diff --git a/backends.py b/backends.py
index 4d497cdce..9fb00c712 100644
--- a/backends.py
+++ b/backends.py
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ class Backend():
         commands = ['c']
         elem = NinjaBuildElement(outname_rel, jar_rule, obj_list)
         elem.add_item('LINK_FLAGS', commands)
-        return elem
+        elem.write(outfile)
 
     def generate_single_java_compile(self, src, target, compiler, outfile):
         buildtype = self.environment.coredata.buildtype
diff --git a/test cases/java/1 basic/com/sourceforge/meson/Simple.java b/test cases/java/1 basic/com/sourceforge/meson/Simple.java
index 1a0a3b4d9..ef90190e3 100644
--- a/test cases/java/1 basic/com/sourceforge/meson/Simple.java	
+++ b/test cases/java/1 basic/com/sourceforge/meson/Simple.java	
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@ package com.sourceforge.meson;
 
 class Simple {
     public static void main(String [] args) {
-        System.out.println("Is working.\n");
+        System.out.println("Java is working.\n");
     }
 }