diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javac.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javac.html
index 238442816..9387ed6b5 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javac.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/javac.html
@@ -31,8 +31,10 @@ inclusion/exclusion of files works, and how to write patterns.</p>
 <p>It is possible to use different compilers. This can be selected with the
 &quot;build.compiler&quot; property. There are four choices:</p>
 <ul>
-  <li>classic (the standard compiler of JDK 1.1/1.2)</li>
-  <li>modern (the new compiler of JDK 1.3)</li>
+  <li>classic (the standard compiler of JDK 1.1/1.2) - javac1.1 and
+     javac1.2 can be used as aliases</li>
+  <li>modern (the standard compiler of JDK 1.3/1.4) - javac1.3 and
+     javac1.4 can be used as aliases</li>
   <li>jikes (the <a
     href="http://oss.software.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/jikes/project" target="_top">Jikes</a>
     compiler)</li>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javac.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javac.java
index b4584729f..af0ac7db9 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javac.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javac.java
@@ -450,9 +450,18 @@ public class Javac extends MatchingTask {
 	
 	if (fork) {
 	    if (compiler != null) {
-		log("Since fork is true, ignoring build.compiler setting.", Project.MSG_WARN);
-	    }	    
-	    compiler = "extJavac";
+                if (isJdkCompiler(compiler)) {
+                    log("Since fork is true, ignoring build.compiler setting.",
+                        Project.MSG_WARN);
+                    compiler = "extJavac";
+                }
+                else {
+                    log("Since build.compiler setting isn't classic or modern, ignoring fork setting.", Project.MSG_WARN);
+                }
+	    }
+            else {
+                compiler = "extJavac";
+            }
 	} 
 
 	if (compiler == null) {
@@ -522,4 +531,13 @@ public class Javac extends MatchingTask {
         return compileList;
     }
 
+    protected boolean isJdkCompiler(String compiler) {
+        return "modern".equals(compiler) ||
+            "classic".equals(compiler) ||
+            "javac1.1".equals(compiler) ||
+            "javac1.2".equals(compiler) ||
+            "javac1.3".equals(compiler) ||
+            "javac1.4".equals(compiler);
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/CompilerAdapterFactory.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/CompilerAdapterFactory.java
index fc12c088d..560ae25b7 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/CompilerAdapterFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/CompilerAdapterFactory.java
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ public class CompilerAdapterFactory {
                 return new Javac12();
             }
             if ( compilerType.equalsIgnoreCase("modern") ||
-                    compilerType.equalsIgnoreCase("javac1.3")) {
+                    compilerType.equalsIgnoreCase("javac1.3") ||
+                    compilerType.equalsIgnoreCase("javac1.4")) {
                 // does the modern compiler exist?
                 try {
                     Class.forName("com.sun.tools.javac.Main");