diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 3ead48d1f..ff9990227 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
 * <rmic> uses the the same classpath to verify a class can be rmic'd
   as it passes to the compiler. 
 
+* org.apache.tools.mail.MailMessage (and therefore <mail>) can now
+  handle SMTP servers sending multi line responses.
+
 Changes from Ant 1.1 to Ant 1.2
 ===============================
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/mail/MailMessage.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/mail/MailMessage.java
index 601ab8762..400c13948 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/mail/MailMessage.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/mail/MailMessage.java
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ public class MailMessage {
   Vector to, cc;
   Hashtable headers;
   MailPrintStream out;
-  BufferedReader in;
+  SmtpResponseReader in;
   Socket socket;
 
   /**
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public class MailMessage {
     to = new Vector();
     cc = new Vector();
     headers = new Hashtable();
-    setHeader("X-Mailer", "com.oreilly.servlet.MailMessage (www.servlets.com)");
+    setHeader("X-Mailer", "org.apache.tools.mail.MailMessage (jakarta.apache.org)");
     connect();
     sendHelo();
   }
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ public class MailMessage {
    */
   public void sendAndClose() throws IOException {
     sendDot();
+    sendQuit();
     disconnect();
   }
 
@@ -323,12 +324,12 @@ public class MailMessage {
     out = new MailPrintStream(
           new BufferedOutputStream(
           socket.getOutputStream())); 
-    in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(socket.getInputStream())); 
+    in = new SmtpResponseReader(socket.getInputStream());
     getReady();
   }
 
   void getReady() throws IOException {
-    String response = in.readLine();
+    String response = in.getResponse();
     int[] ok = { 220 };
     if (!isResponseOK(response, ok)) {
       throw new IOException(
@@ -370,7 +371,7 @@ public class MailMessage {
   void send(String msg, int[] ok) throws IOException {
     out.rawPrint(msg + "\r\n");  // raw supports <CRLF>.<CRLF>
     //System.out.println("S: " + msg);
-    String response = in.readLine();
+    String response = in.getResponse();
     //System.out.println("R: " + response);
     if (!isResponseOK(response, ok)) {
       throw new IOException(
@@ -440,3 +441,4 @@ class MailPrintStream extends PrintStream {
     }
   }
 }
+
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/mail/SmtpResponseReader.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/mail/SmtpResponseReader.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ecfceef35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/mail/SmtpResponseReader.java
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+/*
+ * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 1999 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ *
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *    distribution.
+ *
+ * 3. The end-user documentation included with the redistribution, if
+ *    any, must include the following acknowlegement:
+ *       "This product includes software developed by the
+ *        Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/)."
+ *    Alternately, this acknowlegement may appear in the software itself,
+ *    if and wherever such third-party acknowlegements normally appear.
+ *
+ * 4. The names "The Jakarta Project", "Tomcat", and "Apache Software
+ *    Foundation" must not be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *    from this software without prior written permission. For written
+ *    permission, please contact apache@apache.org.
+ *
+ * 5. Products derived from this software may not be called "Apache"
+ *    nor may "Apache" appear in their names without prior written
+ *    permission of the Apache Group.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED
+ * WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+ * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+ * DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE APACHE SOFTWARE FOUNDATION OR
+ * ITS CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF
+ * USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
+ * ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
+ * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ * SUCH DAMAGE.
+ * ====================================================================
+ *
+ */
+
+package org.apache.tools.mail;
+
+import java.io.*;
+
+/**
+ * A wrapper around the raw input from the SMTP server that assembles
+ * multi line responses into a single String.
+ *
+ * <p>The same rules used here would apply to FTP and other Telnet
+ * based protocols as well.</p>
+ *
+ * @author <a href="mailto:stefan.bodewig@epost.de">Stefan Bodewig</a> 
+ */
+public class SmtpResponseReader {
+
+    protected BufferedReader reader = null;
+    private StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
+
+    /**
+     * Wrap this input stream.
+     */
+    public SmtpResponseReader(InputStream in) {
+        reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(in)); 
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Read until the server indicates that the response is complete.
+     *
+     * @return Responsecode (3 digits) + Blank + Text from all
+     *         response line concatenated (with blanks replacing the \r\n
+     *         sequences).
+     */
+    public String getResponse() throws IOException {
+        result.setLength(0);
+        String line = reader.readLine();
+        if (line != null) {
+            result.append(line.substring(0, 3));
+            result.append(" ");
+        }
+        
+        while (line != null) {
+            System.err.println(line);
+            append(line);
+            if (!hasMoreLines(line)) {
+                break;
+            }
+            line = reader.readLine();
+        }
+        System.err.println("\""+result.toString().trim()+"\"");
+        return result.toString().trim();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Closes the underlying stream.
+     */
+    public void close() throws IOException {
+        reader.close();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Should we expect more input?
+     */
+    protected boolean hasMoreLines(String line) {
+        return line.charAt(3) == '-';
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Append the text from this line of the resonse.
+     */
+    private void append(String line) {
+        result.append(line.substring(4));
+        result.append(" ");
+    }
+}