diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/resources/comparators/DelegatedResourceComparator.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/resources/comparators/DelegatedResourceComparator.java
index 55a13f14b..34069a954 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/resources/comparators/DelegatedResourceComparator.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/resources/comparators/DelegatedResourceComparator.java
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public class DelegatedResourceComparator extends ResourceComparator {
             return true;
         }
         if (isReference()) {
-            return getCheckedRef(DelegatedResourceComparator.class).equals(o);
+            return getRef().equals(o);
         }
         if (o instanceof DelegatedResourceComparator) {
             List<ResourceComparator> ov = ((DelegatedResourceComparator) o).resourceComparators;
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ public class DelegatedResourceComparator extends ResourceComparator {
     @Override
     public synchronized int hashCode() {
         if (isReference()) {
-            return getCheckedRef(DelegatedResourceComparator.class).hashCode();
+            return getRef().hashCode();
         }
         return resourceComparators == null ? 0 : resourceComparators.hashCode();
     }
@@ -118,6 +118,10 @@ s.
         }
     }
 
+    private DelegatedResourceComparator getRef() {
+        return getCheckedRef(DelegatedResourceComparator.class);
+    }
+
     private static Comparator<Resource> composite(List<? extends Comparator<Resource>> foo) {
         Comparator<Resource> result = null;
         if (foo != null) {