diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index efd58740a..2f0fced30 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
 
 * nested fileset in <cab> did not work. Bugzilla report 39439.
 
+* the ant wrapper script should now correctly locate the java
+  executable in more recent IBM JDKs for AIX as well.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/src/script/ant b/src/script/ant
index a97c5c97b..bad19c05d 100644
--- a/src/script/ant
+++ b/src/script/ant
@@ -129,9 +129,11 @@ ANT_LIB="${ANT_HOME}/lib"
 
 if [ -z "$JAVACMD" ] ; then
   if [ -n "$JAVA_HOME"  ] ; then
+    # IBM's JDK on AIX uses strange locations for the executables
     if [ -x "$JAVA_HOME/jre/sh/java" ] ; then
-      # IBM's JDK on AIX uses strange locations for the executables
       JAVACMD="$JAVA_HOME/jre/sh/java"
+    elif [ -x "$JAVA_HOME/jre/bin/java" ] ; then
+      JAVACMD="$JAVA_HOME/jre/bin/java"
     else
       JAVACMD="$JAVA_HOME/bin/java"
     fi