diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/ChangeLog b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/ChangeLog
index aaa75df634e..2a9736696ed 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/ChangeLog
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2004-01-29 Alain Magloire
+
+	PR #50846 and patch from Alex Chapiro
+
+	* utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/spawner/EnvironmentReader.java
+
 2004-01-26 John Camelon
 	Updated clients to use new Scanner logging service.
 	
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/spawner/EnvironmentReader.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/spawner/EnvironmentReader.java
index ec853a3005f..285370a6b83 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/spawner/EnvironmentReader.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/spawner/EnvironmentReader.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ public class EnvironmentReader {
 	public static Properties getEnvVars() {
 
 		if (null != envVars)
-			return envVars;
+			return (Properties)envVars.clone();
 
 		String OS = System.getProperty("os.name").toLowerCase();
 		Process p = null;
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ public class EnvironmentReader {
 			}
 		}
 		rawVars.trimToSize();
-		return envVars;
+		return (Properties)envVars.clone();
 	}
 
 	public static String getEnvVar(String key) {