diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index d5e0bfc4a..0dc3f876a 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@ Fixed bugs:
 
 * <whichresource> failed to load classes correctly.
 
+* Redirector exhibited inconsistent behavior with regard to split
+  output.  When sent to file only, files would be created in all
+  cases; when split file-property, files were only created if
+  writes were performed.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
@@ -2668,4 +2673,4 @@ cases.
 
 * The packagelistloc attribute of <javadoc>'s <link> child will be
   resolved as a file (i.e. it is either absolute or relative to
-  basedir).
\ No newline at end of file
+  basedir).
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Redirector.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Redirector.java
index ed0d1c886..d53e7dc68 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Redirector.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Redirector.java
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ public class Redirector {
             errorStream = new LogOutputStream(managingTask, Project.MSG_WARN);
         } else {
             if (out != null)  {
-                outputStream = new LazyFileOutputStream(out, append);
+                outputStream = new LazyFileOutputStream(out, append, true);
                 managingTask.log("Output redirected to " + out,
                                  Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
             }
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ public class Redirector {
         }
 
         if (error != null)  {
-            errorStream = new LazyFileOutputStream(error, append);
+            errorStream = new LazyFileOutputStream(error, append, true);
             managingTask.log("Error redirected to " + error,
                              Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
         }
@@ -422,15 +422,9 @@ public class Redirector {
             inputStream.close();
         }
 
-        if (outputStream instanceof LazyFileOutputStream) {
-            ((LazyFileOutputStream) outputStream).open();
-        }
         outputStream.close();
 
         if (errorStream != outputStream) {
-            if (errorStream instanceof LazyFileOutputStream) {
-                ((LazyFileOutputStream) errorStream).open();
-            }
             errorStream.close();
         }
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/LazyFileOutputStream.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/LazyFileOutputStream.java
index 200a81afb..e3887b2ee 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/LazyFileOutputStream.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/LazyFileOutputStream.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public class LazyFileOutputStream extends OutputStream {
     private FileOutputStream fos;
     private File file;
     private boolean append;
+    private boolean alwaysCreate;
     private boolean opened = false;
     private boolean closed = false;
 
@@ -67,8 +68,19 @@ public class LazyFileOutputStream extends OutputStream {
      * it.
      */
     public LazyFileOutputStream(File file, boolean append) {
+        this(file, append, false);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a stream that will eventually write to the file with
+     * the given name, optionally append to instead of replacing
+     * it, and optionally always create a file (even if zero length).
+     */
+    public LazyFileOutputStream(File file, boolean append,
+                                boolean alwaysCreate) {
         this.file = file;
         this.append = append;
+        this.alwaysCreate = alwaysCreate;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -81,6 +93,9 @@ public class LazyFileOutputStream extends OutputStream {
     }
 
     public synchronized void close() throws IOException {
+        if (alwaysCreate) {
+            ensureOpened();
+        }
         if (opened) {
             fos.close();
         }