diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Chmod.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Chmod.java
index 21d07e416..c84ce1002 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Chmod.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Chmod.java
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ import java.util.*;
 public class Chmod extends ExecuteOn {
 
     private FileSet defaultSet = new FileSet();
+    private boolean defaultSetDefined = false;
     private boolean havePerm = false;
     
     public Chmod() {
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ public class Chmod extends ExecuteOn {
      * add a name entry on the include list
      */
     public PatternSet.NameEntry createInclude() {
+        defaultSetDefined = true;
         return defaultSet.createInclude();
     }
     
@@ -105,6 +107,7 @@ public class Chmod extends ExecuteOn {
      * add a name entry on the exclude list
      */
     public PatternSet.NameEntry createExclude() {
+        defaultSetDefined = true;
         return defaultSet.createExclude();
     }
 
@@ -112,6 +115,7 @@ public class Chmod extends ExecuteOn {
      * add a set of patterns
      */
     public PatternSet createPatternSet() {
+        defaultSetDefined = true;
         return defaultSet.createPatternSet();
     }
 
@@ -122,6 +126,7 @@ public class Chmod extends ExecuteOn {
      * @param includes the string containing the include patterns
      */
     public void setIncludes(String includes) {
+        defaultSetDefined = true;
         defaultSet.setIncludes(includes);
     }
 
@@ -132,6 +137,7 @@ public class Chmod extends ExecuteOn {
      * @param excludes the string containing the exclude patterns
      */
     public void setExcludes(String excludes) {
+        defaultSetDefined = true;
         defaultSet.setExcludes(excludes);
     }
 
@@ -143,6 +149,7 @@ public class Chmod extends ExecuteOn {
      *                           shouldn't be used.
      */
     public void setDefaultexcludes(boolean useDefaultExcludes) {
+        defaultSetDefined = true;
         defaultSet.setDefaultexcludes(useDefaultExcludes);
     }
     
@@ -152,12 +159,33 @@ public class Chmod extends ExecuteOn {
                                      location);
         }
         
-        if (defaultSet.getDir(project) != null) {
+        if (defaultSetDefined && defaultSet.getDir(project) != null) {
             addFileset(defaultSet);
         }
         super.checkConfiguration();
     }
 
+    public void execute() throws BuildException {
+        if (defaultSetDefined) {
+            super.execute();
+        }
+        else if (!defaultSetDefined && defaultSet.getDir(project) != null) {
+            // we are chmodding the given directory
+            createArg().setValue(defaultSet.getDir(project).getPath());
+            Execute execute = prepareExec();
+            try {
+                execute.setCommandline(cmdl.getCommandline());
+                runExecute(execute);
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                throw new BuildException("Execute failed: " + e, e, location);
+            } finally {
+                // close the output file if required
+                logFlush();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    
+
     public void setExecutable(String e) {
         throw new BuildException(taskType+" doesn\'t support the executable attribute", location);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecTask.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecTask.java
index 0a4fcaaae..1aa106ec4 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecTask.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecTask.java
@@ -218,21 +218,28 @@ public class ExecTask extends Task {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Run the command using the given Execute instance.
+     * A Utility method for this classes and subclasses to run an Execute instance (an external command).
      */
-    protected void runExec(Execute exe) throws BuildException {
+    protected final void runExecute(Execute exe) throws IOException {
         int err = -1; // assume the worst
 
-        try {
-            exe.setCommandline(cmdl.getCommandline());
-            err = exe.execute();
-            if (err != 0) {
-                if (failOnError) {
-                    throw new BuildException("Exec returned: "+err, location);
-                } else {
-                    log("Result: " + err, Project.MSG_ERR);
-                }
+        err = exe.execute();
+        if (err != 0) {
+            if (failOnError) {
+                throw new BuildException(taskType + " returned: "+err, location);
+            } else {
+                log("Result: " + err, Project.MSG_ERR);
             }
+        }
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Run the command using the given Execute instance. This may be overidden by subclasses
+     */
+    protected void runExec(Execute exe) throws BuildException {
+        exe.setCommandline(cmdl.getCommandline());
+        try {
+            runExecute(exe);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             throw new BuildException("Execute failed: " + e, e, location);
         } finally {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
index 154ef0ca2..fecbabaf3 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
@@ -148,15 +148,7 @@ public class ExecuteOn extends ExecTask {
                     log("Executing " + Commandline.toString(command), 
                         Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
                     exe.setCommandline(command);
-                    err = exe.execute();
-                    if (err != 0) {
-                        if (failOnError) {
-                            throw new BuildException("Exec returned: "+err, 
-                                                     location);
-                        } else {
-                            log("Result: " + err, Project.MSG_ERR);
-                        }
-                    }
+                    runExecute(exe);
 
                 } else {
                     for (int j=0; j<s.length; j++) {
@@ -164,15 +156,7 @@ public class ExecuteOn extends ExecTask {
                         log("Executing " + Commandline.toString(command), 
                             Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
                         exe.setCommandline(command);
-                        err = exe.execute();
-                        if (err != 0) {
-                            if (failOnError) {
-                                throw new BuildException("Exec returned: "+err, 
-                                                         location);
-                            } else {
-                                log("Result: " + err, Project.MSG_ERR);
-                            }
-                        }
+                        runExecute(exe);
                     }
                 }
             }