diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
index f7474aa9b..f3289d40e 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
@@ -243,6 +243,8 @@ public class Java extends Task {
         Execute exe = new Execute(new LogStreamHandler(this, Project.MSG_INFO,
                                                        Project.MSG_WARN), 
                                   null);
+        
+        
         exe.setAntRun(project);
 
         if (dir == null) dir = project.getBaseDir();
@@ -269,4 +271,10 @@ public class Java extends Task {
         run(cmdj);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Clear out the arguments to this java task.
+     */
+    public void clearArgs() {
+        cmdl.clearJavaArgs();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Commandline.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Commandline.java
index 0996b33f1..a98f35bfc 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Commandline.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Commandline.java
@@ -335,4 +335,11 @@ public class Commandline implements Cloneable {
         arguments.removeAllElements();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Clear out the arguments but leave the executable in place for another operation.
+     */
+    public void clearArgs() {
+        arguments.removeAllElements();
+    }
+        
 }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/CommandlineJava.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/CommandlineJava.java
index 6df59af97..3b5e11d2f 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/CommandlineJava.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/CommandlineJava.java
@@ -160,4 +160,11 @@ public class CommandlineJava implements Cloneable {
         c.vmVersion = vmVersion;
         return c;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Clear out the java arguments.
+     */
+    public void clearJavaArgs() {
+        javaCommand.clearArgs();
+    }
 }