diff --git a/spring-batch-core/pom.xml b/spring-batch-core/pom.xml
index f0cef18cb..cb201d82e 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-core/pom.xml
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@
 			<plugin>
 				<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
 				<artifactId>emma-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <version>1.0-alpha-1</version>
 			</plugin>
 		</plugins>
 	</reporting>
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSource.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSource.java
index 7373d58bb..28092993d 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSource.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSource.java
@@ -15,11 +15,15 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.batch.core.scope.util;
 
+import java.beans.PropertyEditor;
+import java.util.Date;
+
 import org.springframework.aop.TargetSource;
 import org.springframework.aop.target.SimpleBeanTargetSource;
 import org.springframework.beans.BeanWrapper;
 import org.springframework.beans.BeanWrapperImpl;
 import org.springframework.beans.BeansException;
+import org.springframework.beans.PropertyEditorRegistrySupport;
 import org.springframework.beans.TypeConverter;
 import org.springframework.beans.TypeMismatchException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
@@ -93,7 +97,7 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSource extends SimpleBeanTargetSource implements I
 		DefaultListableBeanFactory beanFactory = new DefaultListableBeanFactory(listableBeanFactory);
 		beanFactory.copyConfigurationFrom(listableBeanFactory);
 
-		beanFactory.setTypeConverter(new TypeConverter() {
+		final TypeConverter contextTypeConverter = new TypeConverter() {
 			@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 			public Object convertIfNecessary(Object value, Class requiredType, MethodParameter methodParam)
 					throws TypeMismatchException {
@@ -105,6 +109,39 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSource extends SimpleBeanTargetSource implements I
 						result = convertFromContext(key, requiredType);
 					}
 				}
+				else if (requiredType.isAssignableFrom(value.getClass())) {
+					result = value;
+				}
+				else if (requiredType.isAssignableFrom(String.class)) {
+					if (typeConverter instanceof PropertyEditorRegistrySupport) {
+						/*
+						 * PropertyEditorRegistrySupport is de rigeur with
+						 * TypeConverter instances used internally by Spring. If
+						 * we have one of those then we can convert to String
+						 * but the TypeConverter doesn't know how to.
+						 */
+						PropertyEditorRegistrySupport registry = (PropertyEditorRegistrySupport) typeConverter;
+						PropertyEditor editor = registry.findCustomEditor(value.getClass(), null);
+						if (editor != null) {
+							if (registry.isSharedEditor(editor)) {
+								// Synchronized access to shared editor
+								// instance.
+								synchronized (editor) {
+									editor.setValue(value);
+									result = editor.getAsText();
+								}
+							}
+							else {
+								editor.setValue(value);
+								result = editor.getAsText();
+							}
+						}
+					}
+					if (result == null) {
+						logger.debug("Falling back on toString for conversion of : [" + value.getClass() + "]");
+						result = value.toString();
+					}
+				}
 				return result != null ? result : typeConverter.convertIfNecessary(value, requiredType, methodParam);
 			}
 
@@ -112,7 +149,8 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSource extends SimpleBeanTargetSource implements I
 			public Object convertIfNecessary(Object value, Class requiredType) throws TypeMismatchException {
 				return convertIfNecessary(value, requiredType, null);
 			}
-		});
+		};
+		beanFactory.setTypeConverter(contextTypeConverter);
 
 		String beanName = getTargetBeanName() + "#" + contextFactory.getContextId();
 
@@ -133,7 +171,16 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSource extends SimpleBeanTargetSource implements I
 					if (!strVal.contains(PLACEHOLDER_PREFIX)) {
 						return strVal;
 					}
-					return replacePlaceholders(strVal, typeConverter);
+					if (strVal.startsWith(PLACEHOLDER_PREFIX) && strVal.endsWith(PLACEHOLDER_SUFFIX)) {
+						// If the whole value is a placeholder it might be
+						// possible to replace it all in one go as a String
+						// (e.g. if it's a ref=#{})
+						StringBuilder result = new StringBuilder(strVal);
+						String key = extractKey(strVal);
+						replaceIfTypeMatches(result, 0, strVal.length() - 1, key, String.class, typeConverter);
+						return result.toString();
+					}
+					return replacePlaceholders(strVal, contextTypeConverter);
 				}
 			}) {
 				protected Object resolveValue(Object value) {
@@ -216,10 +263,9 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSource extends SimpleBeanTargetSource implements I
 			replaceIfTypeMatches(result, first, next, key, Integer.class, typeConverter);
 			// Spring cannot convert from String to Date, so there is an error
 			// here.
-			// replaceIfTypeMatches(result, first, next, key, Date.class,
-			// typeConverter);
-			first = result.indexOf(PLACEHOLDER_PREFIX, first + 1);;
-			next = result.indexOf(PLACEHOLDER_SUFFIX, first + 1);;
+			replaceIfTypeMatches(result, first, next, key, Date.class, typeConverter);
+			first = result.indexOf(PLACEHOLDER_PREFIX, first + 1);
+			next = result.indexOf(PLACEHOLDER_SUFFIX, first + 1);
 
 		}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSourceTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSourceTests.java
index 84702280b..afcd8389e 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSourceTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSourceTests.java
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSourceTests extends ContextFactorySupport {
 	@Qualifier("withMultiple")
 	private PlaceholderTargetSource withMultiple;
 
+	@Autowired
+	@Qualifier("withEmbeddedDate")
+	private PlaceholderTargetSource withEmbeddedDate;
+
 	@Autowired
 	@Qualifier("withDate")
 	private PlaceholderTargetSource withDate;
@@ -60,7 +64,7 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSourceTests extends ContextFactorySupport {
 
 	private Map<String, Object> map = Collections.singletonMap("foo.foo", (Object) "bar");
 
-	private Date date = new Date();
+	private Date date = new Date(0L);
 
 	public Object getContext() {
 		return this;
@@ -154,11 +158,16 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSourceTests extends ContextFactorySupport {
 		assertEquals("bar-4321-4321", target.getName());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testGetEmbeddedDate() {
+		Node target = (Node) withEmbeddedDate.getTarget();
+		assertEquals("bar-1970/01/01", target.getName());
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testGetDate() {
 		Node target = (Node) withDate.getTarget();
-		// Remains unconverted because Spring cannot convert from Date to String
-		assertEquals("bar-#{date}", target.getName());
+		assertEquals(0L, target.getDate().getTime());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -171,6 +180,8 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSourceTests extends ContextFactorySupport {
 	public static interface Node {
 		String getName();
 
+		Date getDate();
+
 		Node getParent();
 	}
 
@@ -178,6 +189,8 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSourceTests extends ContextFactorySupport {
 
 		private String name;
 
+		private Date date;
+
 		private Node parent;
 
 		public Foo() {
@@ -191,6 +204,14 @@ public class PlaceholderTargetSourceTests extends ContextFactorySupport {
 			return name;
 		}
 
+		public Date getDate() {
+			return date;
+		}
+
+		public void setDate(Date date) {
+			this.date = date;
+		}
+
 		public void setName(String name) {
 			this.name = name;
 		}
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSourceTests-context.xml b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSourceTests-context.xml
index 2423d4e35..6e4089230 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSourceTests-context.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/core/scope/util/PlaceholderTargetSourceTests-context.xml
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@
 		<property name="targetBeanName" value="withDateTarget" />
 	</bean>
 
+	<bean id="withEmbeddedDate"
+		class="org.springframework.batch.core.scope.util.PlaceholderTargetSource">
+		<property name="contextFactory" ref="context" />
+		<property name="targetBeanName" value="withEmbeddedDateTarget" />
+	</bean>
+
 	<bean id="context"
 		class="org.springframework.batch.core.scope.util.PlaceholderTargetSourceTests" />
 
@@ -110,12 +116,18 @@
 		<property name="name" value="bar-#{integer}-#{integer}" />
 	</bean>
 
-	<bean id="withDateTarget"
+	<bean id="withEmbeddedDateTarget"
 		class="org.springframework.batch.core.scope.util.PlaceholderTargetSourceTests$Foo"
 		lazy-init="true">
 		<property name="name" value="bar-#{date}" />
 	</bean>
 
+	<bean id="withDateTarget"
+		class="org.springframework.batch.core.scope.util.PlaceholderTargetSourceTests$Foo"
+		lazy-init="true">
+		<property name="date" value="#{date}" />
+	</bean>
+
 	<bean id="withNull"
 		class="org.springframework.batch.core.scope.util.PlaceholderTargetSource">
 		<property name="contextFactory" ref="context" />
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/pom.xml b/spring-batch-infrastructure/pom.xml
index 0d24a521d..998afcc4a 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/pom.xml
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@
 			<plugin>
 				<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
 				<artifactId>emma-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <version>1.0-alpha-1</version>
 			</plugin>
 		</plugins>
 	</reporting>
diff --git a/spring-batch-test/pom.xml b/spring-batch-test/pom.xml
index 0cad6a466..22370f3bc 100755
--- a/spring-batch-test/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-batch-test/pom.xml
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@
 			<plugin>
 				<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
 				<artifactId>emma-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <version>1.0-alpha-1</version>
 			</plugin>
 		</plugins>
 	</reporting>
 
-</project>
\ No newline at end of file
+</project>