diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Definer.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Definer.java
index 49a60fd00..ac5945eea 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Definer.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Definer.java
@@ -97,25 +97,20 @@ public abstract class Definer extends Task {
         }
         try {
             ClassLoader loader = null;
+            AntClassLoader al = null;
             if (classpath != null) {
-                AntClassLoader al = new AntClassLoader(project, classpath,
-                                                       false);
-                // need to load Task via system classloader or the new
-                // task we want to define will never be a Task but always
-                // be wrapped into a TaskAdapter.
-                al.addSystemPackageRoot("org.apache.tools.ant");
-                loader = al;
+                al = new AntClassLoader(project, classpath, false);
             } else {
-                loader = this.getClass().getClassLoader();
+                al = new AntClassLoader(project, Path.systemClasspath, false);
             }
+            // need to load Task via system classloader or the new
+            // task we want to define will never be a Task but always
+            // be wrapped into a TaskAdapter.
+            al.addSystemPackageRoot("org.apache.tools.ant");
+            loader = al;
 
-            Class c = null;
-            if (loader != null) {
-                c = loader.loadClass(value);
-                AntClassLoader.initializeClass(c);
-            } else {
-                c = Class.forName(value);
-            }
+            Class c = loader.loadClass(value);
+            AntClassLoader.initializeClass(c);
             addDefinition(name, c);
         } catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
             String msg = getTaskName()+" class " + value +
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Path.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Path.java
index d8f3bbc1d..d7405fa7a 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Path.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Path.java
@@ -484,9 +484,14 @@ public class Path extends DataType implements Cloneable {
 
         Path result = new Path(project);
 
-        String order = project.getProperty("build.sysclasspath");
-        if (order == null) order=defValue;
-
+        String order = defValue;
+        if (project != null) {
+            String o = project.getProperty("build.sysclasspath");
+            if (o != null) {
+                order = o;
+            }
+        }
+        
         if (order.equals("only")) {
             // only: the developer knows what (s)he is doing
             result.addExisting(Path.systemClasspath);
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/zip/ZipExtraField.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/zip/ZipExtraField.java
index c4022475f..034d55f8c 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/zip/ZipExtraField.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/zip/ZipExtraField.java
@@ -59,11 +59,11 @@ import java.util.zip.ZipException;
 /**
  * General format of extra field data.
  *
- * <p>Extra fields usually apper twice per file, once in the local
+ * <p>Extra fields usually appear twice per file, once in the local
  * file data and once in the central directory.  Usually they are the
  * same, but they don't have to be.  {@link
  * java.util.zip.ZipOutputStream java.util.zip.ZipOutputStream} will
- * only use write the local file data at both places.</p>
+ * only use the local file data in both places.</p>
  *
  * @author <a href="stefan.bodewig@epost.de">Stefan Bodewig</a>
  * @version $Revision$