diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/domain/ItemSkipPolicy.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/domain/ItemSkipPolicy.java
index 6a47a4764..9f8bb8dd4 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/domain/ItemSkipPolicy.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/domain/ItemSkipPolicy.java
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ public interface ItemSkipPolicy {
 	 * Returns true or false, indicating whether or not reading should
 	 * continue for the current step execution with the given throwable.
 	 * 
-	 * @param ex throwable encountered while reading
-	 * @param stepContribution currently running execution
+	 * @param exception throwable encountered while reading
+	 * @param skipCount currently running count of skips
 	 * @return true if reading should continue, false otherwise.
-	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if t or stepExecution is null
+	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the exception is null
 	 */
-	boolean shouldSkip(Exception ex, StepContribution stepContribution);
+	boolean shouldSkip(Exception exception, int skipCount);
 }
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 2fae057b6..ea2bf7112 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
@@ -444,7 +444,8 @@ public class ItemOrientedStep extends AbstractStep implements InitializingBean {
 
 		}
 		catch (Exception e) {
-			if (getItemSkipPolicy().shouldSkip(e, contribution)) {
+			if (getItemSkipPolicy().shouldSkip(e, contribution.getSkipCount())) {
+				contribution.incrementSkipCount();
 				skip();
 			}
 			else {
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 6d8cb3379..cea764c8b 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
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 package org.springframework.batch.execution.step.support;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.ItemSkipPolicy;
-import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepContribution;
 
 /**
  * Implementation of the {@link ItemSkipPolicy} interface that
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepContribution;
  */
 public class AlwaysSkipItemSkipPolicy implements ItemSkipPolicy {
 
-	public boolean shouldSkip(Exception ex, StepContribution stepContribution) {
+	public boolean shouldSkip(Exception ex, int skipCount) {
 		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 a214da05e..9d8f2a2bb 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
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import org.springframework.batch.common.ExceptionClassifier;
 import org.springframework.batch.common.SubclassExceptionClassifier;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.ItemSkipPolicy;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.Step;
-import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepContribution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.io.exception.FlatFileParsingException;
 
@@ -76,17 +75,16 @@ public class LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy implements ItemSkipPolicy {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Given the provided exception and StepExecution, determine whether or not
+	 * Given the provided exception and skip count, determine whether or not
 	 * processing should continue for the given exception.  If the exception
 	 * is not within the list of 'skippable exceptions', false will be returned.
 	 * If the exception is within the list, and {@link StepExecution} skipCount 
 	 * is greater than the skipLimit, then a {@link SkipLimitExceededException}
 	 * will be thrown.
 	 */
-	public boolean shouldSkip(Exception ex, StepContribution stepContribution){
+	public boolean shouldSkip(Exception ex, int skipCount){
 		if(exceptionClassifier.classify(ex).equals(SKIP)){
-			if(stepContribution.getSkipCount() < skipLimit){
-				stepContribution.incrementSkipCount();
+			if(skipCount < skipLimit){
 				return true;
 			}
 			else{
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 695515145..fb0fd31ee 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
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 package org.springframework.batch.execution.step.support;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.ItemSkipPolicy;
-import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepContribution;
 
 /**
  * {@link ItemSkipPolicy} implementation that always returns false,
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepContribution;
  */
 public class NeverSkipItemSkipPolicy implements ItemSkipPolicy{
 
-	public boolean shouldSkip(Exception ex, StepContribution stepContribution) {
+	public boolean shouldSkip(Exception ex, int skipCount) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/ItemOrientedStepTests.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/ItemOrientedStepTests.java
index 10722d7bc..75d63aa7f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/ItemOrientedStepTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/ItemOrientedStepTests.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package org.springframework.batch.execution.step;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
@@ -39,8 +38,6 @@ import org.springframework.batch.execution.repository.dao.MapStepDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.execution.scope.StepScope;
 import org.springframework.batch.execution.scope.StepSynchronizationManager;
 import org.springframework.batch.execution.step.support.JobRepositorySupport;
-import org.springframework.batch.execution.step.support.LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy;
-import org.springframework.batch.execution.step.support.SkipLimitExceededException;
 import org.springframework.batch.execution.step.support.StepInterruptionPolicy;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemReader;
@@ -368,29 +365,6 @@ public class ItemOrientedStepTests extends TestCase {
 		assertEquals(1, list.size());
 	}
 
-	public void testApplyConfigurationWithZeroSkipLimit() throws Exception {
-		itemOrientedStep.setItemSkipPolicy(new LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy(0, Collections.singletonList(Exception.class)));
-		itemOrientedStep.applyConfiguration();
-		JobExecution jobExecution = new JobExecution(jobInstance);
-		StepExecution stepExecution = new StepExecution(itemOrientedStep, jobExecution);
-		try {
-			assertEquals(false, itemOrientedStep.getItemSkipPolicy().shouldSkip(new RuntimeException(),
-				stepExecution.createStepContribution()));
-			fail("Expected SkipLimitExceededException");
-		} catch (SkipLimitExceededException e) {
-			// expected
-		}
-	}
-
-	public void testApplyConfigurationWithNonZeroSkipLimit() throws Exception {
-		itemOrientedStep.setItemSkipPolicy(new LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy(1, Collections.singletonList(Exception.class)));
-		itemOrientedStep.applyConfiguration();
-		JobExecution jobExecution = new JobExecution(jobInstance);
-		StepExecution stepExecution = new StepExecution(itemOrientedStep, jobExecution);
-		assertEquals(true, itemOrientedStep.getItemSkipPolicy().shouldSkip(new RuntimeException(),
-				stepExecution.createStepContribution()));
-	}
-
 	public void testStreamManager() throws Exception {
 		Step step = new StepSupport("stepName");
 		itemOrientedStep.setItemReader(new AbstractItemReader() {
diff --git a/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/SkipLimitReadFailurePolicyTests.java b/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/SkipLimitReadFailurePolicyTests.java
index f0116e29d..574876575 100644
--- a/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/SkipLimitReadFailurePolicyTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-execution/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/execution/step/support/SkipLimitReadFailurePolicyTests.java
@@ -19,24 +19,17 @@ import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepContribution;
-import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepExecution;
-import org.springframework.batch.core.domain.StepSupport;
-import org.springframework.batch.execution.step.support.LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy;
-import org.springframework.batch.execution.step.support.SkipLimitExceededException;
-import org.springframework.batch.io.exception.FlatFileParsingException;
-
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
+import org.springframework.batch.io.exception.FlatFileParsingException;
+
 /**
  * @author Lucas Ward
  *
  */
 public class SkipLimitReadFailurePolicyTests extends TestCase {
 
-	LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy failurePolicy;
-	StepExecution stepExecution;
-	StepContribution stepContribution;
+	private LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy failurePolicy;
 	
 	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
 		super.setUp();
@@ -45,14 +38,11 @@ public class SkipLimitReadFailurePolicyTests extends TestCase {
 		skippableExceptions.add(FlatFileParsingException.class);
 		
 		failurePolicy = new LimitCheckingItemSkipPolicy(1, skippableExceptions);
-		stepExecution = new StepExecution(new StepSupport("stepName"), null);
-		stepExecution.setSkipCount(2);
-		stepContribution = stepExecution.createStepContribution();
 	}
 	
 	public void testLimitExceed(){		
 		try{
-			failurePolicy.shouldSkip(new FlatFileParsingException("", ""), stepContribution);
+			failurePolicy.shouldSkip(new FlatFileParsingException("", ""), 2);
 			fail();
 		}
 		catch(SkipLimitExceededException ex){
@@ -61,12 +51,11 @@ public class SkipLimitReadFailurePolicyTests extends TestCase {
 	}
 	
 	public void testNonSkippableException(){
-		assertFalse(failurePolicy.shouldSkip(new FileNotFoundException(), stepContribution));
+		assertFalse(failurePolicy.shouldSkip(new FileNotFoundException(), 2));
 	}
 	
 	public void testSkip(){
-		stepExecution.setSkipCount(0);
-		assertTrue(failurePolicy.shouldSkip(new FlatFileParsingException("",""), stepContribution));
+		assertTrue(failurePolicy.shouldSkip(new FlatFileParsingException("",""), 0));
 	}
 
 }