diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtils.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtils.java
index 6a8aed13c..588249c44 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtils.java
@@ -154,6 +154,21 @@ public final class JavaEnvUtils {
         return javaVersion.equals(version);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Compares the current Java version to the passed in String -
+     * assumes the argument is one of the constants defined in this
+     * class.
+     * Note that Ant now requires JDK 1.2+ so {@link #JAVA_1_0} and
+     * {@link #JAVA_1_1} need no longer be tested for.
+     * @param version the version to check against the current version.
+     * @return true if the version of Java is the same or higher than the 
+     * given version.
+     * @since Ant 1.7
+     */
+    public static boolean isAtLeastJavaVersion(String version) {
+        return javaVersion.compareTo(version) >= 0;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Checks whether the current Java VM is Kaffe.
      * @return true if the current Java VM is Kaffe.
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 87208b782..8d43c7f9b 100644
--- a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ManifestClassPathTest.java
+++ b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ManifestClassPathTest.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs;
 
 
 import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.util.JavaEnvUtils;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildFileTest;
 
 /**
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ public class ManifestClassPathTest
                                               "../../resources/dsp-void/");
     }
     public void testInternationalGerman() {
-        if (System.getProperty("java.vm.version").compareTo("1.4") < 0)
+        if (!JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_1_4))
         {
             System.out.println("Test with international characters skipped under pre 1.4 jvm.");
             return;
@@ -143,8 +144,7 @@ public class ManifestClassPathTest
             
     }
     public void testInternationalHebrew() {
-        if (System.getProperty("java.vm.version").compareTo("1.4") < 0)
-        {
+        if (!JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_1_4))        {
             System.out.println("Test with international characters skipped under pre 1.4 jvm.");
             return;
         }
diff --git a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtilsTest.java b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtilsTest.java
index 4ee47ea77..2c25fc26b 100644
--- a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtilsTest.java
+++ b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/util/JavaEnvUtilsTest.java
@@ -127,4 +127,14 @@ public class JavaEnvUtilsTest extends TestCase {
 
     }
 
+    public void testIsAtLeastJavaVersion()
+    {
+        assertTrue(
+                "Current java version is not at least the current java version...",
+                JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.getJavaVersion()));
+        assertFalse(
+                "In case the current java version is higher than 9.0 definitely a new algorithem will be needed",
+                JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion("9.0"));
+    }
+
 }