diff --git a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/echo.html b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/echo.html
index 07b59e4a4..dedee6257 100644
--- a/docs/manual/CoreTasks/echo.html
+++ b/docs/manual/CoreTasks/echo.html
@@ -44,8 +44,9 @@ ignored</p>
   <tr>
     <td valign="top">message</td>
     <td valign="top">the message to echo.</td>
-    <td valign="top" align="center">Yes, unless data is included in a
-      character section within this element.</td>
+    <td valign="top" align="center">No.  Text may also be included in a
+      character section within this element.  If neither is included a 
+      blank line will be emitted in the output.</td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
     <td valign="top">file</td>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Echo.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Echo.java
index 9a4107993..9082cfc05 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Echo.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Echo.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ import org.apache.tools.ant.types.LogLevel;
  * @ant.task category="utility"
  */
 public class Echo extends Task {
-    protected String message = ""; // required
+    protected String message = "";
     protected File file = null;
     protected boolean append = false;
     /** encoding; set to null or empty means 'default' */