diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 6f944c596..a2c2451eb 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ Changes that could break older environments:
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
-* The attributes zipfile, jarfile and warfile (from the Zip, Jar and War tasks)
-  have been deprecated and supersceded by a new attribute "file".
+* The attributes zipfile, jarfile, warfile and earfile (from the Zip, Jar, War and 
+  Ear tasks) have been deprecated and supersceded by a new attribute "file".
 
 Fixed bugs:
 -----------
diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/ear.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/ear.html
index 9d8db6415..63ec69fa9 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/ear.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/ear.html
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ attributes of zipfilesets in a Zip or Jar task.)</p>
     <td align="center" valign="top"><b>Required</b></td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
-    <td valign="top">earfile</td>
+    <td valign="top">file</td>
     <td valign="top">the ear-file to create.</td>
     <td valign="top" align="center">Yes</td>
   </tr>
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ fileset includes a file named <code>MANIFEST.MF</code>, the file is
 ignored and you will get a warning.</p>
 <h2>Example</h2>
 <pre>
-    &lt;ear earfile=&quot;${build.dir}/myapp.ear&quot; appxml=&quot;${src.dir}/metadata/application.xml&quot;&gt;
+    &lt;ear file=&quot;${build.dir}/myapp.ear&quot; appxml=&quot;${src.dir}/metadata/application.xml&quot;&gt;
       &lt;fileset dir=&quot;${build.dir}&quot; includes=&quot;*.jar,*.war&quot;/&gt;
     &lt;/ear&gt;
 </pre>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ear.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ear.java
index cac185cab..8ed7f9002 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ear.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ear.java
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ public class Ear extends Jar {
     }
 
     public void setEarfile(File earFile) {
-        super.setZipfile(earFile);
+        log("DEPRECATED - The earfile attribute is deprecated. Use file attribute instead.");
+        setFile(earFile);
     }
     
     public void setAppxml(File descr) {