diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/EchoProperties.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/EchoProperties.java
index b3100b996..2ef3674d1 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/EchoProperties.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/EchoProperties.java
@@ -397,6 +397,9 @@ public class EchoProperties extends Task {
                         public boolean equals(Object o) {
                             return false;
                         }
+                        public int hashCode() {
+                            return 0;
+                        }
                         public int compare(Object o1, Object o2) {
                             String key1 = (String) ((Map.Entry) o1).getKey();
                             String key2 = (String) ((Map.Entry) o2).getKey();
@@ -425,8 +428,8 @@ public class EchoProperties extends Task {
      * a tuple for the sort list.
      */
     private static class Tuple implements Comparable {
-        public String key;
-        public String value;
+        private String key;
+        private String value;
 
         private Tuple(String key, String value) {
             this.key = key;