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 4bce12593..631ccccff 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
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public class JXPath extends Task {
 
             Iterator iter = jxpathCtx.iterate(name);
 
-            if(iter==null){
+            if(iter==null||!iter.hasNext()){
                 return "null";
             }