diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index 2f437bc82..36d6cf078 100644
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -1059,6 +1059,14 @@ elements.</p>
       <code>chmod</code> command. Defaults to true.</td>
     <td valign="top" align="center">No</td>
   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top">type</td>
+    <td valign="top">One of <em>file</em>, <em>dir</em> or
+      <em>both</em>. If set to <em>file</em>, only the permissions of
+      plain files are going to be changed. If set to <em>dir</em>, only
+      the directories are considered.</td>
+    <td align="center" valign="top">No, default is <em>file</em></td>
+  </tr>
 </table>
 <h3>Examples</h3>
 <blockquote>
@@ -1548,10 +1556,10 @@ system command.</p>
 <p>Executes a system command. When the <i>os</i> attribute is specified, then
 the command is only executed when Ant is run on one of the specified operating
 systems.</p>
-<p>The files of a number of <a href="#fileset">FileSet</a>s are passed
-as arguments to the system command. At least one nested
-<code>&lt;fileset&gt;</code> or <code>&lt;filesetref&gt;</code> is
-required.</p>
+<p>The files and/or directories of a number of <a
+href="#fileset">FileSet</a>s are passed as arguments to the system
+command. At least one nested <code>&lt;fileset&gt;</code> or
+<code>&lt;filesetref&gt;</code> is required.</p>
 <h3>Parameters</h3>
 <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0">
   <tr>
@@ -1601,6 +1609,14 @@ required.</p>
       once for every file.</td>
     <td align="center" valign="top">No</td>
   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top">type</td>
+    <td valign="top">One of <em>file</em>, <em>dir</em> or
+      <em>both</em>. If set to <em>file</em>, only the names of plain
+      files will be sent to the command. If set to <em>dir</em>, only
+      the names of directories are considered.</td>
+    <td align="center" valign="top">No, default is <em>file</em></td>
+  </tr>
 </table>
 <h3>Parameters specified as nested elements</h3>
 <h4>fileset and filesetref</h4>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
index b96b520db..baca677be 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ public class ExecuteOn extends ExecTask {
 
     protected Vector filesets = new Vector();
     private boolean parallel = false;
+    protected String type = "file";
 
     /**
      * Adds a set of files (nested fileset attribute).
@@ -93,6 +94,13 @@ public class ExecuteOn extends ExecTask {
         this.parallel = parallel;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Shall the command work only on files, directories or both?
+     */
+    public void setType(FileDirBoth type) {
+        this.type = type.getValue();
+    }
+
     protected void checkConfiguration() {
         super.checkConfiguration();
         if (filesets.size() == 0) {
@@ -122,9 +130,18 @@ public class ExecuteOn extends ExecTask {
                 }
                 
                 DirectoryScanner ds = fs.getDirectoryScanner(project);
-                String[] s = ds.getIncludedFiles();
-                for (int j=0; j<s.length; j++) {
-                    v.addElement(new File(fs.getDir(), s[j]).getAbsolutePath());
+                if (!"dir".equals(type)) {
+                    String[] s = ds.getIncludedFiles();
+                    for (int j=0; j<s.length; j++) {
+                        v.addElement(new File(fs.getDir(), s[j]).getAbsolutePath());
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (!"file".equals(type)) {
+                    String[] s = ds.getIncludedDirectories();
+                    for (int j=0; j<s.length; j++) {
+                        v.addElement(new File(fs.getDir(), s[j]).getAbsolutePath());
+                    }
                 }
             }
 
@@ -173,4 +190,14 @@ public class ExecuteOn extends ExecTask {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Enumerated attribute with the values "file", "dir" and "both"
+     * for the type attribute.  
+     */
+    public static class FileDirBoth extends EnumeratedAttribute {
+        public String[] getValues() {
+            return new String[] {"file", "dir", "both"};
+        }
+    }
+
 }