diff --git a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/manifestclasspath.xml b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/manifestclasspath.xml
index c2e42cd65..9421bd7b9 100644
--- a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/manifestclasspath.xml
+++ b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/manifestclasspath.xml
@@ -229,10 +229,11 @@
 
   <target name="testDifferentDrive">
     <property name="temp" location="${java.io.tmpdir}"/>
+    <!-- the property altDriveLetter gets defined in Java -->
     <manifestclasspath jarfile="${temp}\e.jar"
                        maxParentLevels="99" property="cp">
       <classpath>
-        <pathelement location="D:\a\b\x.jar"/>
+        <pathelement location="${altDriveLetter}:\a\b\x.jar"/>
       </classpath>
     </manifestclasspath>
   </target>
diff --git a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ManifestClassPathTest.java b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ManifestClassPathTest.java
index fb7c3a9b4..a2fd119b8 100644
--- a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ManifestClassPathTest.java
+++ b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ManifestClassPathTest.java
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ public class ManifestClassPathTest
                                    + " skipping test");
                 return;
             }
-
+            project.setProperty("altDriveLetter", altDriveLetter);
             expectBuildExceptionContaining("testDifferentDrive",
                                            "different drive",
                                            "No suitable relative path from ");