diff --git a/manual/properties.html b/manual/properties.html
index e42d3a2aa..cfb59ea8b 100644
--- a/manual/properties.html
+++ b/manual/properties.html
@@ -77,13 +77,18 @@ ant.project.invoked-targets
                     been specified on the command line (the IDE,
                     an <ant> task ...) when invoking the current
                     project.
-                    This property is set when the first target is executed.
-                    So you can't use it in the implicit target (directly
-                    under the <project> tag).
+                    This property is set properly when the first target is executed.
+                    If you use it in the implicit target (directly
+                    under the <project> tag) the list will be
+                    empty if no target has been specified while it
+                    will contain the project's default target in this
+                    case for tasks nested into targets..
 ant.java.version    the JVM version Ant detected; currently it can hold
-                    the values "1.7", "1.6", "1.5",
-                    "1.4",  "1.3" and "1.2".
-ant.core.lib        the absolute path of the <code>ant.jar</code> file.
+                    the values &quot;1.9&quot;, &quot;1.8&quot;,
+                    &quot;1.7&quot;, &quot;1.6&quot;, &quot;1.5&quot;,
+                    &quot;1.4&quot;, &quot;1.3&quot; and
+                    &quot;1.2&quot;.  ant.core.lib the absolute path
+                    of the <code>ant.jar</code> file.
 </pre>
 
   <p>There is also another property, but this is set by the launcher
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
index 85aaa28d7..edce9c1af 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import org.apache.tools.ant.listener.SilentLogger;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.property.GetProperty;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.property.ResolvePropertyMap;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.ClasspathUtils;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.util.CollectionUtils;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.FileUtils;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.ProxySetup;
 
@@ -917,6 +918,16 @@ public class Main implements AntMain {
                                 buildFile.getAbsolutePath());
         project.setUserProperty(MagicNames.ANT_FILE_TYPE,
                                 MagicNames.ANT_FILE_TYPE_FILE);
+
+        // this list doesn't contain the build files default target,
+        // which may be added later unless targets have been specified
+        // on the command line. Therefore the property gets set again
+        // in Project#executeTargets when we can be sure the list is
+        // complete.
+        // Setting it here allows top-level tasks to access the
+        // property.
+        project.setUserProperty(MagicNames.PROJECT_INVOKED_TARGETS,
+                                CollectionUtils.flattenToString(targets));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/tests/antunit/core/magic-names-test.xml b/src/tests/antunit/core/magic-names-test.xml
index 88d8b2ea2..f7a10ab9c 100644
--- a/src/tests/antunit/core/magic-names-test.xml
+++ b/src/tests/antunit/core/magic-names-test.xml
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@
 -->
 <project xmlns:au="antlib:org.apache.ant.antunit"
          name="magicnames-test"
-         default="default target">
+         default="antunit">
+
+  <import file="../antunit-base.xml" />
 
   <target name="default target"/>