diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 5e649c684..756ee2839 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -18,14 +18,24 @@
 
   <!-- we want to access the environment -->
   <property environment="env"/>
-  <property name="java.libraries" value="${env.JAVA_LIBS}"/>
 
-  <!-- declare our classpath -->
-  <path id="classpath">
+  <!-- declare our classpath business -->
+  <path id="base.classpath">
     <pathelement location="${classes.dir}"/>
     <fileset dir="lib" includes="**/*.jar"/>
-    <fileset dir="${java.libraries}" includes="**/*.jar"/>
   </path>
+  <path id="classpath">
+    <path refid="base.classpath"/>
+  </path>
+
+  <!-- include JAVA_LIBS jars in our classpath if it exists -->
+  <target name="check-java-libs" if="env.JAVA_LIBS">
+    <!-- overwrite the classpath with one that contains JAVA_LIBS jars -->
+    <path id="classpath">
+      <path refid="base.classpath"/>
+      <fileset dir="${env.JAVA_LIBS}" includes="**/*.jar"/>
+    </path>
+  </target>
 
   <!-- generates .java files for all .dobj files -->
   <target name="gendobj">
@@ -61,7 +71,7 @@
   </target>
 
   <!-- prepares the application directories -->
-  <target name="prepare" depends="gendobj">
+  <target name="prepare" depends="check-java-libs,gendobj">
     <mkdir dir="${deploy.dir}"/>
     <mkdir dir="${classes.dir}"/>
     <mkdir dir="${classes.dir}/rsrc"/>