diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index c6cd889a3..7d19b7e75 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -374,28 +374,6 @@
     <exclude name="*.cgi"/>
   </patternset>
 
-  <!--
-       ===================================================================
-         Set up a preset def for javac depending on
-         the java version
-       ===================================================================
-  -->
-
-  <target name="javac.preset" depends="javac.preset.1.5+,javac.preset.1.5-"/>
-  <target name="javac.preset.1.5+" depends="check_for_optional_packages"
-          if="jdk1.5+">
-    <presetdef name="javac.preset">
-      <javac source="${javac.source}"/>
-    </presetdef>
-  </target>
-  <target name="javac.preset.1.5-" depends="check_for_optional_packages"
-          unless="jdk1.5+">
-    <presetdef name="javac.preset">
-      <javac/>
-    </presetdef>
-  </target>
-
-
   <!--
        ===================================================================
          Check to see what optional dependencies are available
@@ -642,17 +620,18 @@
        ===================================================================
   -->
   <target name="build"
-          depends="prepare, check_for_optional_packages, javac.preset"
+          depends="prepare, check_for_optional_packages"
           description="--> compiles the source code">
     <mkdir dir="${build.dir}"/>
     <mkdir dir="${build.classes}"/>
     <mkdir dir="${build.lib}"/>
 
-    <javac.preset srcdir="${java.dir}"
+    <javac srcdir="${java.dir}"
            destdir="${build.classes}"
            debug="${debug}"
            deprecation="${deprecation}"
            target="${javac.target}"
+           source="${javac.source}"
            optimize="${optimize}" >
       <classpath refid="classpath"/>
 
@@ -701,7 +680,7 @@
           </or>
         </not>
       </selector>
-    </javac.preset>
+    </javac>
 
     <copy todir="${build.classes}">
       <fileset dir="${java.dir}">
@@ -1406,15 +1385,16 @@
   <target name="compile-tests" depends="build" if="junit.present">
     <mkdir dir="${build.tests}"/>
 
-    <javac.preset srcdir="${tests.dir}"
+    <javac srcdir="${tests.dir}"
            destdir="${build.tests}"
            debug="${debug}"
            target="${javac.target}"
+           source="${javac.source}"
            deprecation="${deprecation}" >
       <classpath refid="tests-classpath"/>
 
       <selector refid="conditional-patterns"/>
-    </javac.preset>
+    </javac>
 
     <!-- Used by AntlibTest.testAntlibResource: -->
     <jar jarfile="${build.tests}/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/test2-antlib.jar">
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
index 1a4edbf76..8fbfb3bac 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/DefaultCompilerAdapter.java
@@ -297,7 +297,15 @@ public abstract class DefaultCompilerAdapter implements CompilerAdapter {
         setupJavacCommandlineSwitches(cmd, true);
         if (attributes.getSource() != null && !assumeJava13()) {
             cmd.createArgument().setValue("-source");
-            cmd.createArgument().setValue(attributes.getSource());
+            String source = attributes.getSource();
+            if (assumeJava14() && 
+                (source.equals("1.1") || source.equals("1.2"))) {
+                // support for -source 1.1 and -source 1.2 has been
+                // added with JDK 1.4.2
+                cmd.createArgument().setValue("1.3");
+            } else {
+                cmd.createArgument().setValue(source);
+            }
         }
         return cmd;
     }
@@ -501,5 +509,19 @@ public abstract class DefaultCompilerAdapter implements CompilerAdapter {
                 && JavaEnvUtils.isJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_1_3));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Shall we assume JDK 1.4 command line switches?
+     * @since Ant 1.6.3
+     */
+    protected boolean assumeJava14() {
+        return "javac1.4".equals(attributes.getCompilerVersion())
+            || ("classic".equals(attributes.getCompilerVersion())
+                && JavaEnvUtils.isJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_1_4))
+            || ("modern".equals(attributes.getCompilerVersion())
+                && JavaEnvUtils.isJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_1_4))
+            || ("extJavac".equals(attributes.getCompilerVersion())
+                && JavaEnvUtils.isJavaVersion(JavaEnvUtils.JAVA_1_4));
+    }
+
 }