diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 3b843092c..028e4af5a 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ Fixed bugs:
    Bugzilla Report 51086.
 
  * the attributes of macrodef tasks had their values run through
-   property expansion twice.
+   property expansion twice. Still true by default, but can be disabled.
    Bugzilla Report 42046.
 
  * jvc doesn't like it if source file names in argument files are
diff --git a/manual/Tasks/macrodef.html b/manual/Tasks/macrodef.html
index b2d53e67f..8e60158c3 100644
--- a/manual/Tasks/macrodef.html
+++ b/manual/Tasks/macrodef.html
@@ -128,6 +128,15 @@
         </td>
         <td valign="top" align="center">No</td>
       </tr>
+      <tr>
+        <td valign="top">doubleexpanding</td>
+        <td valign="top">
+          Controls whether or not property references in the attribute are expanded twice or just once.
+          See the <a href="http://ant.apache.org/faq.html#macrodef-property-expansion">FAQ</a> for details.
+          <em>since Ant 1.8.3</em>
+        </td>
+        <td valign="top" align="center">No; default true</td>
+      </tr>
     </table>
     <h4>element</h4>
     <p>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/RuntimeConfigurable.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/RuntimeConfigurable.java
index a33c7e477..63143261b 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/RuntimeConfigurable.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/RuntimeConfigurable.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.CollectionUtils;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.MacroDef;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.MacroInstance;
 import org.xml.sax.AttributeList;
 import org.xml.sax.helpers.AttributeListImpl;
@@ -386,11 +387,17 @@ public class RuntimeConfigurable implements Serializable {
                 // reflect these into the target, defer for
                 // MacroInstance where properties are expanded for the
                 // nested sequential
-                Object attrValue = null;
+                Object attrValue = PropertyHelper.getPropertyHelper(p).parseProperties(value);
                 if (target instanceof MacroInstance) {
-                    attrValue = value;
-                } else {
-                    attrValue = PropertyHelper.getPropertyHelper(p).parseProperties(value);
+                    for (Iterator attrs = ((MacroInstance) target).getMacroDef().getAttributes().iterator(); attrs.hasNext();) {
+                        MacroDef.Attribute attr = (MacroDef.Attribute) attrs.next();
+                        if (attr.getName().equals(name)) {
+                            if (!attr.isDoubleExpanding()) {
+                                attrValue = value;
+                            }
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
                 try {
                     ih.setAttribute(p, target, name, attrValue);
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MacroDef.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MacroDef.java
index 55bdca654..9a057655e 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MacroDef.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MacroDef.java
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ public class MacroDef extends AntlibDefinition  {
         private String name;
         private String defaultValue;
         private String description;
+        private boolean doubleExpanding = true;
 
         /**
          * The name of the attribute.
@@ -386,6 +387,25 @@ public class MacroDef extends AntlibDefinition  {
             return description;
         }
 
+        /**
+         * See {@link #isDoubleExpanding} for explanation.
+         * @param doubleExpanding true to expand twice, false for just once
+         * @since Ant 1.8.3
+         */
+        public void setDoubleExpanding(boolean doubleExpanding) {
+            this.doubleExpanding = doubleExpanding;
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * Determines whether {@link RuntimeConfigurable#maybeConfigure(Project, boolean)} will reevaluate this property.
+         * For compatibility reasons (#52621) it will, though for most applications (#42046) it should not.
+         * @return true if expanding twice (the default), false for just once
+         * @since Ant 1.8.3
+         */
+        public boolean isDoubleExpanding() {
+            return doubleExpanding;
+        }
+
         /**
          * equality method
          *
diff --git a/src/tests/antunit/taskdefs/macrodef-test.xml b/src/tests/antunit/taskdefs/macrodef-test.xml
index 7686a5484..8db9cd193 100644
--- a/src/tests/antunit/taskdefs/macrodef-test.xml
+++ b/src/tests/antunit/taskdefs/macrodef-test.xml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   <target name="testDoubleExpandedProperties"
           description="https://issues.apache.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=42046">
     <macrodef name="indirect">
-      <attribute name="value"/>
+      <attribute name="value" doubleexpanding="false"/>
       <sequential>
         <echo message="@{value}"/>
       </sequential>