diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index f3e4d688f..beaa95df6 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@ Fixed bugs:
   specify any nested <(zip)fileset>s and the manifest had changed.
   Bugzilla Report 17780.
 
+* If you used a value starting with \ on Windows for the appxml
+  attribute of <ear> or the webxml attribute of <war>, it would be
+  ignored.  Bugzilla Report 17871.
+
 Changes from Ant 1.5.1 to Ant 1.5.2
 =============================================