diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 3cc065876..210efd83f 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -356,6 +356,10 @@ Fixed bugs:
    when writing zips or jars.
    Bugzilla Report 45548
 
+ * <sync> could into a NullPointerException when faced with broken
+   symbolic links.
+   Bugzilla Report 46747.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
  * A HostInfo task was added performing information on hosts, including info on 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Sync.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Sync.java
index 0aa9df11e..7111dd622 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Sync.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Sync.java
@@ -235,7 +235,8 @@ public class Sync extends Task {
         // delete them.
         for (int i = dirs.length - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
             File f = new File(toDir, dirs[i]);
-            if (f.list().length < 1) {
+            String[] children = f.list();
+            if (children == null || children.length < 1) {
                 log("Removing orphan directory: " + f, Project.MSG_DEBUG);
                 f.delete();
                 ++removedCount[0];