diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/ExecMetaData.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/ExecMetaData.java
index 9bd1ccf69..ee891fd0d 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/ExecMetaData.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/ExecMetaData.java
@@ -45,14 +45,6 @@ public class ExecMetaData
      */
     private Properties m_environment;
 
-    /**
-     * If this variable is true then then the environment specified is
-     * added to the environment variables for current process. If this
-     * value is false then the specified environment replaces the environment
-     * for the command.
-     */
-    private boolean m_isEnvironmentAdditive;
-
     /**
      * Construct the meta data for executable as appropriate.
      * Note that it is invalid to specify a <code>null</code>
@@ -61,13 +53,11 @@ public class ExecMetaData
      */
     public ExecMetaData( final String[] command,
                          final Properties environment,
-                         final File workingDirectory,
-                         final boolean environmentAdditive )
+                         final File workingDirectory )
     {
         m_command = command;
         m_environment = environment;
         m_workingDirectory = workingDirectory;
-        m_isEnvironmentAdditive = environmentAdditive;
 
         if( null == m_workingDirectory )
         {
@@ -78,11 +68,6 @@ public class ExecMetaData
         {
             throw new NullPointerException( "command" );
         }
-
-        if( null == m_environment && m_isEnvironmentAdditive )
-        {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException( "isEnvironmentAdditive" );
-        }
     }
 
     public File getWorkingDirectory()
@@ -99,9 +84,4 @@ public class ExecMetaData
     {
         return m_environment;
     }
-
-    public boolean isEnvironmentAdditive()
-    {
-        return m_isEnvironmentAdditive;
-    }
 }
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/DefaultExecManager.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/DefaultExecManager.java
index b01b4a284..8209371d1 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/DefaultExecManager.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/DefaultExecManager.java
@@ -112,9 +112,8 @@ public class DefaultExecManager
                         final long timeout )
         throws IOException, ExecException
     {
-        final ExecMetaData metaData = prepareExecMetaData( command );
-        final CommandLauncher launcher = getLauncher( metaData );
-        final Process process = launcher.exec( metaData );
+        final CommandLauncher launcher = getLauncher( command );
+        final Process process = launcher.exec( command );
         final ProcessMonitor monitor =
             new ProcessMonitor( process, input, output, error, timeout );
 
@@ -160,30 +159,6 @@ public class DefaultExecManager
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Utility method to preapre a metaData object.
-     * This involves adding the native environment to the metaData if the
-     * metaData is specified as being additive.
-     */
-    private ExecMetaData prepareExecMetaData( final ExecMetaData metaData )
-        throws ExecException
-    {
-        if( !metaData.isEnvironmentAdditive() )
-        {
-            return metaData;
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            final Properties newEnvironment = new Properties();
-            newEnvironment.putAll( getNativeEnvironment() );
-            newEnvironment.putAll( metaData.getEnvironment() );
-            return new ExecMetaData( metaData.getCommand(),
-                                     newEnvironment,
-                                     metaData.getWorkingDirectory(),
-                                     false );
-        }
-    }
-
     private CommandLauncher getLauncher( final ExecMetaData metaData )
     {
         CommandLauncher launcher = m_launcher;
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/Environment.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/Environment.java
index da2d51f2c..c903fb797 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/Environment.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/Environment.java
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ final class Environment
     {
         final String[] command = getEnvCommand();
         final File workingDirectory = new File( "." );
-        final ExecMetaData metaData = new ExecMetaData( command, null, workingDirectory, false );
+        final ExecMetaData metaData = new ExecMetaData( command, null, workingDirectory );
 
         final ByteArrayOutputStream output = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
         final int retval = m_execManager.execute( metaData, null, output, output, 0 );
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/launchers/ExecUtil.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/launchers/ExecUtil.java
index 3d42c1378..d0b0e8ea6 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/launchers/ExecUtil.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/nativelib/impl/launchers/ExecUtil.java
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ class ExecUtil
 
         return new ExecMetaData( command,
                                  metaData.getEnvironment(),
-                                 metaData.getWorkingDirectory(),
-                                 metaData.isEnvironmentAdditive() );
+                                 metaData.getWorkingDirectory() );
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/Execute.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/Execute.java
index cef124202..bd9fa3af2 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/Execute.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/Execute.java
@@ -80,11 +80,12 @@ public class Execute
     }
 
     /**
-     * Set whether to propagate the default environment or not.
-     *
-     * @param newEnvironment whether to propagate the process environment.
+     * If this variable is false then then the environment specified is
+     * added to the environment variables for current process. If this
+     * value is true then the specified environment replaces the environment
+     * for the command.
      */
-    public void setNewenvironment( boolean newEnvironment )
+    public void setNewenvironment( final boolean newEnvironment )
     {
         m_newEnvironment = newEnvironment;
     }
@@ -137,9 +138,9 @@ public class Execute
     private int executeNativeProcess()
         throws TaskException
     {
-        final ExecMetaData metaData = buildExecMetaData();
         try
         {
+            final ExecMetaData metaData = buildExecMetaData();
             if( null != m_handler )
             {
                 return m_execManager.execute( metaData, m_handler, m_timeout );
@@ -168,12 +169,19 @@ public class Execute
      * to pass to the ExecManager service.
      */
     private ExecMetaData buildExecMetaData()
+        throws ExecException
     {
         final String[] command = m_command.getCommandline();
 
+        final Properties newEnvironment = new Properties();
+        if( !m_newEnvironment )
+        {
+            newEnvironment.putAll( m_execManager.getNativeEnvironment() );
+        }
+        newEnvironment.putAll( m_environment );
+
         return new ExecMetaData( command,
-                                 m_environment,
-                                 m_workingDirectory,
-                                 m_newEnvironment );
+                                 newEnvironment,
+                                 m_workingDirectory );
     }
 }