--- a/gcc/libjava/prims.cc	
+++ a/gcc/libjava/prims.cc	
@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ 
 #endif
 
 #ifndef DISABLE_GETENV_PROPERTIES
-#include <ctype.h>
 #include <java-props.h>
 #define PROCESS_GCJ_PROPERTIES process_gcj_properties()
 #else
 #define PROCESS_GCJ_PROPERTIES
 #endif // DISABLE_GETENV_PROPERTIES
 
+#define c_isspace(c) (memchr (" \t\n\r\v\f", c, 6) != NULL)
+
 #include <java/lang/Class.h>
 #include <java/lang/ClassLoader.h>
 #include <java/lang/Runtime.h>
@@ -993,7 +994,7 @@ 
   JvAssert (s);
 
   // Skip over whitespace
-  while (isspace (*s))
+  while (c_isspace (*s))
     s++;
 
   // If we've reached the end, return NULL.  Also return NULL if for
@@ -1005,7 +1006,7 @@ 
 
   // Determine the length of the property key.
   while (s[l] != 0
-        && ! isspace (s[l])
+        && ! c_isspace (s[l])
         && s[l] != ':'
         && s[l] != '=')
     {
@@ -1027,19 +1028,19 @@ 
 
   JvAssert (s);
 
-  while (isspace (*s))
+  while (c_isspace (*s))
     s++;
 
   if (*s == ':'
       || *s == '=')
     s++;
 
-  while (isspace (*s))
+  while (c_isspace (*s))
     s++;
 
   // Determine the length of the property value.
   while (s[l] != 0
-        && ! isspace (s[l])
+        && ! c_isspace (s[l])
         && s[l] != ':'
         && s[l] != '=')
     {