diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index a28e2bb78..2a8eda44f 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ Other changes:
   Bugzilla report 28865.
 * Convert SplashTask to use NOT sun internal classes.
   Bugzilla report 35619.
+* Made PatterSet#hasPatterns public to allow custom filesets access.
+  Bugzilla report 36772.
 
 Changes from Ant 1.6.5 to Ant 1.7.0Beta1
 ========================================
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/PatternSet.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/PatternSet.java
index b25f4d362..7d2a8255e 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/PatternSet.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/PatternSet.java
@@ -398,9 +398,12 @@ public class PatternSet extends DataType implements Cloneable {
     }
 
     /**
-     * helper for FileSet.
+     * Helper for FileSet classes.
+     * Check if there are patterns defined.
+     * @param p the current project.
+     * @return true if there are patterns.
      */
-    boolean hasPatterns(Project p) {
+    public boolean hasPatterns(Project p) {
         if (isReference()) {
             return getRef(p).hasPatterns(p);
         } else {