Index: src/java/org/apache/maven/MavenUtils.java
===================================================================
--- src/java/org/apache/maven/MavenUtils.java	(revision 405314)
+++ src/java/org/apache/maven/MavenUtils.java	(working copy)
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@
      * @return The generated maven based on the contents of the standard maven
      * properties files.
      */
-    public static MavenJellyContext createContext( File descriptorDirectory, 
+    public static MavenJellyContext createContext( File descriptorDirectory,
                                                    MavenJellyContext parentContext )
     {
         MavenJellyContext context = createContextNoDefaults( descriptorDirectory, parentContext );
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@
      * @return The generated maven based on the contents of the standard maven
      * properties files.
      */
-    private static MavenJellyContext createContextNoDefaults( File descriptorDirectory, 
+    private static MavenJellyContext createContextNoDefaults( File descriptorDirectory,
                                                               MavenJellyContext parentContext )
     {
         // System properties
@@ -699,11 +699,13 @@
      */
     private static Properties loadProperties( File file )
     {
+        FileInputStream fis;
         try
         {
             if ( file.exists() )
             {
-                return loadProperties( new FileInputStream (file) );
+                fis = new FileInputStream (file);
+                return loadProperties(fis);
             }
         }
         catch ( Exception e )
@@ -711,6 +713,10 @@
             // ignore
             log.debug("Unexpected error loading properties", e);
         }
+        finally {
+            if (fis != null)
+               fis.close();
+        }
 
         return null;
     }