diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index ee3c9d955..e8f4ba6dd 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -367,6 +367,10 @@ Fixed bugs:
    that are already signed.
    Bugzilla Report 46891.
 
+ * <sshexec> now again honors failonerror in the face of connection
+   errors.
+   Bugzilla Report 46829.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
  * A HostInfo task was added performing information on hosts, including info on 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ssh/SSHExec.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ssh/SSHExec.java
index cb6174d31..481ffe5f1 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ssh/SSHExec.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ssh/SSHExec.java
@@ -206,11 +206,20 @@ public class SSHExec extends SSHBase {
                     }
                     FileUtils.close(br);
                 } catch (IOException e) {
-                    throw new BuildException(e);
+                    if (getFailonerror()) {
+                        throw new BuildException(e);
+                    } else {
+                        log("Caught exception: " + e.getMessage(),
+                            Project.MSG_ERR);
+                    }
                 }
             }
         } catch (JSchException e) {
-            throw new BuildException(e);
+            if (getFailonerror()) {
+                throw new BuildException(e);
+            } else {
+                log("Caught exception: " + e.getMessage(), Project.MSG_ERR);
+            }
         } finally {
             if (outputProperty != null) {
                 getProject().setNewProperty(outputProperty, output.toString());