diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
index 41d411321..aa3b82871 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ import org.apache.tools.ant.types.FilterSetCollection;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.FileUtils;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.JavaEnvUtils;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.WeakishReference;
-import org.apache.tools.ant.util.LazyHashtable;
 
 /**
  * Central representation of an Ant project. This class defines an
@@ -169,14 +168,14 @@ public class Project {
      */
     private Hashtable inheritedProperties = new Hashtable();
     /** Map of references within the project (paths etc) (String to Object). */
-    private Hashtable references = new AntRefTable(this);
+    private Hashtable references = new Hashtable();
 
     /** Name of the project's default target. */
     private String defaultTarget;
     /** Map from data type names to implementing classes (String to Class). */
-    private Hashtable dataClassDefinitions = new AntTaskTable(this, false);
+    private Hashtable dataClassDefinitions = new Hashtable();
     /** Map from task names to implementing classes (String to Class). */
-    private Hashtable taskClassDefinitions = new AntTaskTable(this, true);
+    private Hashtable taskClassDefinitions = new Hashtable();
     /**
      * Map from task names to vectors of created tasks
      * (String to Vector of Task). This is used to invalidate tasks if
@@ -261,9 +260,22 @@ public class Project {
             }
             props.load(in);
             in.close();
-            ((AntTaskTable)taskClassDefinitions).addDefinitions( props );
-
 
+            Enumeration enum = props.propertyNames();
+            while (enum.hasMoreElements()) {
+                String key = (String) enum.nextElement();
+                String value = props.getProperty(key);
+                try {
+                    Class taskClass = Class.forName(value);
+                    addTaskDefinition(key, taskClass);
+                } catch (NoClassDefFoundError ncdfe) {
+                    log("Could not load a dependent class ("
+                        + ncdfe.getMessage() + ") for task " + key, MSG_DEBUG);
+                } catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
+                    log("Could not load class (" + value
+                        + ") for task " + key, MSG_DEBUG);
+                }
+            }
         } catch (IOException ioe) {
             throw new BuildException("Can't load default task list");
         }
@@ -279,9 +291,19 @@ public class Project {
             props.load(in);
             in.close();
 
-            ((AntTaskTable)dataClassDefinitions).addDefinitions(props);
-
-
+            Enumeration enum = props.propertyNames();
+            while (enum.hasMoreElements()) {
+                String key = (String) enum.nextElement();
+                String value = props.getProperty(key);
+                try {
+                    Class dataClass = Class.forName(value);
+                    addDataTypeDefinition(key, dataClass);
+                } catch (NoClassDefFoundError ncdfe) {
+                    // ignore...
+                } catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
+                    // ignore...
+                }
+            }
         } catch (IOException ioe) {
             throw new BuildException("Can't load default datatype list");
         }
@@ -768,7 +790,7 @@ public class Project {
         this.baseDir = baseDir;
         setPropertyInternal("basedir", this.baseDir.getPath());
         String msg = "Project base dir set to: " + this.baseDir;
-         log(msg, MSG_VERBOSE);
+        log(msg, MSG_VERBOSE);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -2053,103 +2075,4 @@ public class Project {
     }
 
 
-    // Should move to a separate public class - and have API to add
-    // listeners, etc.
-    private static class AntRefTable extends Hashtable {
-        Project project;
-        public AntRefTable(Project project) {
-            super();
-            this.project=project;
-        }
-
-        public Object get(Object key) {
-            //System.out.println("AntRefTable.get " + key);
-            Object o=super.get(key);
-            if( o instanceof UnknownElement ) {
-                ((UnknownElement)o).maybeConfigure();
-                o=((UnknownElement)o).getTask();
-            }
-            return o;
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static class AntTaskTable extends LazyHashtable {
-        Project project;
-        Properties props;
-        boolean tasks=false;
-
-        public AntTaskTable( Project p, boolean tasks ) {
-            this.project=p;
-            this.tasks=tasks;
-        }
-
-        public void addDefinitions( Properties props ) {
-            this.props=props;
-        }
-
-        protected void initAll( ) {
-            if( initAllDone ) return;
-            project.log("InitAll", Project.MSG_DEBUG);
-            if( props==null ) return;
-            Enumeration enum = props.propertyNames();
-            while (enum.hasMoreElements()) {
-                String key = (String) enum.nextElement();
-                Class taskClass=getTask( key );
-                if( taskClass!=null ) {
-                    // This will call a get() and a put()
-                    if( tasks )
-                        project.addTaskDefinition(key, taskClass);
-                    else
-                        project.addDataTypeDefinition(key, taskClass );
-                }
-            }
-            initAllDone=true;
-        }
-
-        protected Class getTask(String key) {
-            if( props==null ) return null; // for tasks loaded before init()
-            String value=props.getProperty(key);
-            if( value==null) {
-                project.log( "No class name for " + key, Project.MSG_VERBOSE );
-                return null;
-            }
-            try {
-                Class taskClass=null;
-                if( project.getCoreLoader() != null &&
-                    !("only".equals(project.getProperty("build.sysclasspath")))) {
-                    try {
-                        taskClass=project.getCoreLoader().loadClass(value);
-                        if( taskClass != null ) return taskClass;
-                    } catch( Exception ex ) {
-                    }
-                }
-                taskClass = Class.forName(value);
-                return taskClass;
-            } catch (NoClassDefFoundError ncdfe) {
-                project.log("Could not load a dependent class ("
-                        + ncdfe.getMessage() + ") for task " + key, Project.MSG_DEBUG);
-            } catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
-                project.log("Could not load class (" + value
-                        + ") for task " + key, Project.MSG_DEBUG);
-            }
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        // Hashtable implementation
-        public Object get( Object key ) {
-            Object orig=super.get( key );
-            if( orig!= null ) return orig;
-            if( ! (key instanceof String) ) return null;
-            project.log("Get task " + key, Project.MSG_DEBUG );
-            Object taskClass=getTask( (String) key);
-            if( taskClass != null)
-                super.put( key, taskClass );
-            return taskClass;
-        }
-
-        public boolean contains( Object key ) {
-            return get( key ) != null;
-        }
-
-    }
 }