diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index cebf64d8d..7a5b88e3f 100644
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -261,8 +261,8 @@ to be unique.</p>
   </tr>
   <tr>
     <td valign="top">name</td>
-    <td valign="top">the name of the target.</td>
-    <td align="center" valign="top">Yes</td>
+    <td valign="top">the name of the project.</td>
+    <td align="center" valign="top">No</td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
     <td valign="top">default</td>
@@ -273,9 +273,10 @@ to be unique.</p>
     <td valign="top">basedir</td>
     <td valign="top">the base directory from which all path calculations are
       done. This attribute might be overridden by setting the &quot;basedir&quot;
-      property on forehand. When this is done, it might be omitted in the
-      project tag.</td>
-    <td align="center" valign="top">Yes</td>
+      property on forehand. When this is done, it must be omitted in the
+      project tag. If neither the attribute not the property have
+      been set, the parent directory of the build file will be used.</td>
+    <td align="center" valign="top">No</td>
   </tr>
 </table>
 <p>Each project defines one or more targets. A target is a set of tasks you want
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/ProjectHelper.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/ProjectHelper.java
index 13f04939e..5194fd124 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/ProjectHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/ProjectHelper.java
@@ -257,6 +257,12 @@ public class ProjectHelper {
                 }
             }
 
+            if (def == null) {
+                throw new SAXParseException("The default attribute of project is required", 
+                                            locator);
+            }
+            
+
             project.setDefaultTarget(def);
 
             if (name != null) {