diff --git a/maven-plugins/maven-ear-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/ear/ApplicationXmlWriter.java b/maven-plugins/maven-ear-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/ear/ApplicationXmlWriter.java
index 9df9fdeaf5..9f1e2a377d 100644
--- a/maven-plugins/maven-ear-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/ear/ApplicationXmlWriter.java
+++ b/maven-plugins/maven-ear-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/ear/ApplicationXmlWriter.java
@@ -76,13 +76,6 @@ public final class ApplicationXmlWriter
             writer = initializeRootElementOneDotFour( w );
         }
 
-        if ( displayName != null )
-        {
-            writer.startElement( "display-name" );
-            writer.writeText( displayName );
-            writer.endElement();
-        }
-
         if ( description != null )
         {
             writer.startElement( "description" );
@@ -90,6 +83,13 @@ public final class ApplicationXmlWriter
             writer.endElement();
         }
 
+        if ( displayName != null )
+        {
+            writer.startElement( "display-name" );
+            writer.writeText( displayName );
+            writer.endElement();
+        }
+
         Iterator i = earModules.iterator();
         while ( i.hasNext() )
         {