diff --git a/pmd-dist/pom.xml b/pmd-dist/pom.xml
index 998ed84cf8..754127eed1 100644
--- a/pmd-dist/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-dist/pom.xml
@@ -93,18 +93,16 @@
                             <goal>copy</goal>
                         </goals>
                         <configuration>
-                            <!-- note: ant 1.9.x is still compatible with java7,
-                                 ant 1.10.x requires java8 -->
                             <artifactItems>
                                 <artifactItem>
                                     <groupId>org.apache.ant</groupId>
                                     <artifactId>ant</artifactId>
-                                    <version>1.9.16</version>
+                                    <version>${ant.version}</version>
                                 </artifactItem>
                                 <artifactItem>
                                     <groupId>org.apache.ant</groupId>
                                     <artifactId>ant-launcher</artifactId>
-                                    <version>1.9.16</version>
+                                    <version>${ant.version}</version>
                                 </artifactItem>
                             </artifactItems>
                             <outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}/ant</outputDirectory>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 4ba40b4e63..b264dbb900 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
         <checkstyle.version>10.14.0</checkstyle.version>
         <checkstyle.plugin.version>3.3.1</checkstyle.plugin.version>
         <pmd.plugin.version>3.21.2</pmd.plugin.version>
-        <ant.version>1.10.13</ant.version>
+        <ant.version>1.10.14</ant.version>
         <javadoc.plugin.version>3.6.3</javadoc.plugin.version>
         <antlr.version>4.9.1</antlr.version>
         <slf4j.version>1.7.36</slf4j.version>