diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 7fceecac4..1b89be733 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
 * <java> swallowed the stack trace of exceptions thrown by the
   executed program if run in the same VM.
 
+* -projecthelp swallowed (configuration) errors silently.
+  Bugzilla report 27732.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
index 356d80cec..507e8117b 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
@@ -685,6 +685,8 @@ public class Main implements AntMain {
         } finally {
             if (!projectHelp) {
                 project.fireBuildFinished(error);
+            } else if (error != null) {
+                project.log(error.toString(), Project.MSG_ERR);
             }
         }
     }