diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/libraries.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/libraries.html
index e884ee074..2f2f669d9 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/libraries.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/libraries.html
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
     <td valign="top">destDir</td>
     <td valign="top">Destination directory for all downloads
     </td>
-    <td valign="top" align="center">Yes</td>
+    <td valign="top" align="center">No - default is ${user.home}/.maven/repository</td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
     <td valign="top">offline</td>
@@ -68,10 +68,15 @@
     <td valign="top">repositoryRef</td>
     <td valign="top">Reference to a predefined repository
     </td>
-    <td valign="top" align="center">Only if no repository is defined inline</td>
+    <td valign="top" align="center">No</td>
   </tr>
 </table>
 
+<p>
+The default destination is that used by Maven,
+${user.home}/.maven/repository . It can be overridden by setting the
+property <code>ant.maven.repository.dir</code> to a new location. 
+</p>
  
 </table>
 <h3>Nested Elements</h3>
@@ -127,9 +132,12 @@ This is the core of the system; a library to (potentially) download.
 </table>
 
 <h4>Repository</h4>
-
+<p>
 A repository is Ant datatype that extends the <code>Repository</code> type.
-Ant only ships with one: the mavenrepository;  
+Ant only ships with one: the mavenrepository. If no repository is
+declared inline, and no repositoryref attribute set, the task
+will default to the maven repository.
+</p>
 
 <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0">
   <tr>
@@ -143,12 +151,6 @@ Ant only ships with one: the mavenrepository;
     </td>
     <td valign="top" align="center">No</td>
   </tr>
-  <tr>
-    <td valign="top"></td>
-    <td valign="top">
-    </td>
-    <td valign="top" align="center">No</td>
-  </tr>
 </table>
   
 <p>Example:</p>
@@ -158,6 +160,15 @@ Ant only ships with one: the mavenrepository;
 
 <h4>mavenrepository</h4>
 
+<p>
+This connects to the Maven repository at ibiblio.org, or another 
+chosen. Private repositories should copy the existing layout.
+</p>
+<p>
+If no <code>url</code> is set, the default URL is 
+<code>http://ibiblio.org/maven</code>, unless the property
+<code>ant.maven.repository.url</code> is set to something else. 
+
 <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0">
   <tr>
     <td valign="top"><b>Attribute</b></td>
diff --git a/docs/manual/running.html b/docs/manual/running.html
index 877bacb79..83058184f 100644
--- a/docs/manual/running.html
+++ b/docs/manual/running.html
@@ -276,6 +276,18 @@ org.apache.tools.ant.Executor implementation specified here.
       <a href="listeners.html#AnsiColorLogger">AnsiColorLogger</a>.
   </td>
 </tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><code>ant.maven.repository.dir</code></td>
+  <td>directory e.g. ${user.home}/.maven/repository </td>
+  <td>Override the default download location for <a href="CoreTasks/libraries.html">libraries</a>.
+  </td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><code>ant.maven.repository.url</code></td>
+  <td>URL e.g. <code>http://ibiblio.org/maven</code> </td>
+  <td>Override the default source location for <a href="CoreTasks/libraries.html">libraries</a>.
+  </td>
+</tr>
 <tr>
   <td><code>ant.netrexxc.*</code></td>
   <td>several formats</td>
diff --git a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/libraries.xml b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/libraries.xml
index 7db66e892..a3ee66e04 100644
--- a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/libraries.xml
+++ b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/libraries.xml
@@ -2,10 +2,28 @@
 <project name="getlibraries" basedir="." default="init">
 
 
+
+
   <!-- use the normal one at ibiblio-->
   <mavenrepository id="maven"/>
 
-  <target name="init">
+  
+    <!-- configure an HTTP proxy -->
+  <target name="setproxy" unless="setproxy.disabled" >
+    <!-- put your proxy settings here -->
+    <property file="${user.home}/.ant/proxy.properties" />
+    <property name="proxy.host" value="" />
+    <property name="proxy.port" value="80" />
+    <property name="proxy.user" value="" />
+    <property name="proxy.pass" value="" />
+    <echo level="verbose">
+      proxy: ${proxy.host}:${proxy.port} [${proxy.user}/${proxy.pass}]
+    </echo>
+      <setproxy proxyhost="${proxy.host}" proxyport="${proxy.port}"
+        proxyuser="${proxy.user}" proxypassword="${proxy.pass}" />
+  </target> 
+  
+  <target name="init" depends="setproxy">
     <property name="lib.dir" value="getlib"/>
     
     <property name="commons.logging.project" value="commons-logging"/>
@@ -15,6 +33,9 @@
     <property name="commons.logging"
       value="${commons.logging.project}/jars/${commons.logging.filename}"/>
 
+    <property name="maven.repository.dir"
+        location="${user.home}/.maven/repository" />      
+      
     <presetdef name="gl1">
       <libraries destDir="${lib.dir}">
       </libraries>
@@ -28,6 +49,21 @@
     </presetdef>
 
     <macrodef name="assert-downloaded">
+      <attribute name="library" default="${commons.logging}"/>
+      <attribute name="repository" default="${lib.dir}"/>
+      <sequential>
+        <fail >
+          Not found: "@{repository}/@{library}"
+          <condition>
+            <not>
+              <available file="@{repository}/@{library}"/>
+            </not>
+          </condition>
+        </fail>
+      </sequential>
+    </macrodef>
+    
+<!--     <macrodef name="assert-downloaded">
       <attribute name="library" default="${commons.logging}"/>
       <sequential>
         <property name="@{library}.path" location="${lib.dir}/@{library}" />
@@ -37,20 +73,21 @@
           Not found: ${@{library}.path}
         </fail>
       </sequential>
-    </macrodef>
+    </macrodef> -->
 
     <macrodef name="assert-not-downloaded">
       <attribute name="library" default="${commons.logging}"/>
+      <attribute name="repository" default="${lib.dir}"/>
       <sequential>
-        <property name="@{library}.path" location="${lib.dir}/@{library}" />
-        <available property="@{library}.exists"
-          file="${@{library}.path}"/>
-        <fail if="@{library}.exists">
-          Found: ${@{library}.path}
+        <fail>
+          Unexpectedly found: "@{repository}/@{library}"
+          <condition>
+            <available file="@{repository}/@{library}"/>
+          </condition>
         </fail>
       </sequential>
     </macrodef>
-
+    
   </target>
 
   <target name="cleanup"  depends="init">
@@ -77,6 +114,7 @@
 
   <target name="testNoRepo" depends="init">
     <getlib/>
+    <assert-downloaded/>
   </target>
 
   <target name="testUnknownReference" depends="init">
@@ -85,7 +123,6 @@
     </getlib>
   </target>
 
-
   <target name="testFunctionalInline" depends="init">
     <getlib repositoryref="maven">
     </getlib>
@@ -202,12 +239,10 @@
 
   <target name="testForceDisabled" depends="init">
     <getlib>
-      <mavenrepository/>
       <force enabled="true" />
       <assertdownloaded count="1" />
     </getlib>
     <getlib >
-      <mavenrepository/>
       <force enabled="false" />
       <assertdownloaded count="0" />
     </getlib>
@@ -215,7 +250,6 @@
 
   <target name="testAbsentFiles" depends="init">
     <getlib >
-      <mavenrepository/>
       <absentfiles enabled="true" />
       <assertdownloaded count="1" />
     </getlib>
@@ -223,7 +257,6 @@
 
   <target name="testAbsentFilesTwice" depends="testAbsentFiles">
     <getlib >
-      <mavenrepository/>
       <absentfiles enabled="true" />
       <assertdownloaded count="0" />
     </getlib>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/Libraries.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/Libraries.java
index 7454e5398..9ccc7d0ea 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/Libraries.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/Libraries.java
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public final class Libraries extends Task {
     private boolean flatten = false;
 
     public static final String ERROR_ONE_REPOSITORY_ONLY = "Only one repository is allowed";
-    public static final String ERROR_NO_DEST_DIR = "No destination directory";
+    //public static final String ERROR_NO_DEST_DIR = "No destination directory";
     public static final String ERROR_NO_REPOSITORY = "No repository defined";
     public static final String ERROR_NO_LIBRARIES = "No libraries declared";
     public static final String ERROR_REPO_PROBE_FAILED = "Repository probe failed with ";
@@ -95,6 +95,22 @@ public final class Libraries extends Task {
     public static final String MSG_NO_LIBRARIES_TO_FETCH = "No libraries marked for retrieval";
 
 
+    /**
+     * where maven stores stuff, and where we save stuff too, unless
+     * declared otherwise.
+     */
+    public static final String MAVEN_LOCATION=".maven/repository";
+
+    /**
+     * name of the property which can provide an override of the repository dir
+     * from {@link #MAVEN_LOCATION}
+     */
+    public static final String REPOSITORY_DIR_PROPERTY="ant.maven.repository.dir";
+    /**
+     * name of the property which can provide an override of the repository URL
+     */
+    public static final String REPOSITORY_URL_PROPERTY = "ant.maven.repository.url";
+
     /**
      * Init the task
      *
@@ -107,6 +123,23 @@ public final class Libraries extends Task {
         add(new AbsentFilesPolicy());
     }
 
+    /**
+     * locate the default directory, by looking for the property
+     * {@link #REPOSITORY_DIR_PROPERTY}, and if not defined,
+     * ${user.home}/.maven/repository
+     * @return file for the default dest dir; may not exist yet.
+     */
+    private File locateDefaultDestDirectory() {
+        //set the dest dir up to the default.
+        File mavenDir
+                = new File(System.getProperty("user.home"), MAVEN_LOCATION);
+        String propertyDir = getProject().getProperty(REPOSITORY_DIR_PROPERTY);
+        if(propertyDir!=null) {
+            mavenDir=getProject().resolveFile(propertyDir);
+        }
+        return mavenDir;
+    }
+
     /**
      * add a repository. Only one is (currently) supported
      *
@@ -325,13 +358,12 @@ public final class Libraries extends Task {
      * @throws BuildException
      */
     public void validate() {
-        if (destDir == null
-        //        || !destDir.isDirectory()
-        ) {
-            throw new BuildException(ERROR_NO_DEST_DIR);
+        if (destDir == null) {
+            destDir=locateDefaultDestDirectory();
         }
         if (repository == null) {
-            throw new BuildException(ERROR_NO_REPOSITORY);
+            MavenRepository maven=(MavenRepository)getProject().createDataType(MavenRepository.TYPE_NAME);
+            repository=maven;
         }
         Iterator it = libraries.iterator();
         while (it.hasNext()) {
@@ -365,9 +397,12 @@ public final class Libraries extends Task {
      */
     private void doExecute() throws BuildException {
         destDir.mkdirs();
+        //get the ultimate repository
         Repository repo = repository.resolve();
+        //validate it
         repo.validate();
         if (libraries.size() == 0) {
+            //bail out on an empty library
             throw new BuildException(ERROR_NO_LIBRARIES);
         }
         log("Getting libraries from " + repo.toString(), Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/MavenRepository.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/MavenRepository.java
index 643c56335..611efc099 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/MavenRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/MavenRepository.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 package org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.repository;
 
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.FileUtils;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileInputStream;
@@ -48,12 +49,12 @@ public class MavenRepository extends HttpRepository {
      * this is what we think the MD5 type is
      */
     protected static final String MAVEN_MD5_FILE_TYPE = "US-ASCII";
+    public static final String TYPE_NAME = "mavenrepository";
 
     /**
      * bind to the main maven repository
      */
     public MavenRepository() {
-        setUrl(MAVEN_URL);
     }
 
     
@@ -65,6 +66,29 @@ public class MavenRepository extends HttpRepository {
         this.checkMD5 = checkMD5;
     }
 
+
+    /**
+     * Validation time is where the final fixup of repositories exist; this
+     * is the last chance to examine properties to see if there is an override.
+     *
+     * @throws BuildException if unhappy
+     */
+    public void validate() {
+        if(getUrl()==null) {
+            //we have no URL yet; so use the maven one
+            if(getProject()!=null) {
+                String urlProperty=getProject()
+                        .getProperty(Libraries.REPOSITORY_URL_PROPERTY);
+                if(urlProperty!=null) {
+                    setUrl(urlProperty);
+                } else {
+                    setUrl(MAVEN_URL);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        super.validate();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get the path to a remote library. This is the full URL
      *
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/Repository.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/Repository.java
index e1b035b3d..18dab297e 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/Repository.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/repository/Repository.java
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ import java.io.IOException;
  * retrieval. To use this type, you must use a non-abstract class, either one
  * that ships with Ant, or one you implement and declare yourself.
  * <p/>
- * The &lt;getlibraries&gt; task lets you supply a repository by reference
+ * The &lt;libraries&gt; task lets you supply a repository by reference
  * inline {@link Libraries#add(Repository)} or on the command line {@link
- * GetLibraries#setRepositoryRef(org.apache.tools.ant.types.Reference)}
+ * Libraries#setRepositoryRef(org.apache.tools.ant.types.Reference)}
  *
  * @since Ant1.7
  */
diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/LibrariesTest.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/LibrariesTest.java
index 3bc9b71da..6d77d3c58 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/LibrariesTest.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/LibrariesTest.java
@@ -47,11 +47,11 @@ public class LibrariesTest extends BuildFileTest {
     }
 
     public void testEmpty() {
-        expectBuildException("testEmpty",Libraries.ERROR_NO_DEST_DIR);
+        expectBuildException("testEmpty", Libraries.ERROR_NO_LIBRARIES);
     }
 
     public void testEmpty2() {
-        expectBuildException("testEmpty2", Libraries.ERROR_NO_REPOSITORY);
+        expectBuildException("testEmpty2", Libraries.ERROR_NO_LIBRARIES);
     }
 
     public void testEmpty3() {
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public class LibrariesTest extends BuildFileTest {
     }
 
     public void testNoRepo() {
-        expectBuildException("testNoRepo", Libraries.ERROR_NO_REPOSITORY);
+        execIfOnline("testNoRepo");
     }
 
     public void testUnknownReference() {