diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/ClearForkedContextMojo.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/ClearForkedContextMojo.java
index 3aae33b9bc..d8e77023fe 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/ClearForkedContextMojo.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/ClearForkedContextMojo.java
@@ -7,24 +7,27 @@ import org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject;
 
 /**
  * Remove the execution-project used during the fork, now that the forking mojo is finished executing.
- * 
+ *
  * @author jdcasey
  *
  */
 public class ClearForkedContextMojo
     extends AbstractMojo
 {
-    
+
     private MavenProject project;
-    
+
     private int forkId = -1;
-    
+
     public void execute()
         throws MojoExecutionException, MojoFailureException
     {
         getLog().info( "Cleaning up forked execution context [fork id: " + forkId + "]" );
-        
-        project.clearExecutionProject();
+
+        if ( project != null )
+        {
+            project.clearExecutionProject();
+        }
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/EndForkedExecutionMojo.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/EndForkedExecutionMojo.java
index 3f170992f4..b87f8beade 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/EndForkedExecutionMojo.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/EndForkedExecutionMojo.java
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@ import org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject;
 /**
  * Restore the lifecycle execution context's current-project, and set the project instance from the
  * forked execution to project.getExecutionProject() for the forking mojo to use.
- * 
+ *
  * @author jdcasey
  *
  */
 public class EndForkedExecutionMojo
     extends AbstractMojo
 {
-    
+
     private int forkId = -1;
 
     private BuildContextManager buildContextManager;
@@ -26,13 +26,16 @@ public class EndForkedExecutionMojo
         throws MojoExecutionException, MojoFailureException
     {
         getLog().info( "Ending forked execution [fork id: " + forkId + "]" );
-        
+
         LifecycleExecutionContext ctx = LifecycleExecutionContext.read( buildContextManager );
         MavenProject executionProject = ctx.removeForkedProject();
-        
+
         MavenProject project = ctx.getCurrentProject();
-        project.setExecutionProject( executionProject );
-        
+        if ( ( project != null ) && ( executionProject != null ) )
+        {
+            project.setExecutionProject( executionProject );
+        }
+
         ctx.store( buildContextManager );
     }
 
diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/StartForkedExecutionMojo.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/StartForkedExecutionMojo.java
index 5d881f076e..e032bdf0b5 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/StartForkedExecutionMojo.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/lifecycle/statemgmt/StartForkedExecutionMojo.java
@@ -9,27 +9,30 @@ import org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject;
 
 /**
  * Setup a new project instance for the forked executions to use.
- * 
+ *
  * @author jdcasey
  *
  */
 public class StartForkedExecutionMojo
     extends AbstractMojo
 {
-    
+
     private MavenProject project;
-    
+
     private int forkId = -1;
-    
+
     private BuildContextManager buildContextManager;
 
     public void execute()
         throws MojoExecutionException, MojoFailureException
     {
         getLog().info( "Starting forked execution [fork id: " + forkId + "]" );
-        
+
         LifecycleExecutionContext ctx = LifecycleExecutionContext.read( buildContextManager );
-        ctx.addForkedProject( new MavenProject( project ) );
+        if ( project != null )
+        {
+            ctx.addForkedProject( new MavenProject( project ) );
+        }
         ctx.store( buildContextManager );
     }
 
diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/resources/META-INF/maven/plugin.xml b/maven-core/src/main/resources/META-INF/maven/plugin.xml
index 7f1fa9a6fd..6a912e154c 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/resources/META-INF/maven/plugin.xml
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/resources/META-INF/maven/plugin.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
       <goal>start-fork</goal>
       <description>Setup the appropriate build state to initiate a forked execution.</description>
       <requiresDirectInvocation>false</requiresDirectInvocation>
-      <requiresProject>true</requiresProject>
+      <requiresProject>false</requiresProject>
       <requiresReports>false</requiresReports>
       <aggregator>false</aggregator>
       <requiresOnline>false</requiresOnline>
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
       <goal>end-fork</goal>
       <description>Restore the non-fork currentProject instance, for use in the forking mojo.</description>
       <requiresDirectInvocation>false</requiresDirectInvocation>
-      <requiresProject>true</requiresProject>
+      <requiresProject>false</requiresProject>
       <requiresReports>false</requiresReports>
       <aggregator>false</aggregator>
       <requiresOnline>false</requiresOnline>
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
       <goal>clear-fork-context</goal>
       <description>Tear down any build state used during the previous forked execution.</description>
       <requiresDirectInvocation>false</requiresDirectInvocation>
-      <requiresProject>true</requiresProject>
+      <requiresProject>false</requiresProject>
       <requiresReports>false</requiresReports>
       <aggregator>false</aggregator>
       <requiresOnline>false</requiresOnline>
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
       <goal>resolve-late-bound-plugin</goal>
       <description>Resolve a late-bound plugin during a build, right before it is to be used.</description>
       <requiresDirectInvocation>false</requiresDirectInvocation>
-      <requiresProject>true</requiresProject>
+      <requiresProject>false</requiresProject>
       <requiresReports>false</requiresReports>
       <aggregator>false</aggregator>
       <requiresOnline>false</requiresOnline>