diff --git a/CONTRIBUTORS b/CONTRIBUTORS
index b0313795b..af4da3c0d 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTORS
+++ b/CONTRIBUTORS
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ Marcel Schutte
 Marcus Börger
 Mario Frasca 
 Mariusz Nowostawski
+Mark DeLaFranier
 Mark Hecker
 Mark Salter
 Mark R. Diggory
diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index d9aa5e0e0..826f7e47f 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ Fixed bugs:
    directory that has a "!" in its name.
    Bugzilla Report 50007.
 
+ * ant.bat exit strategy improvements and issues
+   make the exit codes work in environments where 4NT or MKS are installed
+   Bugzilla Report 41039.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/contributors.xml b/contributors.xml
index ef4e10541..1c1f9643f 100644
--- a/contributors.xml
+++ b/contributors.xml
@@ -817,6 +817,10 @@
     <first>Mariusz</first>
     <last>Nowostawski</last>
   </name>
+  <name>
+    <first>Mark</first>
+    <last>DeLaFranier</last>
+  </name>
   <name>
     <first>Mark</first>
     <last>Hecker</last>
diff --git a/src/script/ant.bat b/src/script/ant.bat
index a70841895..3486e144c 100755
--- a/src/script/ant.bat
+++ b/src/script/ant.bat
@@ -191,13 +191,6 @@ if not "%_ANT_CMD_LINE_ARGS%"=="" set ANT_CMD_LINE_ARGS=
 
 if "%ANT_ERROR%"=="0" goto mainEnd
 
-rem Set the return code if we are not in NT.  We can only set
-rem a value of 1, but it's better than nothing.
-if not "%OS%"=="Windows_NT" echo 1 > nul | choice /n /c:1
-
-rem Set the ERRORLEVEL if we are running NT.
-if "%OS%"=="Windows_NT" color 00
-
 goto omega
 
 :mainEnd
@@ -222,3 +215,4 @@ if exist "%USERPROFILE%\antrc_post.bat" call "%USERPROFILE%\antrc_post.bat"
 
 :omega
 
+exit /b %ANT_ERROR%