diff --git a/java/external/src/javax/xml/transform/TransformerException.java b/java/external/src/javax/xml/transform/TransformerException.java
index ed24cfb..f58b8df 100644
--- a/java/external/src/javax/xml/transform/TransformerException.java
+++ b/java/external/src/javax/xml/transform/TransformerException.java
@@ -312,49 +312,62 @@ public class TransformerException extends Exception {
             super.printStackTrace(s);
         } catch (Throwable e) {}
 
-        Throwable exception = getException();
+        boolean isJdk14OrHigher = false;
+        try {
+        	Throwable.class.getMethod("getCause",null);
+        	isJdk14OrHigher = true;
+        } catch (NoSuchMethodException nsme) {
+        	// do nothing
+        }
 
-        for (int i = 0; (i < 10) && (null != exception); i++) {
-            s.println("---------");
+        // The printStackTrace method of the Throwable class in jdk 1.4 
+        // and higher will include the cause when printing the backtrace.
+        // The following code is only required when using jdk 1.3 or lower                 
+        if (!isJdk14OrHigher) {
+            Throwable exception = getException();
 
-            try {
-                if (exception instanceof TransformerException) {
-                    String locInfo =
-                        ((TransformerException) exception)
+            for (int i = 0; (i < 10) && (null != exception); i++) {
+                s.println("---------");
+
+                try {
+                    if (exception instanceof TransformerException) {
+                        String locInfo =
+                            ((TransformerException) exception)
                             .getLocationAsString();
 
-                    if (null != locInfo) {
-                        s.println(locInfo);
+                        if (null != locInfo) {
+                            s.println(locInfo);
+                        }
                     }
+
+                    exception.printStackTrace(s);
+                } catch (Throwable e) {
+                    s.println("Could not print stack trace...");
                 }
 
-                exception.printStackTrace(s);
-            } catch (Throwable e) {
-                s.println("Could not print stack trace...");
-            }
-
-            try {
-                Method meth =
-                    ((Object) exception).getClass().getMethod("getException",
+                try {
+                    Method meth =
+                        ((Object) exception).getClass().getMethod("getException",
                         null);
 
-                if (null != meth) {
-                    Throwable prev = exception;
+                    if (null != meth) {
+                        Throwable prev = exception;
 
-                    exception = (Throwable) meth.invoke(exception, null);
+                        exception = (Throwable) meth.invoke(exception, null);
 
-                    if (prev == exception) {
-                        break;
+                        if (prev == exception) {
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        exception = null;
                     }
-                } else {
+                } catch (InvocationTargetException ite) {
+                    exception = null;
+                } catch (IllegalAccessException iae) {
+                    exception = null;
+                } catch (NoSuchMethodException nsme) {
                     exception = null;
                 }
-            } catch (InvocationTargetException ite) {
-                exception = null;
-            } catch (IllegalAccessException iae) {
-                exception = null;
-            } catch (NoSuchMethodException nsme) {
-                exception = null;
             }
         }
         // insure output is written