diff --git a/maven-core-it-verifier/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/it/Verifier.java b/maven-core-it-verifier/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/it/Verifier.java
index 6c248e39dd..05878e16d6 100644
--- a/maven-core-it-verifier/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/it/Verifier.java
+++ b/maven-core-it-verifier/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/it/Verifier.java
@@ -388,11 +388,6 @@ public void executeGoals( String filename )
     {
         String mavenHome = System.getProperty( "maven.home" );
 
-        if ( mavenHome == null )
-        {
-            throw new VerificationException( "maven.home has not been specified" );
-        }
-
         List goals = loadFile( basedir, filename );
 
         if ( goals.size() == 0 )
@@ -414,7 +409,17 @@ public void executeGoals( String filename )
 
             cli.setWorkingDirectory( basedir );
 
-            cli.setExecutable( "m2" );
+            String executable;
+            if ( mavenHome != null )
+            {
+                executable = mavenHome + "/bin/m2";
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                executable = "m2";
+            }
+
+            cli.setExecutable( executable );
 
             for ( Iterator i = allGoals.iterator(); i.hasNext(); )
             {
diff --git a/maven-core-it/maven-core-it.sh b/maven-core-it/maven-core-it.sh
index ecb2b49313..08e5f5c3de 100755
--- a/maven-core-it/maven-core-it.sh
+++ b/maven-core-it/maven-core-it.sh
@@ -6,18 +6,8 @@ cp=../maven-core-it-verifier/target/maven-core-it-verifier-1.0.jar
 
 verifier=org.apache.maven.it.Verifier
 
-# TODO: need a consistent way to discover M2_HOME across this, bootstrap and m2 itself, as well as have a sensible
-# default, and a way to override. There must be only one way.
-# I like the idea of using the one in the path, or using -Dmaven.home to override
-# The m2 shell script should not care what installation it is in - it should use the installation defined on the
-# command line
-
 jvm_args="$@"
 
-if [ ! -z "$M2_HOME" ]; then
-  jvm_args="$jvm_args -Dmaven.home=$M2_HOME"
-fi
-
 if [ ! -z "$MAVEN_OPTS" ]; then
   jvm_args="$jvm_args $MAVEN_OPTS"
 fi
@@ -32,6 +22,11 @@ esac
 if $cygwin ; then
   [ -n "$JAVA_HOME" ] && JAVA_HOME=`cygpath -w "$JAVA_HOME"`
   export JAVA_HOME
+  [ -n "$M2_HOME" ] && M2_HOME=`cygpath -w "$M2_HOME"`
+fi
+
+if [ ! -z "$M2_HOME" ]; then
+  jvm_args=$jvm_args "-Dmaven.home=$M2_HOME"
 fi
 
 java $jvm_args -cp "$cp" $verifier