diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/AbstractStepParser.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/AbstractStepParser.java
index 5b99c18a6..1f4042218 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/AbstractStepParser.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/AbstractStepParser.java
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractStepParser {
             bd.getPropertyValues().addPropertyValue("tasklet", taskletBeanRef);
         }
 
+        checkStepAttributes(stepElement, bd);
+
         RuntimeBeanReference jobRepositoryBeanRef = new RuntimeBeanReference(jobRepositoryRef);
         bd.getPropertyValues().addPropertyValue("jobRepository", jobRepositoryBeanRef);
 
@@ -118,14 +120,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractStepParser {
         }
 
 		// now, set the properties on the new bean 
-        String startLimit = element.getAttribute("start-limit");
-        if (StringUtils.hasText(startLimit)) {
-            bd.getPropertyValues().addPropertyValue("startLimit", startLimit);
-        }
-        String allowStartIfComplete = element.getAttribute("allow-start-if-complete");
-        if (StringUtils.hasText(allowStartIfComplete)) {
-            bd.getPropertyValues().addPropertyValue("allowStartIfComplete", allowStartIfComplete);
-        }
+        checkStepAttributes(stepElement, bd);
 
         String readerBeanId = element.getAttribute("reader");
         if (StringUtils.hasText(readerBeanId)) {
@@ -206,6 +201,17 @@ public abstract class AbstractStepParser {
         
 	}
 
+	private void checkStepAttributes(Element element, RootBeanDefinition bd) {
+		String startLimit = element.getAttribute("start-limit");
+        if (StringUtils.hasText(startLimit)) {
+            bd.getPropertyValues().addPropertyValue("startLimit", startLimit);
+        }
+        String allowStartIfComplete = element.getAttribute("allow-start-if-complete");
+        if (StringUtils.hasText(allowStartIfComplete)) {
+            bd.getPropertyValues().addPropertyValue("allowStartIfComplete", allowStartIfComplete);
+        }
+	}
+
 	private boolean checkIntValueForFaultToleranceNeeded(String stringValue) {
 		if (StringUtils.hasText(stringValue)) {
         	int value = Integer.valueOf(stringValue);
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/spring-batch-2.0.xsd b/spring-batch-core/src/main/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/spring-batch-2.0.xsd
index 884bd0826..6ef46c57f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/spring-batch-2.0.xsd
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/spring-batch-2.0.xsd
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 				<xsd:extension base="stepType">
 					<xsd:attribute name="id" type="xsd:ID" use="required" />
 					<xsd:attributeGroup ref="jobRepositoryAttribute"/>
-					<xsd:attributeGroup ref="taskletAttribute"/>
+					<xsd:attributeGroup ref="stepAttributes"/>
 				</xsd:extension>
 			</xsd:complexContent>
 		</xsd:complexType>
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
 										</xsd:documentation>
 									</xsd:annotation>
 								</xsd:attribute>
-								<xsd:attributeGroup ref="taskletAttribute"/>
+								<xsd:attributeGroup ref="stepAttributes"/>
 							</xsd:extension>
 						</xsd:complexContent>
 					</xsd:complexType>
@@ -384,20 +384,6 @@
 						</xsd:appinfo>
 					</xsd:annotation>
 				</xsd:attribute>
-				<xsd:attribute name="start-limit" type="xsd:string" use="optional">
-					<xsd:annotation>
-						<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
-						The maximum number of times a Step may be started.
-						]]></xsd:documentation>
-					</xsd:annotation>
-				</xsd:attribute>
-				<xsd:attribute name="allow-start-if-complete" type="xsd:string" use="optional">
-					<xsd:annotation>
-						<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
-						Set to true to allow a step to be started even if it is already complete.
-						]]></xsd:documentation>
-					</xsd:annotation>
-				</xsd:attribute>
 				<xsd:attribute name="skip-limit" type="xsd:string" use="optional">
 					<xsd:annotation>
 						<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
@@ -694,7 +680,7 @@
 		</xsd:attribute>
 	</xsd:attributeGroup>
 
-	<xsd:attributeGroup name="taskletAttribute">
+	<xsd:attributeGroup name="stepAttributes">
 		<xsd:attribute name="tasklet" type="xsd:string" use="optional">
 			<xsd:annotation>
 				<xsd:documentation>
@@ -707,6 +693,20 @@
 				</xsd:appinfo>
 			</xsd:annotation>
 		</xsd:attribute>
+		<xsd:attribute name="start-limit" type="xsd:string" use="optional">
+			<xsd:annotation>
+				<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
+				The maximum number of times a Step may be started.
+				]]></xsd:documentation>
+			</xsd:annotation>
+		</xsd:attribute>
+		<xsd:attribute name="allow-start-if-complete" type="xsd:string" use="optional">
+			<xsd:annotation>
+				<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
+				Set to true to allow a step to be started even if it is already complete.
+				]]></xsd:documentation>
+			</xsd:annotation>
+		</xsd:attribute>
 	</xsd:attributeGroup>
 
 </xsd:schema>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/StepParserTaskletAttributesTests-context.xml b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/StepParserTaskletAttributesTests-context.xml
index bdeb12d2e..5a9d9b0fc 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/StepParserTaskletAttributesTests-context.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/configuration/xml/StepParserTaskletAttributesTests-context.xml
@@ -5,9 +5,8 @@
 	http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.5.xsd">
 
 	<job id="job">
-		<step id="step">
+		<step id="step" start-limit="25" allow-start-if-complete="true">
 			<tasklet reader="reader" processor="processor" writer="writer"
-					start-limit="25" allow-start-if-complete="true"
 					commit-interval="10" skip-limit="20" 
 					retry-limit="3" cache-capacity="100"
 					transaction-attribute="PROPAGATION_REQUIRED,ISOLATION_DEFAULT,timeout_10,-org.springframework.dao.DataIntegrityViolationException"