diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
index a59831c77..26794082b 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ public class Project {
      * @param value The new value of the property.
      *              Must not be <code>null</code>.
      */
-    public synchronized void setProperty(String name, String value) {
+    public void setProperty(String name, String value) {
         PropertyHelper.getPropertyHelper(this).
                 setProperty(null, name, value, true);
     }
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ public class Project {
      *              Must not be <code>null</code>.
      * @since 1.5
      */
-    public synchronized void setNewProperty(String name, String value) {
+    public void setNewProperty(String name, String value) {
         PropertyHelper.getPropertyHelper(this).setNewProperty(null, name,
                                                               value);
     }
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ public class Project {
      *              Must not be <code>null</code>.
      * @see #setProperty(String,String)
      */
-    public synchronized void setUserProperty(String name, String value) {
+    public void setUserProperty(String name, String value) {
         PropertyHelper.getPropertyHelper(this).setUserProperty(null, name,
                                                                value);
     }
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ public class Project {
      *              Must not be <code>null</code>.
      * @see #setProperty(String,String)
      */
-    public synchronized void setInheritedProperty(String name, String value) {
+    public void setInheritedProperty(String name, String value) {
         PropertyHelper ph = PropertyHelper.getPropertyHelper(this);
         ph.setInheritedProperty(null, name, value);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/PropertyHelper.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/PropertyHelper.java
index 59b6e9916..da6e11113 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/PropertyHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/PropertyHelper.java
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ public class PropertyHelper {
      *
      * @return the project's property helper.
      */
-    public static PropertyHelper getPropertyHelper(Project project) {
+    public synchronized static 
+        PropertyHelper getPropertyHelper(Project project) {
         PropertyHelper helper
             = (PropertyHelper) project.getReference("ant.PropertyHelper");
         if (helper != null) {
@@ -451,7 +452,7 @@ public class PropertyHelper {
      * @return the property value, or <code>null</code> for no match
      *         or if a <code>null</code> name is provided.
      */
-    public Object getProperty(String ns, String name) {
+    public synchronized Object getProperty(String ns, String name) {
         if (name == null) {
             return null;
         }
@@ -472,7 +473,7 @@ public class PropertyHelper {
      * @return the property value, or <code>null</code> for no match
      *         or if a <code>null</code> name is provided.
      */
-    public Object getUserProperty(String ns, String name) {
+    public synchronized Object getUserProperty(String ns, String name) {
         if (name == null) {
             return null;
         }