diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 4555b1dd3..67bf04a45 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
 * Target from imported file listed twice in projecthelp.
   Bugzilla report 41226.
 
+* <sql> task double-expands properties if expandproperties is true,
+  and expands properties if expandproperties is false.
+  Bugzilla report 41204.
 
 Other changes:
 --------------
diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/sql.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/sql.html
index b550b750b..81c0e8ec1 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/sql.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/sql.html
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ and <b>abort</b> execution and transaction and fail task.</p>
   <td width="12%" valign="top">expandproperties</td>
   <td width="78%" valign="top">Set to true to turn on property expansion in
   nested SQL, inline in the task or nested transactions. <em>Since Ant 1.7</em>.
-  <td width="10%" valign="top">No (default=false)</td>
+  <td width="10%" valign="top">No (default=true)</td>
 </tr>
 
 </table>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/SQLExec.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/SQLExec.java
index 9fbd0b1b7..aadcf84bb 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/SQLExec.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/SQLExec.java
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ public class SQLExec extends JDBCTask {
      *
      * @since Ant 1.7
      */
-    private boolean expandProperties = false;
+    private boolean expandProperties = true;
 
     /**
      * Set the name of the SQL file to be run.
@@ -491,7 +491,9 @@ public class SQLExec extends JDBCTask {
             if (!keepformat) {
                 line = line.trim();
             }
-            line = getProject().replaceProperties(line);
+            if (expandProperties) {
+                line = getProject().replaceProperties(line);
+            }
             if (!keepformat) {
                 if (line.startsWith("//")) {
                     continue;
@@ -738,9 +740,6 @@ public class SQLExec extends JDBCTask {
          */
         public void addText(String sql) {
             if (sql != null) {
-                if (getExpandProperties()) {
-                    sql = getProject().replaceProperties(sql);
-                }
                 this.tSqlCommand += sql;
             }
         }