diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 135b9dac7..2ca48c51b 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -70,13 +70,18 @@
     <property name="R.package.path" value="org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/R" />
     <property name="R.script.staging.dir" value="${build.dir}/R/stage" />
 
+    <!-- Properties used for external builds -->
+    <property name="external.build.dir" value="${java.classes}" />
+    <property name="external.dist.dir" value="${dist.dir}" />
+
     <!-- Packaging system properties -->
     <property name="package.xml.dir" value="${public.dir}/packages" />
     <property name="package.output.dir" value="${dist.dir}/packages" />
     <property name="staging.dir" value="staging" />
     <property name="default.executable" value="none" />
 
-    <!-- Javadoc/Scaladoc directories -->
+    <!-- GATKDocs/Javadoc/Scaladoc directories -->
+    <property name="gatkdocs.dir" value="gatkdocs" />
     <property name="javadoc.dir" value="javadoc" />
     <property name="scaladoc.dir" value="scaladoc" />
 
@@ -96,8 +101,6 @@
     <property name="cofoja.jar" value="${lib.dir}/cofoja-${contracts.version}.jar"/>
     <property name="contract.dump.dir" value="dump" />
 
-    <property name="gatkdocs.dir" value="gatkdocs" />
-
     <!-- do we want to halt on failure of a unit test? default to yes (Bamboo uses 'no') -->
     <property name="halt" value="yes" />
 
@@ -208,19 +211,11 @@
         <include name="**/*.java" />
     </fileset>
 
-    <pathconvert property="external.build.dir">
-        <path path="${java.classes}"/>
-    </pathconvert>
-
-    <pathconvert property="external.dist.dir">
-        <path path="${dist.dir}" />
-    </pathconvert>
-
     <!-- GATK dependencies consist of 3rd party plugins plus compiled GATK classes -->
-    <pathconvert property="external.gatk.classpath">
+    <path id="external.gatk.classpath">
         <path path="${java.classes}"/>
         <path refid="external.dependencies" />
-    </pathconvert>
+    </path>
 
     <!-- the path for resources that need to go into the GATK jar;
          any additional resources should go into this set. -->
@@ -432,7 +427,7 @@
         <subant target="compile" genericantfile="build.xml">
             <property name="build.dir" value="${external.build.dir}" />
             <property name="dist.dir" value="${external.dist.dir}" />
-            <property name="gatk.classpath" value="${external.gatk.classpath}" />
+            <property name="gatk.classpath" refid="external.gatk.classpath" />
             <fileset dir="${external.dir}" includes="*/build.xml" erroronmissingdir="false" />
         </subant>
     </target>