diff --git a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/java.xml b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/java.xml
index f8dbc6df8..5d9bba151 100644
--- a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/java.xml
+++ b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/java.xml
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@
     </java>
   </target>
 
+  <target name="testExceptingFork">
+    <java classname="${app2}"
+          classpath="${tests-classpath.value}"
+          fork="true">
+    </java>
+  </target>
+
   <target name="testExceptingFoe">
     <java classname="${app2}"
         classpath="${tests-classpath.value}"
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteJava.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteJava.java
index 8beb83541..2fdcfbaf0 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteJava.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteJava.java
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ public class ExecuteJava implements Runnable, TimeoutObserver {
                 AntClassLoader.initializeClass(target);
             }
             main = target.getMethod("main", param);
+            if (main == null) {
+                throw new BuildException("Could not find main() method in " 
+                                         + classname);
+            }
 
             if (timeout == null) {
                 run();
@@ -169,10 +173,10 @@ public class ExecuteJava implements Runnable, TimeoutObserver {
                 throw caught;
             }
 
-        } catch (NullPointerException e) {
-            throw new BuildException("Could not find main() method in " + classname);
         } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
-            throw new BuildException("Could not find " + classname + ". Make sure you have it in your classpath");
+            throw new BuildException("Could not find " + classname + "."
+                                     + " Make sure you have it in your"
+                                     + " classpath");
         } catch (SecurityException e) {
             throw e;
         } catch (Throwable e) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
index 2bd2bb4d5..437249e1b 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ public class Java extends Task {
      */
     public void execute() throws BuildException {
         int err = -1;
-        if ((err = executeJava()) != 0) {
+
+        if ((err = executeJava()) != 0) { 
             if (failOnError) {
                 throw new BuildException("Java returned: "+err, location);
             } else {
@@ -110,43 +111,65 @@ public class Java extends Task {
     /**
      * Do the execution and return a return code.
      *
-     * @return the return code from the execute java class if it was executed in 
-     * a separate VM (fork = "yes").
+     * @return the return code from the execute java class if it was
+     * executed in a separate VM (fork = "yes").
      */
     public int executeJava() throws BuildException {
         String classname = cmdl.getClassname();
         if (classname == null && cmdl.getJar() == null) {
             throw new BuildException("Classname must not be null.");
         }
+
         if (!fork && cmdl.getJar() != null){
-            throw new BuildException("Cannot execute a jar in non-forked mode. Please set fork='true'. ");
+            throw new BuildException("Cannot execute a jar in non-forked mode."
+                                     + " Please set fork='true'. ");
         }
 
         if (fork) {
             log("Forking " + cmdl.toString(), Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
-        
-            return run(cmdl.getCommandline());
         } else {
             if (cmdl.getVmCommand().size() > 1) {
-                log("JVM args ignored when same JVM is used.", Project.MSG_WARN);
+                log("JVM args ignored when same JVM is used.", 
+                    Project.MSG_WARN);
             }
             if (dir != null) {
-                log("Working directory ignored when same JVM is used.", Project.MSG_WARN);
+                log("Working directory ignored when same JVM is used.", 
+                    Project.MSG_WARN);
             }
 
             if (newEnvironment || null != env.getVariables()) {
-                log("Changes to environment variables are ignored when same JVM is used.", 
-                    Project.MSG_WARN);
+                log("Changes to environment variables are ignored when same "
+                    + "JVM is used.", Project.MSG_WARN);
             }
 
             log("Running in same VM " + cmdl.getJavaCommand().toString(), 
                 Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
-            try {
-                run(cmdl);
+        }
+        
+        try {
+            if (fork) {
+                return run(cmdl.getCommandline());
+            } else {
+                try {
+                    run(cmdl);
+                    return 0;
+                } catch (ExitException ex) {
+                    return ex.getStatus();
+                }
+            }
+        } catch (BuildException e) {
+            if (failOnError) {
+                throw e;
+            } else {
+                log(e.getMessage(), Project.MSG_ERR);
                 return 0;
             }
-            catch (ExitException ex) {
-                return ex.getStatus();
+        } catch (Throwable t) {
+            if (failOnError) {
+                throw new BuildException(t);
+            } else {
+                log(t.getMessage(), Project.MSG_ERR);
+                return 0;
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
index 789c76359..f52b01e1e 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2000-2001 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2000-2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/JavaTest.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/JavaTest.java
index 4e924aad7..5bb13ab54 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/JavaTest.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/JavaTest.java
@@ -144,13 +144,19 @@ public class JavaTest extends BuildFileTest {
     }
 
     public void testExcepting() {
-        executeTarget("testExcepting");
+        expectLogContaining("testExcepting", 
+                            "Exception raised inside called program");
+    }
+    
+    public void testExceptingFork() {
+        expectLogContaining("testExceptingFork", 
+                            "Java Result:");
     }
     
     public void testExceptingFoe() {
-        //if(runFatalTests) {
-            executeTarget("testExceptingFoe");
-        //}
+        expectBuildExceptionContaining("testExceptingFoe",
+            "passes exception through",
+            "Exception raised inside called program");
     }
     
     public void testExceptingFoeFork() {