diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
index 18b9dd82f..61f733be1 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
@@ -282,25 +282,33 @@ public abstract class DefaultCompilerAdapter implements CompilerAdapter {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Does the command line argument processing common to classic and
-     * modern and adds the files to compile as well.
+     * Does the command line argument processing for modern.  Doesn't
+     * add the files to compile.
      */
-    protected Commandline setupModernJavacCommand() {
-        Commandline cmd = new Commandline();
+    protected Commandline setupModernJavacCommandlineSwitches(Commandline cmd) {
         setupJavacCommandlineSwitches(cmd);
-
         if (attributes.getSource() != null) {
             cmd.createArgument().setValue("-source");
             cmd.createArgument().setValue(attributes.getSource());
         }
-        
+        return cmd;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Does the command line argument processing for modern and adds
+     * the files to compile as well.
+     */
+    protected Commandline setupModernJavacCommand() {
+        Commandline cmd = new Commandline();
+        setupModernJavacCommandlineSwitches(cmd);
+
         logAndAddFilesToCompile(cmd);
         return cmd;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Does the command line argument processing common to classic and
-     * modern and adds the files to compile as well.
+     * Does the command line argument processing for classic and adds
+     * the files to compile as well.
      */
     protected Commandline setupJavacCommand() {
         Commandline cmd = new Commandline();
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/JavacExternal.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/JavacExternal.java
index 9aec2fc61..4b48563b7 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/JavacExternal.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/JavacExternal.java
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ package org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.compilers;
 
 import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.Project;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.types.Commandline;
 
 /**
@@ -72,12 +73,33 @@ public class JavacExternal extends DefaultCompilerAdapter {
         attributes.log("Using external javac compiler", Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
 
         Commandline cmd = new Commandline();
-        cmd.setExecutable("javac");
-        setupJavacCommandlineSwitches(cmd);
+        cmd.setExecutable(getJavacExecutableName());
+        setupModernJavacCommandlineSwitches(cmd);
         int firstFileName = cmd.size();
         logAndAddFilesToCompile(cmd);
 
         return executeExternalCompile(cmd.getCommandline(), firstFileName) == 0;
     }
+
+    private String getJavacExecutableName() {
+	// This is the most common extension case - exe for windows and OS/2, 
+        // nothing for *nix.
+	String extension =  Os.isFamily("dos") ? ".exe" : "";
+
+	// Look for java in the java.home/../bin directory.  Unfortunately
+	// on Windows java.home doesn't always refer to the correct location, 
+	// so we need to fall back to assuming java is somewhere on the
+	// PATH.
+	java.io.File jExecutable = 
+            new java.io.File(System.getProperty("java.home") +
+                             "/../bin/javac" + extension );
+
+	if (jExecutable.exists() && !Os.isFamily("netware")) {
+	    return jExecutable.getAbsolutePath();
+	} else {
+	    return "javac";
+	}
+    }
+    
 }