diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/XmlProperty.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/XmlProperty.java
index b30430236..efc395479 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/XmlProperty.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/XmlProperty.java
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ public class XmlProperty extends org.apache.tools.ant.Task {
      */
     private File resolveFile(String fileName) {
         if (rootDirectory == null) {
-            return getProject().resolveFile(fileName);
+            return FILE_UTILS.resolveFile(getProject().getBaseDir(),fileName);
         }
         return FILE_UTILS.resolveFile(rootDirectory, fileName);
     }