diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/types/XMLCatalogTest.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/types/XMLCatalogTest.java
index d00b97982..af991bfaa 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/types/XMLCatalogTest.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/types/XMLCatalogTest.java
@@ -172,14 +172,6 @@ public class XMLCatalogTest extends TestCase {
     }
 
     public void testEmptyElementIfIsReference() {
-        try {
-            catalog.setRefid(new Reference("dummyref"));
-            fail("Can add reference to nonexistent XMLCatalog");
-        } catch (BuildException be) {
-            assertEquals("Reference dummyref not found.",
-                         be.getMessage());
-        }
-
         ResourceLocation dtd = new ResourceLocation();
         dtd.setPublicId("PUBLIC ID ONE");
         dtd.setLocation("i/dont/exist.dtd");