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 c50d69e3a..661ed65b2 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
@@ -91,7 +91,17 @@ public class ExecutionContext implements Serializable {
 	 */
 	public void putLong(String key, long value) {
 
-		put(key, new Long(value));
+		put(key, Long.valueOf(value));
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Adds an Integer value to the context.
+	 * 
+	 * @param key Key to add to context
+	 * @param value Value to associate with key
+	 */
+	public void putInt(String key, int value) {
+		put(key, Integer.valueOf(value));
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -102,7 +112,7 @@ public class ExecutionContext implements Serializable {
 	 */
 	public void putDouble(String key, double value) {
 
-		put(key, new Double(value));
+		put(key, Double.valueOf(value));
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -190,6 +200,34 @@ public class ExecutionContext implements Serializable {
 		return ((Long) readAndValidate(key, Long.class)).longValue();
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Typesafe Getter for the Integer represented by the provided key.
+	 * 
+	 * @param key The key to get a value for
+	 * @return The <code>Integer</code> value
+	 */
+	public int getInt(String key) {
+
+		return ((Integer) readAndValidate(key, Integer.class)).intValue();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Typesafe Getter for the Integer represented by the provided key with
+	 * default value to return if key is not represented.
+	 * 
+	 * @param key The key to get a value for
+	 * @param defaultInt Default to return if key is not represented
+	 * @return The <code>int</code> value if key is represented, specified
+	 * default otherwise
+	 */
+	public int getInt(String key, int defaultInt) {
+		if (!map.containsKey(key)) {
+			return defaultInt;
+		}
+
+		return ((Integer) readAndValidate(key, Integer.class)).intValue();
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Typesafe Getter for the Double represented by the provided key.
 	 * 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/MultiResourceItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/MultiResourceItemWriter.java
index f752f6791..8c093996b 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/MultiResourceItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/MultiResourceItemWriter.java
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ public class MultiResourceItemWriter<T> extends ExecutionContextUserSupport impl
 	}
 
 	public void open(ExecutionContext executionContext) throws ItemStreamException {
-		resourceIndex = Long.valueOf(executionContext.getLong(getKey(RESOURCE_INDEX_KEY), 1L)).intValue();
-		currentResourceItemCount = Long.valueOf(executionContext.getLong(getKey(CURRENT_RESOURCE_ITEM_COUNT), 0L))
-				.intValue();
+		resourceIndex = executionContext.getInt(getKey(RESOURCE_INDEX_KEY), 1);
+		currentResourceItemCount = executionContext.getInt(getKey(CURRENT_RESOURCE_ITEM_COUNT), 0);
+			
 		try {
 			pointDelegateToNextResource();
 		}
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ public class MultiResourceItemWriter<T> extends ExecutionContextUserSupport impl
 
 	public void update(ExecutionContext executionContext) throws ItemStreamException {
 		delegate.update(executionContext);
-		executionContext.put(getKey(CURRENT_RESOURCE_ITEM_COUNT), Long.valueOf(currentResourceItemCount));
-		executionContext.put(getKey(RESOURCE_INDEX_KEY), Long.valueOf(resourceIndex));
+		executionContext.putInt(getKey(CURRENT_RESOURCE_ITEM_COUNT), currentResourceItemCount);
+		executionContext.putInt(getKey(RESOURCE_INDEX_KEY), resourceIndex);
 	}
 
 	/**
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 12fe0759d..6b71beed2 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
@@ -45,14 +45,17 @@ public class ExecutionContextTests {
 		context.putString("2", "testString2");
 		context.putLong("3", 3);
 		context.putDouble("4", 4.4);
+		context.putInt("5", 5);
 
 		assertEquals("testString1", context.getString("1"));
 		assertEquals("testString2", context.getString("2"));
-		assertEquals("defaultString", context.getString("5", "defaultString"));
+		assertEquals("defaultString", context.getString("55", "defaultString"));
 		assertEquals(4.4, context.getDouble("4"), 0);
-		assertEquals(5.5, context.getDouble("5", 5.5), 0);
+		assertEquals(5.5, context.getDouble("55", 5.5), 0);
 		assertEquals(3, context.getLong("3"));
-		assertEquals(5, context.getLong("5", 5));
+		assertEquals(5, context.getLong("55", 5));
+		assertEquals(5, context.getInt("5"));
+		assertEquals(6, context.getInt("55", 6));
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -138,6 +141,7 @@ public class ExecutionContextTests {
 		context.putLong("3", 3);
 		context.putDouble("4", 4.4);
 		context.put("5", s);
+		context.putInt("6", 6);
 
 		byte[] serialized = SerializationUtils.serialize(context);