diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MatchingTask.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MatchingTask.java
index e9c9d5929..0b64bcb8f 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MatchingTask.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MatchingTask.java
@@ -90,6 +90,20 @@ public abstract class MatchingTask extends Task {
         return fileset.createExclude();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * add a set of patterns
+     */
+    public PatternSet createPatternSet() {
+        return fileset.createPatternSet();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * add a reference to a set of patterns
+     */
+    public Reference createPatternSetRef() {
+        return fileset.createPatternSetRef();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sets the set of include patterns. Patterns may be separated by a comma
      * or a space.