diff --git a/src/script/ant b/src/script/ant
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 043f3fc20..2276b7c00
--- a/src/script/ant
+++ b/src/script/ant
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ for arg in "$@" ; do
     if [  my"$arg" = my"-h"  -o  my"$arg" = my"-help" ] ; then
       show_help=true
     fi
-    # wrap all arguments as "" strings, escape any internal back-slash or double-quote characters
-    ant_exec_args="$ant_exec_args \"$(printf '%s\n' "$arg" | sed -e 's@"\|\\@\\\0@g' )\""
+    # wrap all arguments as "" strings, escape any internal back-slash, double-quote, $, or back-tick characters
+    ant_exec_args="$ant_exec_args \"$(printf '%s\n' "$arg" | sed -e 's@\$\|`\|"\|\\@\\\0@g' )\""
   fi
 done