diff --git a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/optional/net/ftp.xml b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/optional/net/ftp.xml
index e9c7e59b4..9219db1f0 100644
--- a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/optional/net/ftp.xml
+++ b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/optional/net/ftp.xml
@@ -77,4 +77,27 @@
         <symlink link="${tmp.dir}/alpha/beta/gamma/gamma.xml"
             resource="${tmp.dir}/alpha/beta/beta.xml"/>
     </target>
+    <target name="ftp-delete">
+        <!-- this target can produce an error if the rmdir does not work -->
+        <!-- there can be problems with the rmdir action if the directories are not removed in a proper order -->
+        <!-- which means beginning by the leaves of the tree, going back to the trunk -->
+        <ftp action="del"
+            server="${ftp.host}"
+            userid="${ftp.user}"
+            password="${ftp.password}"
+            remotedir="${tmp.dir}">
+            <fileset dir="${tmp.get.dir}">
+                <include name="**"/>
+            </fileset>
+        </ftp>
+        <ftp action="rmdir"
+            server="${ftp.host}"
+            userid="${ftp.user}"
+            password="${ftp.password}"
+            remotedir="${tmp.dir}">
+            <fileset dir="${tmp.get.dir}">
+                <include name="**"/>
+            </fileset>
+        </ftp>
+    </target>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/net/FTP.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/net/FTP.java
index a78fecf72..9f9ef7f30 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/net/FTP.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/net/FTP.java
@@ -1357,30 +1357,34 @@ public class FTP
                 }
                 bw = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(listing));
             }
-
-            for (int i = 0; i < dsfiles.length; i++) {
-                switch (action) {
-                    case SEND_FILES:
-                        sendFile(ftp, dir, dsfiles[i]);
-                        break;
-                    case GET_FILES:
-                        getFile(ftp, dir, dsfiles[i]);
-                        break;
-                    case DEL_FILES:
-                        delFile(ftp, dsfiles[i]);
-                        break;
-                    case LIST_FILES:
-                        listFile(ftp, bw, dsfiles[i]);
-                        break;
-                    case CHMOD:
-                        doSiteCommand(ftp, "chmod " + chmod + " " + resolveFile(dsfiles[i]));
-                        transferred++;
-                        break;
-                    case RM_DIR:
-                        rmDir(ftp, dsfiles[i]);
-                        break;
-                    default:
-                        throw new BuildException("unknown ftp action " + action);
+            if (action == RM_DIR) {
+                // to remove directories, start by the end of the list
+                // the trunk does not let itself be removed before the leaves
+                for (int i = dsfiles.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+                    rmDir(ftp, dsfiles[i]);
+                }
+            }   else {
+                for (int i = 0; i < dsfiles.length; i++) {
+                    switch (action) {
+                        case SEND_FILES:
+                            sendFile(ftp, dir, dsfiles[i]);
+                            break;
+                        case GET_FILES:
+                            getFile(ftp, dir, dsfiles[i]);
+                            break;
+                        case DEL_FILES:
+                            delFile(ftp, dsfiles[i]);
+                            break;
+                        case LIST_FILES:
+                            listFile(ftp, bw, dsfiles[i]);
+                            break;
+                        case CHMOD:
+                            doSiteCommand(ftp, "chmod " + chmod + " " + resolveFile(dsfiles[i]));
+                            transferred++;
+                            break;
+                        default:
+                            throw new BuildException("unknown ftp action " + action);
+                    }
                 }
             }
         } finally {
diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/net/FTPTest.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/net/FTPTest.java
index be9539436..6dd7509a0 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/net/FTPTest.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/net/FTPTest.java
@@ -570,7 +570,12 @@ public class FTPTest extends BuildFileTest{
                      new String[] {"alpha/beta", "alpha/beta/gamma", "delta"});
 
     }
-
+    /**
+     *  this test is inspired by a user reporting that deletions of directories with the ftp task do not work
+     */
+    public void testFTPDelete() {
+        getProject().executeTarget("ftp-delete");
+    }
     private void compareFiles(DirectoryScanner ds, String[] expectedFiles,
                               String[] expectedDirectories) {
         String includedFiles[] = ds.getIncludedFiles();