diff --git a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/ant.xml b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/ant.xml
index cc62d2ea1..5d3ce07d6 100644
--- a/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/ant.xml
+++ b/src/etc/testcases/taskdefs/ant.xml
@@ -162,4 +162,11 @@
     <echo>test2 is ${test2}</echo>
     <echo>test1.x is ${test1.x}</echo>
   </target>
+
+  <target name="infinite-loop-via-depends">
+    <antcall target="dependent"/>
+  </target>
+
+  <target name="middleman" depends="infinite-loop-via-depends"/>
+  <target name="dependent" depends="middleman"/>
 </project>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
index e308286a4..ea358e941 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Project.java
@@ -1589,8 +1589,7 @@ public class Project {
      *             Must not be <code>null</code>.
      * @param targets A map of names to targets (String to Target).
      *                Must not be <code>null</code>.
-     * @return a vector of strings with the names of the targets in
-     *         sorted order.
+     * @return a vector of Target objects in sorted order.
      * @exception BuildException if there is a cyclic dependency among the
      *                           targets, or if a named target does not exist.
      */
@@ -2096,4 +2095,4 @@ public class Project {
             // is private/protected.
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Target.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Target.java
index 69cf71ff7..d82ee5568 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Target.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Target.java
@@ -255,6 +255,22 @@ public class Target implements TaskContainer {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Does this target depend on the named target?
+     *
+     * @since Ant 1.6
+     */
+    public boolean dependsOn(String other) {
+        if (getProject() != null) {
+            List l = getProject().topoSort(getName(),
+                                           getProject().getTargets());
+            int myIdx = l.indexOf(this);
+            int otherIdx = l.indexOf(getProject().getTargets().get(other));
+            return myIdx >= otherIdx;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sets the "if" condition to test on execution. This is the
      * name of a property to test for existence - if the property
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ant.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ant.java
index 2d7b00d19..19738e5f3 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ant.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Ant.java
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ import org.apache.tools.ant.DefaultLogger;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.Project;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectComponent;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectHelper;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.Target;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.Task;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.types.PropertySet;
 import org.apache.tools.ant.util.FileUtils;
@@ -363,7 +364,10 @@ public class Ant extends Task {
             if (newProject.getProperty("ant.file")
                 .equals(getProject().getProperty("ant.file"))
                 && getOwningTarget() != null) {
-                if (getOwningTarget().getName().equals("")) {
+
+                String owningTargetName = getOwningTarget().getName();
+
+                if (owningTargetName.equals("")) {
                     if (getTaskName().equals("antcall")) {
                         throw new BuildException("antcall must not be used at"
                                                  + " the top level.");
@@ -372,9 +376,20 @@ public class Ant extends Task {
                                                  + " top level must not invoke"
                                                  + " its own build file.");
                     }
-                } else if (getOwningTarget().getName().equals(target)) {
+                } else if (owningTargetName.equals(target)) {
                     throw new BuildException(getTaskName() + " task calling "
                                              + "its own parent target.");
+                } else {
+                    Target other = 
+                        (Target) getProject().getTargets().get(target);
+                    if (other != null && other.dependsOn(owningTargetName)) {
+                        throw new BuildException(getTaskName() 
+                                                 + " task calling a target"
+                                                 + " that depends on"
+                                                 + " its parent target \'"
+                                                 + owningTargetName
+                                                 + "\'.");
+                    }
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/AntTest.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/AntTest.java
index 0ccb93e83..9dc3d1e5a 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/AntTest.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/AntTest.java
@@ -302,6 +302,10 @@ public class AntTest extends BuildFileTest {
         assertTrue(getLog().indexOf("test1.x is 1") > -1);
     }
 
+    public void testInfiniteLoopViaDepends() {
+        expectBuildException("infinite-loop-via-depends", "recursive call");
+    }
+
     private class BasedirChecker implements BuildListener {
         private String[] expectedBasedirs;
         private int calls = 0;