web.xml encoding causes error org.xml.sax.SAXParseException: Document root element is missing.

[Migrated From Jforum.net]

I could not produce this on the Jira page. The web.xml in version 2.1.4 is encoded as UTF8 with a BOM encoding. Tomcat with 5.0.16 Java 1.4.2_07-b05 creates a crimson exception

org.xml.sax.SAXParseException: Document root element is missing.

with a BOM (see http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=499493&start=15&tstart=0)

I worked arround this by loading the web.xml in JEdit abnd saving as UTF-8 without BOM
[originally posted on jforum.net by Anonymous]

[Migrated From Jforum.net]

This probably should not be a bug as it works with later Tomcat versions.
[originally posted on jforum.net by Anonymous]