diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionContext.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionContext.java
index 0cc674dc1..e21116278 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionContext.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionContext.java
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ public class ExecutionContext {
 	}
 
 	public void put(String key, Object value) {
-		Assert.isInstanceOf(Serializable.class, value, "Value: [ " + value + "must be serializable.");
+		if(value != null){
+			Assert.isInstanceOf(Serializable.class, value, "Value: [ " + value + "must be serializable.");
+		}
 		dirty = true;
 		map.put(key, value);
 	}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionContextTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionContextTests.java
index 3c0f2ba95..543270981 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionContextTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionContextTests.java
@@ -95,4 +95,9 @@ public class ExecutionContextTests extends TestCase{
 		}
 	}
 	
+	public void testPutNull(){
+		//putting null should work
+		context.put("1", null);
+	}
+	
 }