diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/exec.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/exec.html
index 2cb5d4aa8..b8bf488dc 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/exec.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/exec.html
@@ -20,13 +20,22 @@ Windows executable and is not aware of Cygwin conventions.
 </p>
  
 <h4>OpenVMS Users</h4>
-<p>The command specified using <code>executable</code> and <code>&lt;arg&gt;</code>
-elements is executed exactly as specified inside a temporary DCL script.  This means
-that paths have to be written in VMS style.  It is also required that the logical
-<code>JAVA$FORK_SUPPORT_CHDIR</code> is set to <code>TRUE</code> (see the <i>JDK Release
-Notes</i>).
-</p>
+
+<p>The command specified using <code>executable</code> and
+<code>&lt;arg&gt;</code> elements is executed exactly as specified
+inside a temporary DCL script.  This means that paths have to be
+written in VMS style.  It is also required that the logical
+<code>JAVA$FORK_SUPPORT_CHDIR</code> is set to <code>TRUE</code> (see
+the <i>JDK Release Notes</i>).</p>
  
+<p>Please note that the Java VM provided by HP doesn't follow OpenVMS'
+conventions of exit codes.  If you run a Java VM with this task, the
+task may falsely claim that an error occured (or silently ignore an
+error).  Don't use this task to run <code>JAVA.EXE</code>, use a
+<code>&lt;java&gt;</code> task with the <code>fork</code> attribute
+set ti <code>true</code> instead as this task will follow the VM's
+interpretation of exit codes.</p>
+
 <h3>Parameters</h3>
 <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0">
   <tr>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Execute.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Execute.java
index 9e76abe03..045e5d212 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Execute.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Execute.java
@@ -577,6 +577,15 @@ public class Execute {
     /**
      * Checks whether <code>exitValue</code> signals a failure on the current
      * system (OS specific).
+     *
+     * <p><b>Note</b> that this method relies on the conventions of
+     * the OS, it will return false results if the application you are
+     * running doesn't follow these conventions.  One notable
+     * exception is the Java VM provided by HP for OpenVMS - it will
+     * return 0 if successful (like on any other platform), but this
+     * signals a failure on OpenVMS.  So if you execute a new Java VM
+     * on OpenVMS, you cannot trust this method.</p>
+     *
      * @param exitValue the exit value (return code) to be checked
      * @return <code>true</code> if <code>exitValue</code> signals a failure
      */
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
index 431255ba2..e42495d2f 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Java.java
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public class Java extends Task {
         int err = -1;
         try {
             err = executeJava();
-            if (fork && Execute.isFailure(err)) {
+            if (fork && err != 0) {
                 if (failOnError) {
                     throw new BuildException("Java returned: " + err, getLocation());
                 } else {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
index 58004819c..314f51d70 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
@@ -1984,7 +1984,7 @@ public class Javadoc extends Task {
         try {
             exe.setCommandline(toExecute.getCommandline());
             int ret = exe.execute();
-            if (Execute.isFailure(ret) && failOnError) {
+            if (ret != 0 && failOnError) {
                 throw new BuildException("Javadoc returned " + ret, getLocation());
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ANTLR.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ANTLR.java
index 5d7a719b3..b43f9b1c2 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ANTLR.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ANTLR.java
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ public class ANTLR extends Task {
 
             log(commandline.describeCommand(), Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
             int err = run(commandline.getCommandline());
-            if (Execute.isFailure(err)) {
+            if (err != 0) {
                 throw new BuildException("ANTLR returned: " + err, getLocation());
             } else {
                 String output = bos.toString();
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ccm/CCMCheck.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ccm/CCMCheck.java
index b5b9b53d8..4dbc9ba94 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ccm/CCMCheck.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ccm/CCMCheck.java
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ public class CCMCheck extends Continuus {
         checkOptions(commandLine);
 
         int result = run(commandLine);
-        if (Execute.isFailure(0)) {
+        if (Execute.isFailure(result)) {
             String msg = "Failed executing: " + commandLine.toString();
             throw new BuildException(msg, getLocation());
         }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/javacc/JJDoc.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/javacc/JJDoc.java
index 07aa534fe..3260bfd99 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/javacc/JJDoc.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/javacc/JJDoc.java
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ public class JJDoc extends Task {
         process.setCommandline(cmdl.getCommandline());
 
         try {
-            if (Execute.isFailure(process.execute())) {
+            if (process.execute() != 0) {
                 throw new BuildException("JJDoc failed.");
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/javacc/JJTree.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/javacc/JJTree.java
index fa8002baa..9b1377973 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/javacc/JJTree.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/javacc/JJTree.java
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ public class JJTree extends Task {
         process.setCommandline(cmdl.getCommandline());
 
         try {
-            if (Execute.isFailure(process.execute())) {
+            if (process.execute() != 0) {
                 throw new BuildException("JJTree failed.");
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/metamata/AbstractMetamataTask.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/metamata/AbstractMetamataTask.java
index 2399f4535..88a238fe3 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/metamata/AbstractMetamataTask.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/metamata/AbstractMetamataTask.java
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMetamataTask extends Task {
         log(cmdl.describeCommand(), Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
         process.setCommandline(cmdl.getCommandline());
         try {
-            if (Execute.isFailure(process.execute())) {
+            if (process.execute() != 0) {
                 throw new BuildException("Metamata task failed.");
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/metamata/MParse.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/metamata/MParse.java
index 3627bc33c..e3027d6e8 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/metamata/MParse.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/metamata/MParse.java
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ public class MParse extends AbstractMetamataTask {
         log(cmdl.describeCommand(), Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
         process.setCommandline(cmdl.getCommandline());
         try {
-            if (Execute.isFailure(process.execute())) {
+            if (process.execute() != 0) {
                 throw new BuildException("Metamata task failed.");
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {