diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javac.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javac.html
index c3593af2e..29a5f5963 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javac.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javac.html
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ current JDK is 1.2+.  If you use
 switch <code>-depend</code> instead of <code>-Xdepend</code>.</p>
 <p>This task will drop all entries that point to non-existent
 files/directories from the classpath it passes to the compiler.</p>
+<p>The working directory for a forked executable (if any) is the
+  project's base directory.</p>
 <p><strong>Windows Note:</strong>When the modern compiler is used
 in unforked mode on Windows, it locks up the files present in the
 classpath of the <code>&lt;javac&gt;</code> task, and does not release them.
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
index 13275ccba..46674e49f 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
@@ -435,6 +435,10 @@ public abstract class DefaultCompilerAdapter implements CompilerAdapter {
 
     /**
      * Do the compile with the specified arguments.
+     *
+     * <p>The working directory if the executed process will be the
+     * project's base directory.</p>
+     *
      * @param args - arguments to pass to process on command line
      * @param firstFileName - index of the first source file in args,
      * if the index is negative, no temporary file will ever be