diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/model/FlowModelFlowBuilder.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/model/FlowModelFlowBuilder.java
index e0ad0a69..27249b2b 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/model/FlowModelFlowBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/model/FlowModelFlowBuilder.java
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ public class FlowModelFlowBuilder extends AbstractFlowBuilder {
 
 	private FlowExecutionExceptionHandler parseCustomExceptionHandler(ExceptionHandlerModel exceptionHandler) {
 		return (FlowExecutionExceptionHandler) getLocalContext().getApplicationContext().getBean(
-				exceptionHandler.getBeanName(), FlowExecutionExceptionHandler.class);
+				exceptionHandler.getBean(), FlowExecutionExceptionHandler.class);
 	}
 
 	private Transition[] parseTransitions(List transitionModels) {
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/ExceptionHandlerModel.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/ExceptionHandlerModel.java
index 38657e30..e756874d 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/ExceptionHandlerModel.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/ExceptionHandlerModel.java
@@ -25,14 +25,15 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * @author Scott Andrews
  */
 public class ExceptionHandlerModel extends AbstractModel {
-	private String beanName;
+
+	private String bean;
 
 	/**
 	 * Create an exception handler model
-	 * @param beanName the name of the bean to handle exceptions
+	 * @param bean the name of the bean to handle exceptions
 	 */
-	public ExceptionHandlerModel(String beanName) {
-		setBeanName(beanName);
+	public ExceptionHandlerModel(String bean) {
+		setBean(bean);
 	}
 
 	public boolean isMergeableWith(Model model) {
@@ -42,21 +43,15 @@ public class ExceptionHandlerModel extends AbstractModel {
 	public void merge(Model model) {
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * @return the bean name
-	 */
-	public String getBeanName() {
-		return beanName;
+	public String getBean() {
+		return bean;
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * @param beanName the bean name to set
-	 */
-	public void setBeanName(String beanName) {
-		if (StringUtils.hasText(beanName)) {
-			this.beanName = beanName;
+	public void setBean(String bean) {
+		if (StringUtils.hasText(bean)) {
+			this.bean = bean;
 		} else {
-			this.beanName = null;
+			this.bean = null;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilder.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilder.java
index a9066acb..4fb689cf 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilder.java
@@ -80,12 +80,20 @@ public class XmlFlowModelBuilder implements FlowModelBuilder {
 	/**
 	 * Create a new XML flow model builder that will parse the XML document at the specified resource location and use
 	 * the provided locator to access parent flow models.
+	 * @param resource the path to the XML flow definition (required)
+	 */
+	public XmlFlowModelBuilder(Resource resource) {
+		init(resource, null);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Create a new XML flow model builder that will parse the XML document at the specified resource location and use
+	 * the provided locator to access parent flow models.
+	 * @param resource the path to the XML flow definition (required)
+	 * @param modelLocator a locator for parent flow models to support flow inheritance
 	 */
 	public XmlFlowModelBuilder(Resource resource, FlowModelLocator modelLocator) {
-		Assert.notNull(resource, "The location of the XML-based flow definition is required");
-		Assert.notNull(modelLocator, "The model locator for accessing other flow models for merging is required");
-		this.resource = resource;
-		this.modelLocator = modelLocator;
+		init(resource, modelLocator);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -214,6 +222,12 @@ public class XmlFlowModelBuilder implements FlowModelBuilder {
 		return document != null ? document.getDocumentElement() : null;
 	}
 
+	private void init(Resource resource, FlowModelLocator modelLocator) {
+		Assert.notNull(resource, "The location of the XML-based flow definition is required");
+		this.resource = resource;
+		this.modelLocator = modelLocator;
+	}
+
 	private FlowModel parseFlow(Element element) {
 		FlowModel flow = new FlowModel();
 		flow.setAbstract(element.getAttribute("abstract"));
@@ -462,7 +476,7 @@ public class XmlFlowModelBuilder implements FlowModelBuilder {
 	}
 
 	private ExceptionHandlerModel parseExceptionHandler(Element element) {
-		return new ExceptionHandlerModel(element.getAttribute("bean-name"));
+		return new ExceptionHandlerModel(element.getAttribute("bean"));
 	}
 
 	private BeanImportModel parseBeanImport(Element element) {
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd
index 935e6d4d..806d31aa 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ Actions to execute when this state is entered.
 										<xsd:group ref="actionTypes" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
 									</xsd:complexType>
 								</xsd:element>
-								<xsd:group ref="actionTypes" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
+								<xsd:group ref="actionTypes" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
 								<xsd:element name="transition" type="transition" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
 									<xsd:annotation>
 										<xsd:documentation>
@@ -1438,20 +1438,10 @@ The bean id of the custom exception handler.
 			<xsd:documentation>
 				<![CDATA[
 Secures this flow definition element.
-The user invoking this element must meet the required attributes otherwise access to the element will be denied.
+The current user invoking this element must have the required security attributes otherwise access to the element will be denied.
 <br>
-WARNING: This element will only configure a security attribute in the definition.  The flow execution must also be secured with a SecurityFlowExecutionListener.
-<br>
-For example:
-<pre>
-	&lt;web:flow-executor id="flowExecutor" flow-registry="flowRegistry"&gt;
-		&lt;web:flow-execution-listeners&gt;
-			&lt;web:listener ref="securityFlowExecutionListener" /&gt;
-		&lt;/web:flow-execution-listeners&gt;
-	&lt;/web:flow-executor&gt;
-	
-	&lt;bean id="securityFlowExecutionListener" class="org.springframework.webflow.security.SecurityFlowExecutionListener" /&gt;
-</pre>
+Note: This element configures a meta-attribute.
+For the attribute to be enforced, the flow execution must be observed by a SecurityFlowExecutionListener.
 ]]>
 			</xsd:documentation>
 		</xsd:annotation>
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/model/FlowModelFlowBuilderTests.java b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/model/FlowModelFlowBuilderTests.java
index 9bb45911..68ce7b4d 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/model/FlowModelFlowBuilderTests.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/model/FlowModelFlowBuilderTests.java
@@ -10,14 +10,17 @@ import org.springframework.webflow.action.FlowDefinitionRedirectAction;
 import org.springframework.webflow.core.collection.LocalAttributeMap;
 import org.springframework.webflow.core.collection.MutableAttributeMap;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.Flow;
+import org.springframework.webflow.engine.FlowExecutionExceptionHandler;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.FlowInputMappingException;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.FlowOutputMappingException;
+import org.springframework.webflow.engine.RequestControlContext;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.ViewState;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.builder.FlowAssembler;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.builder.FlowBuilderException;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.impl.FlowExecutionImplFactory;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.AttributeModel;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.EndStateModel;
+import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.ExceptionHandlerModel;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.FlowModel;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.InputModel;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.OutputModel;
@@ -34,6 +37,7 @@ import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.registry.FlowModelRegistryImpl;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.support.ActionExecutingViewFactory;
 import org.springframework.webflow.execution.Event;
 import org.springframework.webflow.execution.FlowExecution;
+import org.springframework.webflow.execution.FlowExecutionException;
 import org.springframework.webflow.execution.ViewFactory;
 import org.springframework.webflow.security.SecurityRule;
 import org.springframework.webflow.test.MockExternalContext;
@@ -336,6 +340,26 @@ public class FlowModelFlowBuilderTests extends TestCase {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public void testExceptionHandlers() {
+		FlowModel model = new FlowModel();
+		model.addState(new EndStateModel("state"));
+		model.addExceptionHandler(new ExceptionHandlerModel("exceptionHandler"));
+		FlowExecutionExceptionHandler handler = new FlowExecutionExceptionHandler() {
+			public boolean canHandle(FlowExecutionException exception) {
+				return true;
+			}
+
+			public void handle(FlowExecutionException exception, RequestControlContext context) {
+			}
+		};
+		FlowModelFlowBuilder builder = new FlowModelFlowBuilder(new StaticFlowModelHolder(model));
+		MockFlowBuilderContext context = new MockFlowBuilderContext("foo");
+		context.registerBean("exceptionHandler", handler);
+		FlowAssembler assembler = new FlowAssembler(builder, context);
+		Flow flow = assembler.assembleFlow();
+		assertEquals(1, flow.getExceptionHandlerSet().size());
+	}
+
 	private Flow getFlow(FlowModel model) {
 		FlowModelHolder holder = new StaticFlowModelHolder(model);
 		FlowModelFlowBuilder builder = new FlowModelFlowBuilder(holder);
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilderTests.java b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilderTests.java
index 0b54f4a0..de4bf7b4 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilderTests.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilderTests.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import org.springframework.webflow.engine.builder.model.FlowModelFlowBuilder;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.impl.FlowExecutionImplFactory;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.AbstractStateModel;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.AttributeModel;
+import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.ExceptionHandlerModel;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.FlowModel;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.SecuredModel;
 import org.springframework.webflow.engine.model.TransitionModel;
@@ -268,6 +269,24 @@ public class XmlFlowModelBuilderTests extends TestCase {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public void testParseFlowExceptionHandler() {
+		ClassPathResource res = new ClassPathResource("flow-exception-handler.xml", getClass());
+		XmlFlowModelBuilder builder = new XmlFlowModelBuilder(res);
+		DefaultFlowModelHolder holder = new DefaultFlowModelHolder(builder);
+		FlowModel model = holder.getFlowModel();
+		assertEquals("foo1", ((ExceptionHandlerModel) model.getExceptionHandlers().get(0)).getBean());
+		assertEquals("foo2", ((ExceptionHandlerModel) model.getStateById("state1").getExceptionHandlers().get(0))
+				.getBean());
+		assertEquals("foo3", ((ExceptionHandlerModel) model.getStateById("state2").getExceptionHandlers().get(0))
+				.getBean());
+		assertEquals("foo4", ((ExceptionHandlerModel) model.getStateById("state3").getExceptionHandlers().get(0))
+				.getBean());
+		assertEquals("foo5", ((ExceptionHandlerModel) model.getStateById("state4").getExceptionHandlers().get(0))
+				.getBean());
+		assertEquals("foo6", ((ExceptionHandlerModel) model.getStateById("state5").getExceptionHandlers().get(0))
+				.getBean());
+	}
+
 	public void testFormActionValidatorMethod() {
 		ClassPathResource resource = new ClassPathResource("flow-formaction-validatormethod.xml", getClass());
 		XmlFlowModelBuilder builder = new XmlFlowModelBuilder(resource, registry);
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/flow-exception-handler.xml b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/flow-exception-handler.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a94ff736
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/flow-exception-handler.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+<flow xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/webflow"
+      xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+      xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/webflow http://www.springframework.org/schema/webflow/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd">
+
+	<view-state id="state1">
+		<exception-handler bean="foo2"/>
+	</view-state>
+
+	<action-state id="state2">
+		<exception-handler bean="foo3"/>
+	</action-state>
+
+	<subflow-state id="state3">
+		<exception-handler bean="foo4"/>
+	</subflow-state>
+
+	<decision-state id="state4">
+		<exception-handler bean="foo5"/>
+	</decision-state>
+	
+	<end-state id="state5">
+		<exception-handler bean="foo6"/>
+	</end-state>
+
+	<exception-handler bean="foo1"/>
+	
+</flow>
\ No newline at end of file