diff --git a/lib/rdoc/ri/task.rb b/lib/rdoc/ri/task.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..199c5eee8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rdoc/ri/task.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+require 'rubygems'
+begin
+  gem 'rdoc'
+rescue Gem::LoadError
+end unless defined?(RDoc)
+
+require 'rdoc/task'
+
+class RDoc::RI::Task < RDoc::Task
+  def clobber_task_description
+    "Remove RDoc RI data files"
+  end
+
+  def defaults
+    super
+    @rdoc_dir = '.rdoc'
+  end
+
+  def rdoc_task_description
+    'Build RDoc RI data files'
+  end
+
+  def rerdoc_task_description
+    'Rebuild RDoc RI data files'
+  end
+end