diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/AntClassLoader.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/AntClassLoader.java
index bb94dc098..d762621a3 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/AntClassLoader.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/AntClassLoader.java
@@ -159,7 +159,22 @@ public class AntClassLoader  extends ClassLoader {
     public void setIsolated(boolean isolated) {
         ignoreBase = isolated;
     }
-    
+
+    /**
+     * Force initialization of a class in a JDK 1.1 compatible, albeit hacky 
+     * way 
+     */
+    static public void initializeClass(Class theClass) {
+        // ***HACK*** We try to create an instance to force the VM to run the
+        // class' static initializer. We don't care if the instance can't 
+        // be created - we are just interested in the side effect.
+        try {
+            theClass.newInstance();
+        }
+        catch (Exception e) {
+            //ignore - our work is done
+        }
+    }
     
     /**
      * Add a package root to the list of packages which must be loaded on the 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
index 7c6d87d16..b481ea9c4 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
@@ -382,8 +382,8 @@ public class Main {
 
         try {
             addBuildListeners(project);
-            project.fireBuildStarted();
 
+            project.fireBuildStarted();
             project.init();
 
             // set user-define properties
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteJava.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteJava.java
index 030f1c983..7fca86257 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteJava.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteJava.java
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ public class ExecuteJava {
                 AntClassLoader loader = new AntClassLoader(project, classpath, false);
                 loader.setIsolated(true);
                 target = loader.forceLoadClass(classname);
+                AntClassLoader.initializeClass(target);
             }
             final Method main = target.getMethod("main", param);
             main.invoke(null, argument);
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Taskdef.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Taskdef.java
index c728f2afa..ecc3b4042 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Taskdef.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Taskdef.java
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ public class Taskdef extends Task {
             Class taskClass = null;
             if (loader != null) {
                 taskClass = loader.loadClass(value);
+                AntClassLoader.initializeClass(taskClass);
             } else {
                 taskClass = Class.forName(value);
             }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
index cef41c1bd..de367bf6b 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ public class XMLValidateTask extends Task {
                 AntClassLoader loader = new AntClassLoader(project, classpath, false);
                 loader.addSystemPackageRoot("org.xml"); // needed to avoid conflict
                 readerClass = loader.loadClass(readerClassName);
-                //readerImpl  = loader.loadClass(
+                AntClassLoader.initializeClass(readerClass);
             } else 
                 readerClass = Class.forName(readerClassName);
             
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTestRunner.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTestRunner.java
index 2202e5a82..aa6d2b2a9 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTestRunner.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTestRunner.java
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@
 
 package org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.optional.junit;
 
-import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException;
-import org.apache.tools.ant.Project;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.*;
 
 import junit.framework.*;
 import java.lang.reflect.*;
@@ -159,6 +158,7 @@ public class JUnitTestRunner implements TestListener {
                 testClass = Class.forName(test.getName());
             } else {
                 testClass = loader.loadClass(test.getName());
+                AntClassLoader.initializeClass(testClass);
             }
             
             Method suiteMethod = null;
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Mapper.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Mapper.java
index 96a9d5083..af107dd74 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Mapper.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Mapper.java
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ public class Mapper extends DataType {
             } else {
                 AntClassLoader al = new AntClassLoader(p, classpath);
                 c = al.loadClass(classname);
+                AntClassLoader.initializeClass(c);
             }
             
             FileNameMapper m = (FileNameMapper) c.newInstance();