diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleStepHandler.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleStepHandler.java
index 1132425a5..33a2e52f7 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleStepHandler.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/SimpleStepHandler.java
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ public class SimpleStepHandler implements StepHandler, InitializingBean {
 
 	private JobRepository jobRepository;
 
+	private ExecutionContext executionContext;
+
 	/**
 	 * Convenient default constructor for configuration usage.
 	 */
@@ -55,8 +57,16 @@ public class SimpleStepHandler implements StepHandler, InitializingBean {
 	 * @param jobRepository
 	 */
 	public SimpleStepHandler(JobRepository jobRepository) {
-		super();
+		this(jobRepository, new ExecutionContext());
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param jobRepository
+	 * @param executionContext
+	 */
+	public SimpleStepHandler(JobRepository jobRepository, ExecutionContext executionContext) {
 		this.jobRepository = jobRepository;
+		this.executionContext = executionContext;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -75,6 +85,16 @@ public class SimpleStepHandler implements StepHandler, InitializingBean {
 		this.jobRepository = jobRepository;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * A context containing values to be added to the step execution before it
+	 * is handled.
+	 * 
+	 * @param executionContext the execution context to set
+	 */
+	public void setExecutionContext(ExecutionContext executionContext) {
+		this.executionContext = executionContext;
+	}
+
 	public StepExecution handleStep(Step step, JobExecution execution) throws JobInterruptedException,
 			JobRestartException, StartLimitExceededException {
 		if (execution.isStopping()) {
@@ -105,12 +125,12 @@ public class SimpleStepHandler implements StepHandler, InitializingBean {
 				currentStepExecution.setExecutionContext(lastStepExecution.getExecutionContext());
 			}
 			else {
-				currentStepExecution.setExecutionContext(new ExecutionContext());
+				currentStepExecution.setExecutionContext(new ExecutionContext(executionContext));
 			}
 
 			jobRepository.add(currentStepExecution);
 
-			logger.info("Executing step: [" + step + "]");
+			logger.info("Executing step: [" + step.getName() + "]");
 			try {
 				step.execute(currentStepExecution);
 			}
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowStep.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowStep.java
index 9a9a64293..9e578aa66 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowStep.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowStep.java
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public class FlowStep extends AbstractStep {
 	@Override
 	protected void doExecute(StepExecution stepExecution) throws Exception {
 		try {
-			StepHandler stepHandler = new SimpleStepHandler(getJobRepository());
+			StepHandler stepHandler = new SimpleStepHandler(getJobRepository(), stepExecution.getExecutionContext());
 			FlowExecutor executor = new JobFlowExecutor(getJobRepository(), stepHandler, stepExecution.getJobExecution());
 			executor.updateJobExecutionStatus(flow.start(executor).getStatus());
 		}
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowStepTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowStepTests.java
index 084301171..64302b6f4 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowStepTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/job/flow/FlowStepTests.java
@@ -97,6 +97,37 @@ public class FlowStepTests {
 
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Test method for {@link org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.FlowStep#doExecute(org.springframework.batch.core.StepExecution)}.
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void testExecuteWithParentContext() throws Exception {
+
+		FlowStep step = new FlowStep();
+		step.setJobRepository(jobRepository);
+
+		SimpleFlow flow = new SimpleFlow("job");
+		List<StateTransition> transitions = new ArrayList<StateTransition>();
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createStateTransition(new StepState(new StubStep("step1")), "end0"));
+		transitions.add(StateTransition.createEndStateTransition(new EndState(FlowExecutionStatus.COMPLETED, "end0")));
+		flow.setStateTransitions(transitions);
+
+		step.setFlow(flow);
+		step.afterPropertiesSet();
+
+		StepExecution stepExecution = jobExecution.createStepExecution("step");
+		stepExecution.getExecutionContext().put("foo", "bar");
+		jobRepository.add(stepExecution);
+		step.execute(stepExecution);
+
+		stepExecution = getStepExecution(jobExecution, "step");
+		assertEquals(ExitStatus.COMPLETED, stepExecution.getExitStatus());
+		stepExecution = getStepExecution(jobExecution, "step1");
+		assertEquals(ExitStatus.COMPLETED, stepExecution.getExitStatus());
+		assertEquals("bar", stepExecution.getExecutionContext().get("foo"));
+
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @author Dave Syer
 	 *