diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index 202f3d0ce13..0cff87bd51c 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ Release 0.91.0 - Unreleased
                (rpc version 43)
    HBASE-3563  [site] Add one-page-only version of hbase doc
    HBASE-3564  DemoClient.pl - a demo client in Perl
+   HBASE-3560  the hbase-default entry of "hbase.defaults.for.version" 
+   	       causes tests not to run via not-maven
 
 
   NEW FEATURES
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/HBaseConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/HBaseConfiguration.java
index 5666bc3b1fd..e2a3089f86e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/HBaseConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/HBaseConfiguration.java
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ public class HBaseConfiguration extends Configuration {
   }
 
   private static void checkDefaultsVersion(Configuration conf) {
+    if (conf.getBoolean("hbase.defaults.for.version.skip", Boolean.FALSE)) return;
     String defaultsVersion = conf.get("hbase.defaults.for.version");
     String thisVersion = VersionInfo.getVersion();
     if (!thisVersion.equals(defaultsVersion)) {
diff --git a/src/main/resources/hbase-default.xml b/src/main/resources/hbase-default.xml
index 67a9c0c26fe..9f188a46337 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/hbase-default.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/hbase-default.xml
@@ -619,4 +619,17 @@
     classpath.
     </description>
   </property>
+  <property>
+    <name>hbase.defaults.for.version.skip</name>
+    <value>false</value>
+    <description>
+    Set to true to skip the 'hbase.defaults.for.version' check.
+    Setting this to true can be useful in contexts other than
+    the other side of a maven generation; i.e. running in an
+    ide.  You'll want to set this boolean to true to avoid
+    seeing the RuntimException complaint: "hbase-default.xml file
+    seems to be for and old version of HBase (@@@VERSION@@@), this
+    version is X.X.X-SNAPSHOT"
+    </description>
+  </property>
 </configuration>
diff --git a/src/test/resources/hbase-site.xml b/src/test/resources/hbase-site.xml
index 641ef670a51..37f1bab98c2 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/hbase-site.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/hbase-site.xml
@@ -127,4 +127,17 @@
     The port at which the clients will connect.
     </description>
   </property>
+  <property>
+    <name>hbase.defaults.for.version.skip</name>
+    <value>true</value>
+    <description>
+    Set to true to skip the 'hbase.defaults.for.version'.
+    Setting this to true can be useful in contexts other than
+    the other side of a maven generation; i.e. running in an
+    ide.  You'll want to set this boolean to true to avoid
+    seeing the RuntimException complaint: "hbase-default.xml file
+    seems to be for and old version of HBase (@@@VERSION@@@), this
+    version is X.X.X-SNAPSHOT"
+    </description>
+  </property>
 </configuration>