diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index ce93e0d4c..d5c9e14db 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -765,6 +765,10 @@ Other changes:
    executable.
    Bugzilla Report 46230.
 
+ * <rmic>'s new executable attribute can be used to specify a
+   different executable.
+   Bugzilla Report 42132.
+
 Changes from Ant 1.7.0 TO Ant 1.7.1
 =============================================
 
diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/rmic.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/rmic.html
index d5901c5be..817f22848 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/rmic.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/rmic.html
@@ -208,6 +208,16 @@ please consult miniRMI's documentation to learn how to use it.</p>
       compilers.)</td>
     <td align="center" valign="top">No</td>
   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top">executable</td>
+    <td valign="top">Complete path to the <code>rmic</code>
+      executable to use in case of the <code>forking</code>
+      or <code>xnew</code> compiler.
+      Defaults to the rmic compiler of the Java version that is currently
+      running Ant.<br/>
+      <em>Since Ant 1.8.0</em>.</td>
+    <td align="center" valign="top">No</td>
+  </tr>
 </table>
 <h3>Parameters specified as nested elements</h3>
 <h4>classpath and extdirs</h4>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Rmic.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Rmic.java
index 830b52517..a69f87360 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Rmic.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Rmic.java
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ public class Rmic extends MatchingTask {
 
     private static final FileUtils FILE_UTILS = FileUtils.getFileUtils();
 
+    private String executable = null;
+
     /**
      * Constructor for Rmic.
      */
@@ -488,6 +490,25 @@ public class Rmic extends MatchingTask {
         return facade.getArgs();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Name of the executable to use when forking.
+     *
+     * @since Ant 1.8.0
+     */
+    public void setExecutable(String ex) {
+        executable = ex;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Explicitly specified name of the executable to use when forking
+     * - if any.
+     *
+     * @since Ant 1.8.0
+     */
+    public String getExecutable() {
+        return executable;
+    }
+
     /**
      * execute by creating an instance of an implementation
      * class and getting to do the work
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/ForkingSunRmic.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/ForkingSunRmic.java
index 7e187d1ba..dabee7057 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/ForkingSunRmic.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/ForkingSunRmic.java
@@ -54,8 +54,13 @@ public class ForkingSunRmic extends DefaultRmicAdapter {
         Rmic owner = getRmic();
         Commandline cmd = setupRmicCommand();
         Project project = owner.getProject();
-        //rely on RMIC being on the path
-        cmd.setExecutable(JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable(getExecutableName()));
+        String executable = owner.getExecutable();
+        if (executable == null) {
+            // no explicitly specified executable
+            // rely on RMIC being on the path
+            executable = JavaEnvUtils.getJdkExecutable(getExecutableName());
+        }
+        cmd.setExecutable(executable);
 
         //set up the args
         String[] args = cmd.getCommandline();