diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index d5b3a52e1..215f4ee9f 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
  * AntClassLoader in Ant 1.8.0 has been considerably slower than in
    1.7.1
    Bugzilla Report 48853
+   
+ * ANT_CMD_LINE_ARGS are rippling through lower level Ant usage 
+   Bugzilla Report 48876  
 
 Other changes:
 --------------
diff --git a/src/script/ant.bat b/src/script/ant.bat
index ff85b6de6..a70841895 100755
--- a/src/script/ant.bat
+++ b/src/script/ant.bat
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ if "%CLASSPATH%"=="" set _USE_CLASSPATH=no
 
 rem Slurp the command line arguments. This loop allows for an unlimited number
 rem of arguments (up to the command line limit, anyway).
+set ANT_CMD_LINE_ARGS=
 :setupArgs
 if ""%1""=="""" goto doneStart
 if ""%1""==""-noclasspath"" goto clearclasspath