diff --git a/pmd/etc/changelog.txt b/pmd/etc/changelog.txt
index 4960ebdc39..9113e85a57 100644
--- a/pmd/etc/changelog.txt
+++ b/pmd/etc/changelog.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ??? - 0.2:
 Added IfElseStmtsMustUseBracesRule
 Modified command line interface to accept a rule set
+Fixed bug in EmptyCatchBlockRule
 
 June 25 2002 - 0.1:
 Initial release
diff --git a/pmd/etc/go.bat b/pmd/etc/go.bat
index bcb0592052..a230e25c2b 100755
--- a/pmd/etc/go.bat
+++ b/pmd/etc/go.bat
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 set MAIN=net.sourceforge.pmd.PMD
 set TEST_FILE=c:\\data\\pmd\\pmd\\test-data\\%1%.java
 
-java %MAIN% %TEST_FILE% %2%
+java %MAIN% %TEST_FILE% xml general
diff --git a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/FunctionalTest.java b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/FunctionalTest.java
index 46b473ac1e..b950752e1c 100644
--- a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/FunctionalTest.java
+++ b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/FunctionalTest.java
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ public class FunctionalTest extends TestCase{
         assertEquals(new EmptyCatchBlockRule(), ((RuleViolation)report.violationsInCurrentFile().next()).getRule());
     }
 
+    public void testEmptyCatchBlock2() {
+        Report report = process("EmptyCatchBlock2.java");
+        assertTrue(report.currentFileHasNoViolations());
+    }
+
     public void testUnnecessaryTemporaries() {
         Report report = process("UnnecessaryTemporary.java");
         assertEquals(6, report.countViolationsInCurrentFile());
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/EmptyCatchBlockRule.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/EmptyCatchBlockRule.java
index 9ca983240e..3b6b7166c2 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/EmptyCatchBlockRule.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/EmptyCatchBlockRule.java
@@ -7,17 +7,19 @@ package net.sourceforge.pmd.rules;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTBlock;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTTryStatement;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.ASTBlockStatement;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.SimpleNode;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.*;
 
 public class EmptyCatchBlockRule extends AbstractRule implements Rule {
 
     public String getDescription() {return "Avoid empty catch blocks";}
 
-   public Object visit(ASTBlock node, Object data){
-       if ((node.jjtGetParent() instanceof ASTTryStatement) && node.jjtGetNumChildren()==0) {
+    public Object visit(ASTTryStatement node, Object data){
+       ASTBlock catchBlock = (ASTBlock)node.jjtGetChild(2);
+       if (catchBlock.jjtGetNumChildren() == 0) {
            (((RuleContext)data).getReport()).addRuleViolation(new RuleViolation(this, node.getBeginLine()));
        }
-
         return super.visit(node, data);
     }
 }