diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index d2489a969..b1ca61558 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -289,7 +289,6 @@
     <exclude name="${optional.package}/splash/*.java" unless="swing.present" />
   </patternset>
   <patternset id="teststhatfail">
-    <exclude name="${optional.package}/XmlValidateTest.java" unless="run.failing.tests" />
   </patternset>
 
   <!--
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
index 92c50fd3f..3f6d7e16e 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/XMLValidateTask.java
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ public class XMLValidateTask extends Task {
                 return;
             }
 
-            File fileDTD = new File(location);
+            File fileDTD = project.resolveFile(location);
             if (fileDTD.exists()) {
                 if (publicId != null) {
                     fileDTDs.put(publicId, fileDTD);