diff --git a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/builders/StateMachineConfigurationBuilder.java b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/builders/StateMachineConfigurationBuilder.java
index e1c4aa37..ba210547 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/builders/StateMachineConfigurationBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/builders/StateMachineConfigurationBuilder.java
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public class StateMachineConfigurationBuilder<S, E>
 	private SecurityRule transitionSecurityRule;
 	private StateMachineMonitor<S, E> stateMachineMonitor;
 	private final List<StateMachineInterceptor<S, E>> interceptors = new ArrayList<StateMachineInterceptor<S, E>>();
-	private StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E> persister;
+	private StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E, ?> persister;
 
 	/**
 	 * Instantiates a new state machine configuration builder.
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ public class StateMachineConfigurationBuilder<S, E>
 	 *
 	 * @param persister the state machine runtime persister
 	 */
-	public void setStateMachineRuntimePersister(StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E> persister) {
+	public void setStateMachineRuntimePersister(StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E, ?> persister) {
 		this.persister = persister;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/configurers/DefaultPersistenceConfigurer.java b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/configurers/DefaultPersistenceConfigurer.java
index 25b96ef2..bd3e8608 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/configurers/DefaultPersistenceConfigurer.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/configurers/DefaultPersistenceConfigurer.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public class DefaultPersistenceConfigurer<S, E> extends
 		AnnotationConfigurerAdapter<ConfigurationData<S, E>, StateMachineConfigurationConfigurer<S, E>, StateMachineConfigurationBuilder<S, E>>
 		implements PersistenceConfigurer<S, E> {
 
-	private StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E> persister;
+	private StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E, ?> persister;
 
 	@Override
 	public void configure(StateMachineConfigurationBuilder<S, E> builder) throws Exception {
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class DefaultPersistenceConfigurer<S, E> extends
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public PersistenceConfigurer<S, E> runtimePersister(StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E> persister) {
+	public PersistenceConfigurer<S, E> runtimePersister(StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E, ?> persister) {
 		this.persister = persister;
 		return this;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/configurers/PersistenceConfigurer.java b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/configurers/PersistenceConfigurer.java
index 5150de6a..370cfffa 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/configurers/PersistenceConfigurer.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/config/configurers/PersistenceConfigurer.java
@@ -36,5 +36,5 @@ public interface PersistenceConfigurer<S, E> extends
 	 * @param persister the state machine runtime persister
 	 * @return configurer for chaining
 	 */
-	PersistenceConfigurer<S, E> runtimePersister(StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E> persister);
+	PersistenceConfigurer<S, E> runtimePersister(StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E, ?> persister);
 }
diff --git a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/persist/AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor.java b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/persist/AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor.java
index 4255e675..72ecfb7b 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/persist/AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/persist/AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor.java
@@ -49,9 +49,10 @@ import org.springframework.statemachine.transition.TransitionKind;
  *
  * @param <S> the type of state
  * @param <E> the type of event
+ * @param <T> the type of persister context object
  */
-public abstract class AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E> extends StateMachineInterceptorAdapter<S, E>
-		implements StateMachinePersist<S, E, Object> {
+public abstract class AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E, T> extends StateMachineInterceptorAdapter<S, E>
+		implements StateMachinePersist<S, E, T> {
 
 	@Override
 	public void preStateChange(State<S, E> state, Message<E> message, Transition<S, E> transition, StateMachine<S, E> stateMachine) {
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E> extends St
 	 * @param context the state machine context
 	 * @param contextObj the context object
 	 */
-	public abstract void write(StateMachineContext<S, E> context, Object contextObj) throws Exception;
+	public abstract void write(StateMachineContext<S, E> context, T contextObj) throws Exception;
 
 	/**
 	 * Read {@link StateMachineContext} from persistent store.
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E> extends St
 	 * @param contextObj the context object
 	 * @return the state machine context
 	 */
-	public abstract StateMachineContext<S, E> read(Object contextObj) throws Exception;
+	public abstract StateMachineContext<S, E> read(T contextObj) throws Exception;
 
 	/**
 	 * Builds the state machine context.
diff --git a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/persist/StateMachineRuntimePersister.java b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/persist/StateMachineRuntimePersister.java
index edb725cc..c343afee 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/persist/StateMachineRuntimePersister.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/persist/StateMachineRuntimePersister.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 package org.springframework.statemachine.persist;
 
 import org.springframework.statemachine.StateMachine;
+import org.springframework.statemachine.StateMachinePersist;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.support.StateMachineInterceptor;
 
 /**
@@ -25,8 +26,9 @@ import org.springframework.statemachine.support.StateMachineInterceptor;
  *
  * @param <S> the type of state
  * @param <E> the type of event
+ * @param <T> the type of persister context object
  */
-public interface StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E> {
+public interface StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E, T> extends StateMachinePersist<S, E, T> {
 
 	/**
 	 * Gets a {@link StateMachineInterceptor} handling machine persistence.
diff --git a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/service/DefaultStateMachineService.java b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/service/DefaultStateMachineService.java
index e2196f30..352b897c 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/service/DefaultStateMachineService.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/service/DefaultStateMachineService.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ package org.springframework.statemachine.service;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
+import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.StateMachine;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.StateMachineContext;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.StateMachineException;
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  */
 public class DefaultStateMachineService<S, E> implements StateMachineService<S, E> {
 
+	private final static Log log = LogFactory.getLog(DefaultStateMachineService.class);
 	private final StateMachineFactory<S, E> stateMachineFactory;
 	private final Map<String, StateMachine<S, E>> machines = new HashMap<String, StateMachine<S, E>>();
 	private StateMachinePersist<S, E, String> stateMachinePersist;
@@ -65,30 +68,34 @@ public class DefaultStateMachineService<S, E> implements StateMachineService<S,
 
 	@Override
 	public StateMachine<S, E> acquireStateMachine(String machineId) {
+		log.info("Acquiring machine with id " + machineId);
 		synchronized (machines) {
 			StateMachine<S,E> stateMachine = machines.get(machineId);
 			if (stateMachine == null) {
+				log.info("Getting new machine from factory with id " + machineId);
 				stateMachine = stateMachineFactory.getStateMachine(machineId);
+				if (stateMachinePersist != null) {
+					try {
+						StateMachineContext<S, E> stateMachineContext = stateMachinePersist.read(machineId);
+						stateMachine = restoreStateMachine(stateMachine, stateMachineContext);
+					} catch (Exception e) {
+						log.error("Error handling context", e);
+						throw new StateMachineException("Unable to read context from store", e);
+					}
+				}
 				machines.put(machineId, stateMachine);
 			}
-			if (stateMachinePersist != null) {
-				try {
-					StateMachineContext<S, E> stateMachineContext = stateMachinePersist.read(machineId);
-					return restoreStateMachine(stateMachine, stateMachineContext);
-				} catch (Exception e) {
-					throw new StateMachineException("Unable to read context from store", e);
-				}
-			} else {
-				return stateMachine;
-			}
+			return stateMachine;
 		}
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public void releaseStateMachine(String machineId) {
+		log.info("Releasing machine with id " + machineId);
 		synchronized (machines) {
 			StateMachine<S, E> stateMachine = machines.remove(machineId);
 			if (stateMachine != null) {
+				log.info("Found machine with id " + machineId);
 				stateMachine.stop();
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/spring-statemachine-data/jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/data/jpa/JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor.java b/spring-statemachine-data/jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/data/jpa/JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor.java
index 26e661ec..80360cf5 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-data/jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/data/jpa/JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-data/jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/statemachine/data/jpa/JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 package org.springframework.statemachine.data.jpa;
 
 import org.springframework.statemachine.StateMachineContext;
-import org.springframework.statemachine.StateMachinePersist;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.persist.AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.persist.StateMachineRuntimePersister;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.support.StateMachineInterceptor;
@@ -29,9 +28,10 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  *
  * @param <S> the type of state
  * @param <E> the type of event
+ * @param <T> the type of persister context object
  */
-public class JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E> extends AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E>
-		implements StateMachinePersist<S, E, Object>, StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E> {
+public class JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E, T> extends AbstractPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E, T>
+		implements StateMachineRuntimePersister<S, E, T> {
 
 	private final JpaRepositoryStateMachinePersist<S, E> persist;
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public class JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<S, E> extends AbstractPersisti
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public void write(StateMachineContext<S, E> context, Object contextObj) throws Exception {
+	public void write(StateMachineContext<S, E> context, T contextObj) throws Exception {
 		persist.write(context, contextObj);
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-statemachine-data/jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/statemachine/data/jpa/JpaRepositoryTests.java b/spring-statemachine-data/jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/statemachine/data/jpa/JpaRepositoryTests.java
index 5b64f0af..4ec4f827 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-data/jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/statemachine/data/jpa/JpaRepositoryTests.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-data/jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/statemachine/data/jpa/JpaRepositoryTests.java
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ public class JpaRepositoryTests extends AbstractRepositoryTests {
 		}
 
 		@Bean
-		public StateMachineRuntimePersister<String, String> stateMachineRuntimePersister() {
+		public StateMachineRuntimePersister<String, String, String> stateMachineRuntimePersister() {
 			return new JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<>(jpaStateMachineRepository);
 		}
 	}
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ public class JpaRepositoryTests extends AbstractRepositoryTests {
 		}
 
 		@Bean
-		public StateMachineRuntimePersister<PersistTestStates, PersistTestEvents> stateMachineRuntimePersister() {
+		public StateMachineRuntimePersister<PersistTestStates, PersistTestEvents, String> stateMachineRuntimePersister() {
 			return new JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<>(jpaStateMachineRepository);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spring-statemachine-samples/datajpapersist/src/main/java/demo/datajpapersist/StateMachineConfig.java b/spring-statemachine-samples/datajpapersist/src/main/java/demo/datajpapersist/StateMachineConfig.java
index b17d61e6..65ac8c88 100644
--- a/spring-statemachine-samples/datajpapersist/src/main/java/demo/datajpapersist/StateMachineConfig.java
+++ b/spring-statemachine-samples/datajpapersist/src/main/java/demo/datajpapersist/StateMachineConfig.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import java.util.EnumSet;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
-import org.springframework.statemachine.StateMachinePersist;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.config.EnableStateMachineFactory;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.config.StateMachineConfigurerAdapter;
 import org.springframework.statemachine.config.StateMachineFactory;
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ public class StateMachineConfig {
 				throws Exception {
 			config
 				.withPersistence()
-					.runtimePersister(stateMachineruntimePersister());
+					.runtimePersister(stateMachineRuntimePersister());
 		}
 
 		@Override
@@ -91,7 +90,7 @@ public class StateMachineConfig {
 		}
 
 		@Bean
-		public StateMachineRuntimePersister<States, Events> stateMachineruntimePersister() {
+		public StateMachineRuntimePersister<States, Events, String> stateMachineRuntimePersister() {
 			return new JpaPersistingStateMachineInterceptor<>(jpaStateMachineRepository);
 		}
 	}
@@ -102,8 +101,8 @@ public class StateMachineConfig {
 
 		@Bean
 		public StateMachineService<States, Events> stateMachineService(StateMachineFactory<States, Events> stateMachineFactory,
-				StateMachinePersist<States, Events, String> stateMachinePersist) {
-			return new DefaultStateMachineService<>(stateMachineFactory, stateMachinePersist);
+				StateMachineRuntimePersister<States, Events, String> stateMachineRuntimePersister) {
+			return new DefaultStateMachineService<States, Events>(stateMachineFactory, stateMachineRuntimePersister);
 		}
 	}