diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
index 4077314f1..ef3422092 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
@@ -212,13 +212,7 @@ public class Project {
             throw new BuildException("Can't load default datatype list");
         }
 
-        Properties systemP = System.getProperties();
-        Enumeration e = systemP.keys();
-        while (e.hasMoreElements()) {
-            Object name = e.nextElement();
-            String value = systemP.get(name).toString();
-            this.setProperty(name.toString(), value);
-        }
+        setSystemProperties();
     }
 
     public void setSystemLoader(ClassLoader systemLoader) {
@@ -383,6 +377,16 @@ public class Project {
         log("Detected OS: " + System.getProperty("os.name"), MSG_VERBOSE);
     }
 
+    public void setSystemProperties() {
+        Properties systemP = System.getProperties();
+        Enumeration e = systemP.keys();
+        while (e.hasMoreElements()) {
+            Object name = e.nextElement();
+            String value = systemP.get(name).toString();
+            this.setProperty(name.toString(), value);
+        }
+    }
+
     public void addTaskDefinition(String taskName, Class taskClass) {
         String msg = " +User task: " + taskName + "     " + taskClass.getName();
         log(msg, MSG_DEBUG);
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ant.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ant.java
index 321b283e8..1e66a484f 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ant.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ant.java
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ public class Ant extends Task {
         }
         else {
            prop1 = project.getUserProperties();
+
+           // set Java built-in properties separately,
+           // b/c we won't inherit them.
+           project.setSystemProperties();
         }
         
         e = prop1.keys();