diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 657c8eb20..cda6efca1 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
 * Concat task instance could not be run twice.
   Bugzilla report 31814.
 
+* NPE using XmlLogger and antlib.
+  Bugzilla report 31840.
+
 Changes from Ant 1.6.1 to Ant 1.6.2
 ===================================
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/XmlLogger.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/XmlLogger.java
index 710b0e68c..892c02d21 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/XmlLogger.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/XmlLogger.java
@@ -291,6 +291,9 @@ public class XmlLogger implements BuildLogger {
 
         Task task = event.getTask();
         String name = event.getTask().getTaskName();
+        if (name == null) {
+            name = "";
+        }
         taskElement.element.setAttribute(NAME_ATTR, name);
         taskElement.element.setAttribute(LOCATION_ATTR,
                 event.getTask().getLocation().toString());
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Antlib.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Antlib.java
index a3b1b0766..f0b3a4bde 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Antlib.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Antlib.java
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ public class Antlib extends Task implements TaskContainer {
             Antlib antlib = new Antlib();
             antlib.setProject(project);
             antlib.setLocation(ue.getLocation());
+            antlib.setTaskName("antlib");
             antlib.init();
             ue.configure(antlib);
             return antlib;