diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/JavacExternal.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/JavacExternal.java
index d15709a63..3461e6cc8 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/JavacExternal.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/JavacExternal.java
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ public class JavacExternal extends DefaultCompilerAdapter {
         attributes.log("Using external javac compiler", Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
 
         Commandline cmd = new Commandline();
+        cmd.setExecutable("javac");
         setupJavacCommandlineSwitches(cmd);
         int firstFileName = cmd.size();
         logAndAddFilesToCompile(cmd);