diff --git a/abbot/plugin.jelly b/abbot/plugin.jelly
index fe2eb018..37c9a4c2 100644
--- a/abbot/plugin.jelly
+++ b/abbot/plugin.jelly
@@ -192,7 +192,6 @@
         storepass="${maven.abbot.sign.storepass}"/>
 
   	</j:if>
- 		
   	
     <!-- Jnlp is modified so that local abbot libraries are referenced -->
     <doc:jsl
@@ -206,15 +205,15 @@
   	<!-- Java webstart is launched on local modified jnlp -->
   	<java classname="com.sun.javaws.Main" fork="true" failonerror="true">
       <classpath>
-        <pathelement location="${env.JAVAWS_HOME}/javaws-l10n.jar"/>
-        <pathelement location="${env.JAVAWS_HOME}/javaws.jar"/>
+        <pathelement location="${maven.abbot.webstart.home}/javaws-l10n.jar"/>
+        <pathelement location="${maven.abbot.webstart.home}/javaws.jar"/>
       </classpath>
-      <jvmarg value="-Djnlpx.home=${env.JAVAWS_HOME}"/>
+      <jvmarg value="-Djnlpx.home=${maven.abbot.webstart.home}"/>
   	  <jvmarg value="-Djnlpx.heapsize=NULL,NULL"/>
-  	  <jvmarg value="-Djnlpx.jvm=${env.JAVA_HOME}/bin/javaw.exe"/>
+  	  <jvmarg value="-Djnlpx.jvm=${java.home}/bin/javaw.exe"/>
   	  <jvmarg value="-Djnlpx.deployment.system.home=${maven.abbot.javaws.systemhome}"/>
   	  <jvmarg value="-Djnlpx.deployment.user.home=${maven.abbot.javaws.userhome}"/>
-  	  <jvmarg value="-Djava.security.policy=${env.JAVAWS_HOME}/javaws.policy"/>
+  	  <jvmarg value="-Djava.security.policy=${maven.abbot.webstart.home}/javaws.policy"/>
   	  <jvmarg value="-DtrustProxy=true"/>
   	  <arg value="${maven.abbot.dest.dir}/${maven.abbot.webstart.jnlp.modified}"/>
   	</java>
@@ -346,10 +345,9 @@
   -->    
   <goal name="abbot:check-webstart-env" prereqs="abbot:check-env">
 
-    <property environment="env"/>    
-
-    <j:if test="${context.getVariable('env.JAVAWS_HOME') == null}">
-      <fail>Mandatory environment variable JAVAWS_HOME must be set</fail>
+    <u:file var="webstartHomeAsFile" name="${maven.abbot.webstart.home}"/>
+    <j:if test="${!webstartHomeAsFile.exists()}">
+      <fail>Webstart home directory not found at [${maven.abbot.webstart.home}]</fail>
     </j:if>
    
     <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.abbot.sign') == false}">
@@ -357,11 +355,11 @@
     </j:if>
     
     <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.abbot.remotejnlp') == null}">
-      <fail>Mandatory variable maven.abbot.remotejnlp is missing."</fail>
+      <fail>Mandatory variable maven.abbot.remotejnlp is missing</fail>
     </j:if>
     
     <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.abbot.javaws.systemhome') == null}">
-      <fail>Mandatory variable maven.abbot.javaws.systemhome is missing"</fail>
+      <fail>Mandatory variable maven.abbot.javaws.systemhome is missing</fail>
     </j:if>
     
     <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.abbot.javaws.userhome') == null}">
diff --git a/abbot/plugin.properties b/abbot/plugin.properties
index 5d76a082..8e2d3f7e 100644
--- a/abbot/plugin.properties
+++ b/abbot/plugin.properties
@@ -74,14 +74,16 @@ maven.abbot.include = org.apache.maven.abbot.AbbotTestAll
 # execution environment and must be set in your build.properties file
 # or equivalent:
 #
-# - JAVAWS_HOME: You MUST define this environment variable and have it 
-#   point to where Java Webstart is installed on your machine. 
-#   For example: c:\apps\j2sdk1.4.2_01\jre\javaws
 # - maven.abbot.remotejnlp: This property points to the JNLP file of 
 #   the application you're testing.
 # - maven.abbot.javaws.systemhome: Java webstart system cache location
 # - maven.abbot.javaws.userhome:  Java webstart user cache location
 
+# Location of webstart executable. Override if your install does not match 
+# this default location
+maven.abbot.webstart.home = ${java.home}/javaws
+
+# TODO: Remove these 4 properties as I don't see any use case associated with them
 maven.abbot.webstart.jnlp.original = original.jnlp
 maven.abbot.webstart.jnlp.modified = modified.jnlp
 maven.abbot.webstart.main.jar = abbot-main.jar
diff --git a/abbot/src/plugin-test/sample-webstart/build.properties.sample b/abbot/src/plugin-test/sample-webstart/build.properties.sample
index 6e4f8319..2245193a 100644
--- a/abbot/src/plugin-test/sample-webstart/build.properties.sample
+++ b/abbot/src/plugin-test/sample-webstart/build.properties.sample
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@
 
 # Copy this file to a build.properties file and edit to match your local
 # environment.
-#
-# Note: You MUST also define the JAVAWS_HOME environment variable and have it
-# point to where Java Webstart is installed on your machine. 
-# For example: c:\apps\j2sdk1.4.2_01\jre\javaws
 
 # Locations where your Java web start caches are located.
 # For example on Windows XP:
diff --git a/abbot/xdocs/changes.xml b/abbot/xdocs/changes.xml
index baf3e395..ce110e2a 100644
--- a/abbot/xdocs/changes.xml
+++ b/abbot/xdocs/changes.xml
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@
   </properties>
   <body>
     <release version="1.2-SNAPSHOT" date="in CVS">
+      <action dev="vmassol" type="update">
+        Removed the need to set up a <code>JAVAWS_HOME</code> property. This is 
+        now automatically inferred from <code>${java.home}</code> and defaults
+        to <code>${java.home}/javaws</code>. You can override this value by
+        setting the <code>maven.abbot.webstart.home</code> property.
+      </action>
     </release>
     <release version="1.1" date="2004-09-27">
       <action dev="vmassol" type="update">Upgraded to Abbot 0.13.0 and JDOM 1.0 beta 10.</action>
diff --git a/abbot/xdocs/properties.xml b/abbot/xdocs/properties.xml
index 53676264..65bd5cbd 100644
--- a/abbot/xdocs/properties.xml
+++ b/abbot/xdocs/properties.xml
@@ -68,14 +68,16 @@ maven.abbot.include = org.apache.maven.abbot.AbbotTestAll
 # execution environment and must be set in your build.properties file
 # or equivalent:
 #
-# - JAVAWS_HOME: You MUST define this environment variable and have it 
-#   point to where Java Webstart is installed on your machine. 
-#   For example: c:\apps\j2sdk1.4.2_01\jre\javaws
 # - maven.abbot.remotejnlp: This property points to the JNLP file of 
 #   the application you're testing.
 # - maven.abbot.javaws.systemhome: Java webstart system cache location
 # - maven.abbot.javaws.userhome:  Java webstart user cache location
 
+# Location of webstart executable. Override if your install does not match 
+# this default location
+maven.abbot.webstart.home = ${java.home}/javaws
+
+# TODO: Remove these 4 properties as I don't see any use case associated with them
 maven.abbot.webstart.jnlp.original = original.jnlp
 maven.abbot.webstart.jnlp.modified = modified.jnlp
 maven.abbot.webstart.main.jar = abbot-main.jar
diff --git a/abbot/xdocs/using.xml b/abbot/xdocs/using.xml
index 317d1dc9..cc20fe84 100644
--- a/abbot/xdocs/using.xml
+++ b/abbot/xdocs/using.xml
@@ -43,11 +43,6 @@
           executing the Abbot plugin:
         </p>
         <ul>
-          <li>
-            The <code>JAVAWS_HOME</code> environment variable has to be set and
-            it must point to the location where webstart is installed on your
-            machine.
-          </li>
           <li>
             Some mandatory environment-dependent properties need to be 
             defined. See the <a href="properties.html">Properties</a>