diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/commons/lang/ClassUtils.java b/src/java/org/apache/commons/lang/ClassUtils.java
index d1c08f822..e54fe24a1 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/commons/lang/ClassUtils.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/commons/lang/ClassUtils.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
  * @author Gary Gregory
  * @author Norm Deane
  * @since 2.0
- * @version $Id: ClassUtils.java,v 1.34 2004/12/19 22:35:38 scolebourne Exp $
+ * @version $Id: ClassUtils.java,v 1.35 2005/01/27 06:45:11 bayard Exp $
  */
 public class ClassUtils {
 
@@ -480,6 +480,79 @@ public class ClassUtils {
         }
         return convertedClasses;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * <p>Enhanced version of java.lang.Class.forName(String) that can handle 
+     * primitive types and arrays using the Foo[] notation. 
+     *
+     * @param name the fully qualified name of the class to create
+     * @return the desired class
+     * @since 2.1
+     */
+    public static Class forName(String name) throws ClassNotFoundException {
+        String fixedName = name;
+        if(name.endsWith("[]")) {
+            fixedName = "[L" + name.substring(0, name.length() - "[]".length()) + ";";
+        }
+        try {
+            return Class.forName(fixedName);
+        } catch(ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
+            // try primitives
+            if("boolean".equals(name)) {
+                return boolean.class;
+            } else
+            if("char".equals(name)) {
+                return char.class;
+            } else
+            if("byte".equals(name)) {
+                return byte.class;
+            } else
+            if("short".equals(name)) {
+                return short.class;
+            } else
+            if("int".equals(name)) {
+                return int.class;
+            } else
+            if("long".equals(name)) {
+                return long.class;
+            } else
+            if("float".equals(name)) {
+                return float.class;
+            } else
+            if("double".equals(name)) {
+                return double.class;
+            }
+
+            // try primitive arrays
+            if("boolean[]".equals(name)) {
+                return boolean[].class;
+            } else
+            if("char[]".equals(name)) {
+                return char[].class;
+            } else
+            if("byte[]".equals(name)) {
+                return byte[].class;
+            } else
+            if("short[]".equals(name)) {
+                return short[].class;
+            } else
+            if("int[]".equals(name)) {
+                return int[].class;
+            } else
+            if("long[]".equals(name)) {
+                return long[].class;
+            } else
+            if("float[]".equals(name)) {
+                return float[].class;
+            } else
+            if("double[]".equals(name)) {
+                return double[].class;
+            }
+
+            throw cnfe;
+        }
+
+    }
     
     // Inner class
     // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/test/org/apache/commons/lang/ClassUtilsTest.java b/src/test/org/apache/commons/lang/ClassUtilsTest.java
index 555950c8b..d2181fb74 100644
--- a/src/test/org/apache/commons/lang/ClassUtilsTest.java
+++ b/src/test/org/apache/commons/lang/ClassUtilsTest.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import junit.textui.TestRunner;
  *
  * @author Stephen Colebourne
  * @author Gary D. Gregory
- * @version $Id: ClassUtilsTest.java,v 1.14 2004/12/19 22:35:38 scolebourne Exp $
+ * @version $Id: ClassUtilsTest.java,v 1.15 2005/01/27 06:45:11 bayard Exp $
  */
 public class ClassUtilsTest extends TestCase {
 
@@ -389,6 +389,35 @@ public class ClassUtilsTest extends TestCase {
         assertNotSame("unmodified", noPrimitives, ClassUtils.primitivesToWrappers(noPrimitives));
     }
 
+    public void testForName() {
+        String[] names = new String[] {
+            "boolean", "char", "byte", "short", "int", "long", "float", "double", 
+            "boolean[]", "char[]", "byte[]", "short[]", "int[]", "long[]", "float[]", "double[]", 
+            "java.lang.Object[]", "java.lang.String", "java.lang.String[]"
+        };
+
+        Class[] classes = new Class[] {
+            boolean.class, char.class, byte.class, short.class, int.class, long.class, float.class, double.class, 
+            boolean[].class, char[].class, byte[].class, short[].class, int[].class, long[].class, float[].class, double[].class, 
+            Object[].class, String.class, String[].class
+        };
+
+        for(int i=0; i<names.length; i++) {
+            try {
+                assertEquals( "Incorrect class found. ", classes[i], ClassUtils.forName(names[i]) );
+            } catch(ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
+                fail("Failed to find class for '" + names[i] + "'");
+            }
+        }
+
+        try {
+            ClassUtils.forName("SomeSillyMadeUpClassName");
+            fail("Non-existent classname should have thrown an exception. ");
+        } catch(ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
+            // should fail
+        }
+    }
+
     public static ClassLoader newSystemClassLoader() throws  SecurityException, IllegalArgumentException {
     	ClassLoader scl = ClassLoader.getSystemClassLoader();
     	if (!(scl instanceof URLClassLoader)) {