diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 67bf04a45..2df1078af 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ Fixed bugs:
   and expands properties if expandproperties is false.
   Bugzilla report 41204.
 
+* Rolling back Bugzilla 32927 (set a default description for a javadoc tag
+  if not set) as it caused a BC problem.
+  Bugzilla report 41268.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javadoc.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javadoc.html
index a0ebea96e..432781db3 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javadoc.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javadoc.html
@@ -702,8 +702,9 @@ not set the description attribute for those tags.</p>
   <tr>
     <td valign="top">description</td>
     <td valign="top">Description for tag (e.g. <code>To do:</code>)</td>
-    <td align="center" valign="top">No, the name will be used as a description
-      if this is not specified.</td>
+    <td align="center" valign="top">
+      No, the javadoc executable will pick a default if this is not specified.
+    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
     <td valign="top">enabled</td>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
index 6e2d61cf8..73c0078a2 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
@@ -1399,9 +1399,10 @@ public class Javadoc extends Task {
             if (getDescription() != null) {
                 return name + ":" + (enabled ? "" : "X")
                     + scope + ":" + getDescription();
+            } else if (!enabled || !"a".equals(scope)) {
+                return name + ":" + (enabled ? "" : "X") + scope;
             } else {
-                return name + ":" + (enabled ? "" : "X")
-                    + scope + ":" + name;
+                return name;
             }
         }
     }