diff --git a/proposal/embed/src/java/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/JXPath.java b/proposal/embed/src/java/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/JXPath.java
index b7f2f44a2..57ba0618f 100644
--- a/proposal/embed/src/java/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/JXPath.java
+++ b/proposal/embed/src/java/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/JXPath.java
@@ -119,7 +119,12 @@ public class JXPath extends Task {
         public boolean setProperty( String ns, String name, Object v, boolean inh,
                                     boolean user, boolean isNew)
         {
-            return false;
+            if( ! name.startsWith(PREFIX) )
+                return false;
+            name=name.substring( PREFIX.length() );
+
+            jxpathCtx.setValue( name, v );
+            return true;
         }
 
         public Object getPropertyHook( String ns, String name , boolean user) {