diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 794ace806..f744295da 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
 * <xmlproperty> did not create properties for empty leaf elements.
   Bugzilla report 26286.
 
+* UnknownElement.maybeConfigure always configured.
+  Bugzilla report 40641.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/UnknownElement.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/UnknownElement.java
index 31011c3d3..9f87109cd 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/UnknownElement.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/UnknownElement.java
@@ -152,10 +152,9 @@ public class UnknownElement extends Task {
      * @exception BuildException if the configuration fails
      */
     public void maybeConfigure() throws BuildException {
-        //ProjectComponentHelper helper=ProjectComponentHelper.getProjectComponentHelper();
-        //realThing = helper.createProjectComponent( this, getProject(), null,
-        //                                           this.getTag());
-
+        if (realThing != null) {
+            return;
+        }
         configure(makeObject(this, getWrapper()));
     }