diff --git a/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng5608ProfileActivationWarningTest.java b/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng5608ProfileActivationWarningTest.java
index 410ee41b1f..f80dae3a39 100644
--- a/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng5608ProfileActivationWarningTest.java
+++ b/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng5608ProfileActivationWarningTest.java
@@ -50,12 +50,9 @@ public class MavenITmng5608ProfileActivationWarningTest
         verifier.verifyErrorFreeLog();
         verifier.resetStreams();
 
-        // check expected profiles activated, just for sanity
-        Properties props = verifier.loadProperties( "target/project.properties" );
-        assertEquals( "expected profile exists-basedir", "expected active profile",
-                      props.getProperty( "exists-basedir" ) );
-        assertEquals( "expected profile mng-5608-missing-project.basedir", "expected active profile",
-                      props.getProperty( "mng-5608-missing-project.basedir" ) );
+        // check expected profiles activated, just for sanity (or build should have failed, given other profiles)
+        assertFileExists( testDir, "target/exists-basedir" );
+        assertFileExists( testDir, "target/mng-5608-missing-project.basedir" );
 
         // check that the 2 profiles using ${project.basedir} caused warnings
         List<String> logFile = verifier.loadFile( verifier.getBasedir(), verifier.getLogFileName(), false );
@@ -63,6 +60,12 @@ public class MavenITmng5608ProfileActivationWarningTest
         assertNotNull( findWarning( logFile, "mng-5608-missing-project.basedir" ) );
     }
 
+    private void assertFileExists( File dir, String filename )
+    {
+        File file = new File( dir, filename );
+        assertTrue( "expected file: " + file , file.exists() );
+    }
+
     private String findWarning( List<String> logLines, String profileId )
     {
         Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile( "(?i).*Failed to interpolate file location ..project.basedir./pom.xml for profile " + profileId + ": .*" );
diff --git a/its/core-it-suite/src/test/resources/mng-5608/pom.xml b/its/core-it-suite/src/test/resources/mng-5608/pom.xml
index e1d87174f3..29a2ee648c 100644
--- a/its/core-it-suite/src/test/resources/mng-5608/pom.xml
+++ b/its/core-it-suite/src/test/resources/mng-5608/pom.xml
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ under the License.
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.its.plugins</groupId>
-        <artifactId>maven-it-plugin-uses-properties</artifactId>
+        <artifactId>maven-it-plugin-touch</artifactId>
         <version>2.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <phase>validate</phase>
             <goals>
-              <goal>generate-properties</goal>
+              <goal>touch</goal>
             </goals>
           </execution>
         </executions>
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ under the License.
           <plugin>
             <groupId>org.apache.maven.its.plugins</groupId>
             <artifactId>maven-it-plugin-touch</artifactId>
-            <version>2.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
             <configuration>
               <fail>true</fail><!-- this profile should not be activated -->
             </configuration>
@@ -76,9 +75,17 @@ under the License.
           <missing>${project.basedir}/pom.xml</missing>
         </file>
       </activation>
-      <properties>
-        <mng-5608-missing-project.basedir>expected active profile</mng-5608-missing-project.basedir>
-      </properties>
+      <build>
+        <plugins>
+          <plugin>
+            <groupId>org.apache.maven.its.plugins</groupId>
+            <artifactId>maven-it-plugin-touch</artifactId>
+            <configuration>
+              <pluginItem>mng-5608-missing-project.basedir</pluginItem>
+            </configuration>
+          </plugin>
+        </plugins>
+      </build>
     </profile>
 
     <!-- for reference: ${basedir} supported for profile activation, see MNG-2363 -->
@@ -89,9 +96,17 @@ under the License.
           <exists>${basedir}/pom.xml</exists>
         </file>
       </activation>
-      <properties>
-        <exists-basedir>expected active profile</exists-basedir>
-      </properties>
+      <build>
+        <plugins>
+          <plugin>
+            <groupId>org.apache.maven.its.plugins</groupId>
+            <artifactId>maven-it-plugin-touch</artifactId>
+            <configuration>
+              <goalItem>exists-basedir</goalItem>
+            </configuration>
+          </plugin>
+        </plugins>
+      </build>
     </profile>
     <profile>
       <id>missing-basedir</id>
@@ -105,7 +120,6 @@ under the License.
           <plugin>
             <groupId>org.apache.maven.its.plugins</groupId>
             <artifactId>maven-it-plugin-touch</artifactId>
-            <version>2.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
             <configuration>
               <fail>true</fail><!-- this profile should not be activated -->
             </configuration>