diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index a9114062e..5cf33cace 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ Fixed bugs:
 * regression from ant 1.5, exec task outputted two redundant trailing newlines.
   Bugzilla Report 27546.
 
+* NPE when running commons listener. Bugzilla Report 27373.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/listener/CommonsLoggingListener.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/listener/CommonsLoggingListener.java
index 04bf808f5..6e6b33f71 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/listener/CommonsLoggingListener.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/listener/CommonsLoggingListener.java
@@ -279,8 +279,8 @@ public class CommonsLoggingListener implements BuildListener, BuildLogger {
         System.setErr(tmpErr);
     }
 
-    PrintStream out;
-    PrintStream err;
+    PrintStream out = System.out;
+    PrintStream err = System.err;
 
     public void setMessageOutputLevel(int level) {
         // Use the logger config