diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/UnusedFormalParameterRule.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/UnusedFormalParameterRule.java
index d2959d8a3a..9f0a484464 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/UnusedFormalParameterRule.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/UnusedFormalParameterRule.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class UnusedFormalParameterRule extends AbstractRule {
     }
 
     public Object visit(ASTMethodDeclaration node, Object data) {
-        if (node.isPrivate()) {
+        if (node.isPrivate() && ! node.isNative()) {  //make sure it's a private method and not a native method
             SimpleNode md = (SimpleNode)node.jjtGetChild(1);
             SimpleNode formalParams = (SimpleNode)md.jjtGetChild(0);
             int paramCount = formalParams.jjtGetNumChildren();
diff --git a/pmd/test-data/UnusedFormalParam1.java b/pmd/test-data/UnusedFormalParam1.java
index 0994a40eb4..af8c6c88bc 100644
--- a/pmd/test-data/UnusedFormalParam1.java
+++ b/pmd/test-data/UnusedFormalParam1.java
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 
 class UnusedFormalParam1 {
     private void testMethod(String param1) {
-
+        //System.out.println(param1);
     }
 
+    private native int testNativeMethod(String param1);
+
     private void t2(){
 
     }