diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index d37e547d7..25e665e63 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -67,6 +67,12 @@ Other changes:
  * added a new <native2asciifilter> filter that can perform non-ASCII
    to Unicode-escape conversions.
 
+ * <rmic> defaults to the "forking" compiler on JDK 9+ as the
+   implementation class of rmic is not exported by its containing
+   module and thus not accessible to Ant without applying -XaddExports
+   magic.
+   Bugzilla Report 59860
+
 Changes from Ant 1.9.6 TO Ant 1.9.7
 ===================================
 
diff --git a/manual/Tasks/rmic.html b/manual/Tasks/rmic.html
index b644c68cd..12b30c51e 100644
--- a/manual/Tasks/rmic.html
+++ b/manual/Tasks/rmic.html
@@ -52,11 +52,13 @@ with the &quot;build.rmic&quot; property, the <code>compiler</code>
 attribute. or a nested element.
 <a name="compilervalues">Here are the choices</a>:</p>
 <ul>
-  <li>default -the default compiler (kaffe or sun) for the platform.
-  <li>sun (the standard compiler of the JDK)</li>
+  <li>default -the default compiler (kaffe, sun or forking) for the platform.
+  <li>sun (the standard compiler of the JDK < JDK 9)</li>
   <li>kaffe (the standard compiler of <a href="http://www.kaffe.org" target="_top">Kaffe</a>)</li>
   <li>weblogic</li>
-  <li>forking - the sun compiler forked into a separate process (since Apache Ant 1.7)</li>
+  <li>forking - the sun compiler forked into a separate process (since
+    Apache Ant 1.7). Starting with Ant 1.9.8 this is the default when
+    running on JDK 9+.</li>
   <li>xnew - the sun compiler forked into a separate process,
       with the -Xnew option (since Ant 1.7).
       This is the most reliable way to use -Xnew</li>
diff --git a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/rmic/rmic.xml b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/rmic/rmic.xml
index 757fca517..4670f43f7 100644
--- a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/rmic/rmic.xml
+++ b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/rmic/rmic.xml
@@ -200,14 +200,18 @@
   
   <target name="probe-rmic">
     <available property="kaffe.present" classname="jkaffe.rmi.rmic.RMIC"/>
-    <available property="rmic.present" classname="sun.rmi.rmic.Main"/>
-    <available property="wlrmic.present" classname="weblogic.rmic"/>
-    <condition property="rmic5.present">
-      <and>
-        <isset property="rmic.present"/>
-        <available classname="java.net.Proxy"/>
-      </and>
+    <condition property="rmic.present">
+      <or>
+        <available classname="sun.rmi.rmic.Main"/>
+        <!-- we'll use forking as default for Java9 -->
+        <available classname="java.lang.module.ModuleDescriptor"/>
+      </or>
+    </condition>
+    <condition property="rmic.compiler" value="forking">
+      <available classname="java.lang.module.ModuleDescriptor"/>
     </condition>
+    <property name="rmic.compiler" value="sun"/>
+    <available property="wlrmic.present" classname="weblogic.rmic"/>
     <condition property="rmic6.present">
       <and>
         <isset property="rmic.present"/>
@@ -269,24 +273,24 @@
   </target>
   
   <target name="testRmic" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
-    <base-rmic compiler="sun"/>
+    <base-rmic compiler="${rmic.compiler}"/>
     <assertBaseCompiled/>
   </target>
 
   <target name="testRmicDest" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
-    <dest-rmic compiler="sun"/>
+    <dest-rmic compiler="${rmic.compiler}"/>
     <assertBaseCompiledInDest/>
   </target>
 
   <target name="testRmicJArg" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
-    <base-rmic compiler="sun">
+    <base-rmic compiler="${rmic.compiler}">
       <compilerarg value="-J-mx256m" />
     </base-rmic>
     <assertBaseCompiled/>
   </target>
 
   <target name="testRmicJArgDest" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
-    <dest-rmic compiler="sun">
+    <dest-rmic compiler="${rmic.compiler}">
       <compilerarg value="-J-mx256m" />
     </dest-rmic>
     <assertBaseCompiledInDest/>
@@ -328,7 +332,7 @@
     <assertBaseCompiled/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="testBadName" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
+  <target name="testBadName" depends="init">
     <base-rmic
       compiler="no-such-compiler"
       />
@@ -336,12 +340,12 @@
 
   <target name="testExplicitClass" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
     <base-rmic
-        compiler="org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.rmic.SunRmic"
+        compiler="org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.rmic.ForkingSunRmic"
         />
     <assertBaseCompiled/>
   </target>
   
-  <target name="testWrongClass" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
+  <target name="testWrongClass" depends="init">
     <base-rmic
       compiler="org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException"
       />
@@ -395,14 +399,14 @@
     <assertAntCompiledInDest/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="testForkingAntClasspath" if="rmic.present" depends="compileAntTimestamp">
+  <target name="testForkingAntClasspath" depends="compileAntTimestamp">
     <base-rmic
       compiler="forking"
       />
     <assertAntCompiled />
   </target>
 
-  <target name="testForkingAntClasspathDest" if="rmic.present" depends="compileAntTimestamp">
+  <target name="testForkingAntClasspathDest" depends="compileAntTimestamp">
     <dest-rmic
       compiler="forking"
       />
@@ -434,41 +438,41 @@
   <!--
   This test stamps on the XML parser settings on java6, so it is disabled.
   -->
-  <target name="testXnew" if="rmic5.present" unless="rmic6.present" depends="init">
-    <base-rmic compiler="sun">
+  <target name="testXnew" if="rmic.present" unless="rmic6.present" depends="init">
+    <base-rmic compiler="${rmic.compiler}">
       <compilerarg value="-Xnew"/>
     </base-rmic>
     <assertBaseCompiled/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="testXnewDest" if="rmic5.present" unless="rmic6.present" depends="init">
-    <dest-rmic compiler="sun">
+  <target name="testXnewDest" if="rmic.present" unless="rmic6.present" depends="init">
+    <dest-rmic compiler="${rmic.compiler}">
       <compilerarg value="-Xnew"/>
     </dest-rmic>
     <assertBaseCompiledInDest/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="testXnewForked" if="rmic5.present" depends="init">
+  <target name="testXnewForked" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
     <base-rmic compiler="forking">
       <compilerarg value="-Xnew"/>
     </base-rmic>
     <assertBaseCompiled/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="testXnewForkedDest" if="rmic5.present" depends="init">
+  <target name="testXnewForkedDest" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
     <dest-rmic compiler="forking">
       <compilerarg value="-Xnew"/>
     </dest-rmic>
     <assertBaseCompiledInDest/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="testXnewCompiler" if="rmic5.present" depends="init">
+  <target name="testXnewCompiler" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
     <base-rmic compiler="xnew">
     </base-rmic>
     <assertBaseCompiled/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="testXnewCompilerDest" if="rmic5.present" depends="init">
+  <target name="testXnewCompilerDest" if="rmic.present" depends="init">
     <dest-rmic compiler="xnew">
     </dest-rmic>
     <assertBaseCompiledInDest/>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/RmicAdapterFactory.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/RmicAdapterFactory.java
index 4a2708c78..a604144ad 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/RmicAdapterFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/RmicAdapterFactory.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.Task;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.types.Path;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.ClasspathUtils;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.util.JavaEnvUtils;
 
 /**
  * Creates the necessary rmic adapter, given basic criteria.
@@ -95,9 +96,13 @@ public final class RmicAdapterFactory {
         throws BuildException {
         //handle default specially by choosing the sun or kaffe compiler
         if (DEFAULT_COMPILER.equalsIgnoreCase(rmicType) || rmicType.length() == 0) {
-            rmicType = KaffeRmic.isAvailable()
-                ? KaffeRmic.COMPILER_NAME
-                : SunRmic.COMPILER_NAME;
+            if (KaffeRmic.isAvailable()) {
+                rmicType = KaffeRmic.COMPILER_NAME;
+            } else if (JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_9)) {
+                rmicType = ForkingSunRmic.COMPILER_NAME;
+            } else {
+                rmicType = SunRmic.COMPILER_NAME;
+            }
         }
         if (SunRmic.COMPILER_NAME.equalsIgnoreCase(rmicType)) {
             return new SunRmic();
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/SunRmic.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/SunRmic.java
index 07cbd3062..1b5e67dad 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/SunRmic.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/SunRmic.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.Project;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.LogOutputStream;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.types.Commandline;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.util.JavaEnvUtils;
 
 /**
  * The implementation of the rmic for SUN's JDK.
@@ -54,6 +55,9 @@ public class SunRmic extends DefaultRmicAdapter {
                                          + "available.  A common solution is to "
                                          + "set the environment variable "
                                          + "JAVA_HOME";
+    public static final String ERROR_NO_RMIC_ON_CLASSPATH_JAVA_9 = "Cannot use SUN rmic, as it is not "
+                                         + "available.  The class we try to use is part of the jdk.rmic module which may not be. "
+                                         + "Please use the 'forking' compiler for JDK 9+";
     /** Error message to use when there is an error starting the sun rmic compiler */
     public static final String ERROR_RMIC_FAILED = "Error starting SUN rmic: ";
 
@@ -84,6 +88,10 @@ public class SunRmic extends DefaultRmicAdapter {
                                        (new Object[] {cmd.getArguments()}));
             return ok.booleanValue();
         } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
+            if (JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_9)) {
+                throw new BuildException(ERROR_NO_RMIC_ON_CLASSPATH_JAVA_9,
+                                         getRmic().getLocation());
+            }
             throw new BuildException(ERROR_NO_RMIC_ON_CLASSPATH,
                                      getRmic().getLocation());
         } catch (Exception ex) {
diff --git a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/RmicAdvancedTest.java b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/RmicAdvancedTest.java
index c9d251469..e0e2d9a1e 100644
--- a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/RmicAdvancedTest.java
+++ b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/RmicAdvancedTest.java
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public class RmicAdvancedTest {
      * test weblogic
      */
     @Test
-    @Ignore("WLRmin tests don't work")
+    @Ignore("WLRmic tests don't work")
     public void XtestWlrmic() throws Exception {
         buildRule.executeTarget("testWlrmic");
     }
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ public class RmicAdvancedTest {
      *  test weblogic's stripping of -J args
      */
     @Test
-    @Ignore("WLRmin tests don't work")
+    @Ignore("WLRmic tests don't work")
     public void XtestWlrmicJArg() throws Exception {
         buildRule.executeTarget("testWlrmicJArg");
     }
@@ -155,8 +155,7 @@ public class RmicAdvancedTest {
      * test the forking compiler
      */
     @Test
-    @Ignore("WLRmin tests don't work")
-    public void NotestForking() throws Exception {
+    public void testForking() throws Exception {
         buildRule.executeTarget("testForking");
     }
 
diff --git a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtilsTest.java b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtilsTest.java
index 8bd229ffe..e27cc4d3b 100644
--- a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtilsTest.java
+++ b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtilsTest.java
@@ -1,140 +1,147 @@
-/*
- *  Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
- *  contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
- *  this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.
- *  The ASF licenses this file to You under the Apache License, Version 2.0
- *  (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
- *  the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- *  limitations under the License.
- *
- */
-package org.apache.tools.ant.util;
-
-import java.io.File;
-
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
-
-import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os;
-import org.junit.Assume;
-import org.junit.Test;
-
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
-
-/**
- * TestCase for JavaEnvUtils.
- *
- */
-public class JavaEnvUtilsTest {
-
-    private static final FileUtils FILE_UTILS = FileUtils.getFileUtils();
-
-
-    @Test
-    public void testGetExecutableNetware() {
-        Assume.assumeTrue("Test only runs on netware", Os.isName("netware"));
-        assertEquals("java", JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("java"));
-        assertEquals("javac", JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("javac"));
-        assertEquals("foo", JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("foo"));
-        assertEquals("foo", JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("foo"));
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void testGetExecutableWindows() {
-        Assume.assumeTrue("Test only runs on windows", Os.isFamily("windows"));
-        String javaHome =
-            FILE_UTILS.normalize(System.getProperty("java.home"))
-            .getAbsolutePath();
-
-        String j = JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("java");
-        assertTrue(j.endsWith(".exe"));
-        assertTrue(j+" is absolute", (new File(j)).isAbsolute());
-        try {
-            assertTrue(j+" is normalized and in the JRE dir",
-                       j.startsWith(javaHome));
-        } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
-            // java.home is bogus
-            assertEquals("java.exe", j);
-        }
-
-        j = JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("javac");
-        assertTrue(j.endsWith(".exe"));
-        try {
-            assertTrue(j+" is absolute", (new File(j)).isAbsolute());
-            String javaHomeParent =
-                FILE_UTILS.normalize(javaHome+"/..").getAbsolutePath();
-            assertTrue(j+" is normalized and in the JDK dir",
-                       j.startsWith(javaHomeParent));
-            assertTrue(j+" is normalized and not in the JRE dir",
-                       !j.startsWith(javaHome));
-
-        } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
-            // java.home is bogus
-            assertEquals("javac.exe", j);
-        }
-
-        assertEquals("foo.exe", JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("foo"));
-        assertEquals("foo.exe", JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("foo"));
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void testGetExecutableMostPlatforms() {
-        Assume.assumeTrue("Test only runs on non Netware and non Windows systems",
-                !Os.isName("netware") && !Os.isFamily("windows"));
-        String javaHome =
-            FILE_UTILS.normalize(System.getProperty("java.home"))
-            .getAbsolutePath();
-
-        // could still be OS/2
-        String extension = Os.isFamily("dos") ? ".exe" : "";
-
-        String j = JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("java");
-        if (!extension.equals("")) {
-            assertTrue(j.endsWith(extension));
-        }
-        assertTrue(j+" is absolute", (new File(j)).isAbsolute());
-        assertTrue(j+" is normalized and in the JRE dir",
-                   j.startsWith(javaHome));
-
-        j = JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("javac");
-        if (!extension.equals("")) {
-            assertTrue(j.endsWith(extension));
-        }
-        assertTrue(j+" is absolute", (new File(j)).isAbsolute());
-
-        String javaHomeParent =
-            FILE_UTILS.normalize(javaHome+"/..").getAbsolutePath();
-        assertTrue(j+" is normalized and in the JDK dir",
-                   j.startsWith(javaHomeParent));
-
-        if (JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_9)) {
-            assertTrue(j + " is normalized and in the JRE dir",
-                       j.startsWith(javaHome));
-        } else {
-            assertTrue(j + " is normalized and not in the JRE dir",
-                       !j.startsWith(javaHome));
-        }
-
-        assertEquals("foo"+extension,
-                     JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("foo"));
-        assertEquals("foo"+extension,
-                     JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("foo"));
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void testIsAtLeastJavaVersion()
-    {
-        assertTrue(
-                "Current java version is not at least the current java version...",
-                JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.getJavaVersion()));
-    }
-  
-}
+/*
+ *  Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
+ *  contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ *  this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.
+ *  The ASF licenses this file to You under the Apache License, Version 2.0
+ *  (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
+ *  the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ *
+ */
+package org.apache.tools.ant.util;
+
+import java.io.File;
+
+import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
+
+import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os;
+import org.junit.Assume;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.Assume.assumeTrue;
+
+/**
+ * TestCase for JavaEnvUtils.
+ *
+ */
+public class JavaEnvUtilsTest {
+
+    private static final FileUtils FILE_UTILS = FileUtils.getFileUtils();
+
+
+    @Test
+    public void testGetExecutableNetware() {
+        Assume.assumeTrue("Test only runs on netware", Os.isName("netware"));
+        assertEquals("java", JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("java"));
+        assertEquals("javac", JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("javac"));
+        assertEquals("foo", JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("foo"));
+        assertEquals("foo", JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("foo"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testGetExecutableWindows() {
+        Assume.assumeTrue("Test only runs on windows", Os.isFamily("windows"));
+        String javaHome =
+            FILE_UTILS.normalize(System.getProperty("java.home"))
+            .getAbsolutePath();
+
+        String j = JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("java");
+        assertTrue(j.endsWith(".exe"));
+        assertTrue(j+" is absolute", (new File(j)).isAbsolute());
+        try {
+            assertTrue(j+" is normalized and in the JRE dir",
+                       j.startsWith(javaHome));
+        } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
+            // java.home is bogus
+            assertEquals("java.exe", j);
+        }
+
+        j = JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("javac");
+        assertTrue(j.endsWith(".exe"));
+        try {
+            assertTrue(j+" is absolute", (new File(j)).isAbsolute());
+            String javaHomeParent =
+                FILE_UTILS.normalize(javaHome+"/..").getAbsolutePath();
+            assertTrue(j+" is normalized and in the JDK dir",
+                       j.startsWith(javaHomeParent));
+            assertTrue(j+" is normalized and not in the JRE dir",
+                       !j.startsWith(javaHome));
+
+        } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
+            // java.home is bogus
+            assertEquals("javac.exe", j);
+        }
+
+        assertEquals("foo.exe", JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("foo"));
+        assertEquals("foo.exe", JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("foo"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testGetExecutableMostPlatforms() {
+        Assume.assumeTrue("Test only runs on non Netware and non Windows systems",
+                !Os.isName("netware") && !Os.isFamily("windows"));
+        String javaHome =
+            FILE_UTILS.normalize(System.getProperty("java.home"))
+            .getAbsolutePath();
+
+        // could still be OS/2
+        String extension = Os.isFamily("dos") ? ".exe" : "";
+
+        String j = JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("java");
+        if (!extension.equals("")) {
+            assertTrue(j.endsWith(extension));
+        }
+        assertTrue(j+" is absolute", (new File(j)).isAbsolute());
+        assertTrue(j+" is normalized and in the JRE dir",
+                   j.startsWith(javaHome));
+
+        j = JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("javac");
+        if (!extension.equals("")) {
+            assertTrue(j.endsWith(extension));
+        }
+        assertTrue(j+" is absolute", (new File(j)).isAbsolute());
+
+        String javaHomeParent =
+            FILE_UTILS.normalize(javaHome+"/..").getAbsolutePath();
+        assertTrue(j+" is normalized and in the JDK dir",
+                   j.startsWith(javaHomeParent));
+
+        if (JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_9)) {
+            assertTrue(j + " is normalized and in the JRE dir",
+                       j.startsWith(javaHome));
+        } else {
+            assertTrue(j + " is normalized and not in the JRE dir",
+                       !j.startsWith(javaHome));
+        }
+
+        assertEquals("foo"+extension,
+                     JavaEnvUtils.getJreExecutable("foo"));
+        assertEquals("foo"+extension,
+                     JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable("foo"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testIsAtLeastJavaVersion()
+    {
+        assertTrue(
+                "Current java version is not at least the current java version...",
+                JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.getJavaVersion()));
+    }
+  
+    @Test
+    public void isJavaVersionSupportsBothVersionsOfJava9() {
+        assumeTrue(JavaEnvUtils.isJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_9));
+        assertTrue("JAVA_1_9 is not considered equal to JAVA_9",
+                JavaEnvUtils.isJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_1_9));
+    }
+}