private static class MockItemReader extends AbstractItemReader implements ItemReader, ItemStream {
+	private static class MockItemReader extends AbstractItemStreamItemReader<Object> {
 
 		private Object value;
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/ListItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/ListItemReaderTests.java
index 9bafedf20..60ca0aa2d 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/ListItemReaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/ListItemReaderTests.java
@@ -26,21 +26,21 @@ import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
 public class ListItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 
-	ListItemReader provider = new ListItemReader(Arrays.asList(new String[] { "a", "b", "c" }));
+	ListItemReader<String> reader = new ListItemReader<String>(Arrays.asList(new String[] { "a", "b", "c" }));
 
 	public void testNext() throws Exception {
-		assertEquals("a", provider.read());
-		assertEquals("b", provider.read());
-		assertEquals("c", provider.read());
-		assertEquals(null, provider.read());
+		assertEquals("a", reader.read());
+		assertEquals("b", reader.read());
+		assertEquals("c", reader.read());
+		assertEquals(null, reader.read());
 	}
 
 	public void testChangeList() throws Exception {
 		List<String> list = new ArrayList<String>(Arrays.asList(new String[] { "a", "b", "c" }));
-		provider = new ListItemReader(list);
-		assertEquals("a", provider.read());
+		reader = new ListItemReader<String>(list);
+		assertEquals("a", reader.read());
 		list.clear();
 		assertEquals(0, list.size());
-		assertEquals("b", provider.read());
+		assertEquals("b", reader.read());
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/TransactionAwareListItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/TransactionAwareListItemReaderTests.java
index 703d44dde..de05ecd59 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/TransactionAwareListItemReaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/TransactionAwareListItemReaderTests.java
@@ -35,13 +35,14 @@ public class TransactionAwareListItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 	// TransactionAwareListItemProvider provider = new
 	// TransactionAwareListItemProvider(Arrays.asList(new String[] { "a",
 	// "b", "c" }));
-	ListItemReader reader;
+	ListItemReader<String> reader;
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
 		super.setUp();
 		TransactionAwareProxyFactory factory = new TransactionAwareProxyFactory(Arrays.asList(new String[] { "a", "b",
 				"c" }));
-		reader = new ListItemReader((List<?>) factory.createInstance());
+		reader = new ListItemReader<String>((List<String>) factory.createInstance());
 	}
 
 	public void testNext() throws Exception {
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/ValidatingItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/ValidatingItemReaderTests.java
index 750c66d18..6f57b115f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/ValidatingItemReaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/validator/ValidatingItemReaderTests.java
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.support.AbstractItemReader;
  */
 public class ValidatingItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 
-	ItemReader inputSource;
-	ValidatingItemReader itemProvider;
+	ItemReader<Object> inputSource;
+	ValidatingItemReader<Object> itemProvider;
 	Validator validator;
 	MockControl validatorControl = MockControl.createControl(Validator.class);
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class ValidatingItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 
 		inputSource = new MockItemReader(this);
 		validator = (Validator)validatorControl.getMock();
-		itemProvider = new ValidatingItemReader();
+		itemProvider = new ValidatingItemReader<Object>();
 		itemProvider.setItemReader(inputSource);
 		itemProvider.setValidator(validator);
 	}
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public class ValidatingItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 		validatorControl.verify();
 	}
 
-	private static class MockItemReader extends AbstractItemReader {
+	private static class MockItemReader extends AbstractItemReader<Object> {
 
 		Object value;
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemReaderCommonTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemReaderCommonTests.java
index b00381ce0..066cb8dda 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemReaderCommonTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemReaderCommonTests.java
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ public class StaxEventItemReaderCommonTests extends CommonItemStreamItemReaderTe
 
 	private final String FOOS = "<foos> <foo value=\"1\"/> <foo value=\"2\"/> <foo value=\"3\"/> <foo value=\"4\"/> <foo value=\"5\"/> </foos>";
 
-	protected ItemReader getItemReader() throws Exception {
-		StaxEventItemReader reader = new StaxEventItemReader();
+	protected ItemReader<Foo> getItemReader() throws Exception {
+		StaxEventItemReader<Foo> reader = new StaxEventItemReader<Foo>();
 		reader.setResource(new ByteArrayResource(FOOS.getBytes()));
 		reader.setFragmentRootElementName("foo");
-		reader.setFragmentDeserializer(new EventReaderDeserializer() {
-			public Object deserializeFragment(XMLEventReader eventReader) {
+		reader.setFragmentDeserializer(new EventReaderDeserializer<Foo>() {
+			public Foo deserializeFragment(XMLEventReader eventReader) {
 				Attribute attr;
 				try {
 					assertTrue(eventReader.nextEvent().isStartDocument());
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ public class StaxEventItemReaderCommonTests extends CommonItemStreamItemReaderTe
 		return reader;
 	}
 
-	protected void pointToEmptyInput(ItemReader tested) throws Exception {
-		StaxEventItemReader reader = (StaxEventItemReader) tested;
+	protected void pointToEmptyInput(ItemReader<Foo> tested) throws Exception {
+		StaxEventItemReader<Foo> reader = (StaxEventItemReader<Foo>) tested;
 		reader.close(new ExecutionContext());
 		
 		reader.setResource(new ByteArrayResource("<foos />".getBytes()));
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemReaderTests.java
index 1e95bf572..d7379c5c9 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemReaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemReaderTests.java
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 public class StaxEventItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 
 	// object under test
-	private StaxEventItemReader source;
+	private StaxEventItemReader<List<XMLEvent>> source;
 
 	// test xml input
 	private String xml = "<root> <fragment> <misc1/> </fragment> <misc2/> <fragment> testString </fragment> </root>";
 
-	private EventReaderDeserializer deserializer = new MockFragmentDeserializer();
+	private EventReaderDeserializer<List<XMLEvent>> deserializer = new MockFragmentDeserializer();
 
 	private static final String FRAGMENT_ROOT_ELEMENT = "fragment";
 
@@ -111,18 +111,17 @@ public class StaxEventItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 	/**
 	 * Save restart data and restore from it.
 	 */
-	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	public void testRestart() throws Exception {
 		source.open(executionContext);
 		source.read();
 		source.update(executionContext);
 		System.out.println(executionContext);
 		assertEquals(1, executionContext.getLong(ClassUtils.getShortName(StaxEventItemReader.class) + ".read.count"));
-		List<XMLEvent> expectedAfterRestart = (List<XMLEvent>) source.read();
+		List<XMLEvent> expectedAfterRestart = source.read();
 
 		source = createNewInputSouce();
 		source.open(executionContext);
-		List<XMLEvent> afterRestart = (List<XMLEvent>) source.read();
+		List<XMLEvent> afterRestart = source.read();
 		assertEquals(expectedAfterRestart.size(), afterRestart.size());
 	}
 
@@ -150,13 +149,12 @@ public class StaxEventItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 	/**
 	 * Rollback to last commited record.
 	 */
-	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	public void testRollback() throws Exception{
 		source.open(executionContext);
 		// rollback between deserializing records
-		List<XMLEvent> first = (List<XMLEvent>) source.read();
+		List<XMLEvent> first = source.read();
 		source.mark();
-		List<XMLEvent> second = (List<XMLEvent>) source.read();
+		List<XMLEvent> second = source.read();
 		assertFalse(first.equals(second));
 		source.reset();
 
@@ -265,10 +263,10 @@ public class StaxEventItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 		source.read();
 	}
 
-	private StaxEventItemReader createNewInputSouce() {
+	private StaxEventItemReader<List<XMLEvent>> createNewInputSouce() {
 		Resource resource = new ByteArrayResource(xml.getBytes());
 
-		StaxEventItemReader newSource = new StaxEventItemReader();
+		StaxEventItemReader<List<XMLEvent>> newSource = new StaxEventItemReader<List<XMLEvent>>();
 		newSource.setResource(resource);
 
 		newSource.setFragmentRootElementName(FRAGMENT_ROOT_ELEMENT);
@@ -282,7 +280,7 @@ public class StaxEventItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 	 * A simple XMLEvent deserializer mock - check for the start and end document events for the fragment root & end
 	 * tags + skips the fragment contents.
 	 */
-	private static class MockFragmentDeserializer implements EventReaderDeserializer {
+	private static class MockFragmentDeserializer implements EventReaderDeserializer<List<XMLEvent>> {
 
 		/**
 		 * A simple mapFragment implementation checking the StaxEventReaderItemReader basic read functionality.
@@ -290,7 +288,7 @@ public class StaxEventItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 		 * @param eventReader
 		 * @return list of the events from fragment body
 		 */
-		public Object deserializeFragment(XMLEventReader eventReader) {
+		public List<XMLEvent> deserializeFragment(XMLEventReader eventReader) {
 			List<XMLEvent> fragmentContent;
 			try {
 				// first event should be StartDocument
@@ -340,7 +338,7 @@ public class StaxEventItemReaderTests extends TestCase {
 
 	}
 
-	private static class MockStaxEventItemReader extends StaxEventItemReader {
+	private static class MockStaxEventItemReader extends StaxEventItemReader<List<XMLEvent>> {
 
 		private boolean openCalled = false;
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/oxm/UnmarshallingFragmentDeserializerTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/oxm/UnmarshallingFragmentDeserializerTests.java
index fc67e087e..47c2b8638 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/oxm/UnmarshallingFragmentDeserializerTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/oxm/UnmarshallingFragmentDeserializerTests.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import org.springframework.oxm.Unmarshaller;
 public class UnmarshallingFragmentDeserializerTests extends TestCase {
 
 	// object under test
-	private UnmarshallingEventReaderDeserializer deserializer;
+	private UnmarshallingEventReaderDeserializer<?> deserializer;
 	
 	private XMLEventReader eventReader;
 	private String xml = "<root> </root>";
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class UnmarshallingFragmentDeserializerTests extends TestCase {
 		eventReader = XMLInputFactory.newInstance().createXMLEventReader(input.getInputStream());
 		unmarshaller = (Unmarshaller) unmarshallerControl.getMock();
 		unmarshallerControl.setDefaultMatcher(MockControl.ALWAYS_MATCHER);
-		deserializer = new UnmarshallingEventReaderDeserializer(unmarshaller);
+		deserializer = new UnmarshallingEventReaderDeserializer<Object>(unmarshaller);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ public class UnmarshallingFragmentDeserializerTests extends TestCase {
 	 */
 	public void testExceptionOnNullUnmarshaller() {
 		try {
-			deserializer = new UnmarshallingEventReaderDeserializer(null);
+			deserializer = new UnmarshallingEventReaderDeserializer<Object>(null);
 			fail("Exception expected");
 		}
 		catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {