diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/vss/MSVSS.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/vss/MSVSS.java
index 1031f0e85..e1c5e5655 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/vss/MSVSS.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/vss/MSVSS.java
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public abstract class MSVSS extends Task {
             projectPath = vssPath;
         }
 
-        if (projectPath.charAt(0) == '$') {
+        if (projectPath.startsWith(PROJECT_PREFIX)) {
             m_vssPath = projectPath;
         } else {
             m_vssPath = PROJECT_PREFIX + projectPath;