diff --git a/CONTRIBUTORS b/CONTRIBUTORS
index 9a4615d4b..1f4e7a3dc 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTORS
+++ b/CONTRIBUTORS
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ Nico Seessle
 Nigel Magnay
 Oliver Merkel
 Oliver Rossmueller
+Oystein Gisnas  
 Patrick C. Beard
 Patrick Chanezon
 Patrick G. Heck (Gus Heck)
diff --git a/contributors.xml b/contributors.xml
index 75664265a..1137e0b4c 100644
--- a/contributors.xml
+++ b/contributors.xml
@@ -698,6 +698,9 @@
     <first>Oliver</first>
     <last>Rossmueller</last>
   </name>
+  <name>
+    <first>&#216;ystein</first>
+    <last>Gisn&#229;s</last>
   <name>
     <first>Patrick</first>
     <last>C.</last>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/tar/TarOutputStream.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/tar/TarOutputStream.java
index e340092a2..a7d99e320 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/tar/TarOutputStream.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/tar/TarOutputStream.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright  2000-2002,2004-2005 The Apache Software Foundation
+ * Copyright  2000-2002,2004-2006 The Apache Software Foundation
  *
  *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ public class TarOutputStream extends FilterOutputStream {
     protected byte[]    assemBuf;
     protected TarBuffer buffer;
     protected int       longFileMode = LONGFILE_ERROR;
+    
+    private boolean closed = false;
 
     /**
      * Constructor for TarInputStream.
@@ -136,8 +138,12 @@ public class TarOutputStream extends FilterOutputStream {
      * @throws IOException on error
      */
     public void close() throws IOException {
-        this.finish();
-        this.buffer.close();
+        if (!closed) {
+            this.finish();
+            this.buffer.close();
+            out.close();
+            closed = true;
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/tar/TarOutputStreamTest.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/tar/TarOutputStreamTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..863bcfb12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/tar/TarOutputStreamTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright  2006 The Apache Software Foundation
+ *
+ *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ *
+ */
+
+package org.apache.tools.tar;
+
+import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
+public class TarOutputStreamTest extends TestCase {
+
+    public void testClose() throws IOException {
+        ByteArrayOutputStream byteStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+        TarOutputStream stream = new TarOutputStream(byteStream);
+        stream.close();
+        stream.close();
+    }
+}