diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index f9b434c10..2dcc80615 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
 * Error in duplicate project name with <import> and <antcall>.
   Bugzilla report 39920.
 
+* junit4 did not work with fork=no and junit4 in $ANT_HOME/lib.
+  Bugzilla report 40697.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTask.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTask.java
index 887db1206..add0ce01b 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTask.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTask.java
@@ -1444,6 +1444,8 @@ public class JUnitTask extends Task {
                     Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
                 // make sure the test will be accepted as a TestCase
                 classLoader.addSystemPackageRoot("junit");
+                // make sure the test annotation are accepted
+                classLoader.addSystemPackageRoot("org.junit");
                 // will cause trouble in JDK 1.1 if omitted
                 classLoader.addSystemPackageRoot("org.apache.tools.ant");
             }