diff --git a/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng3428PluginDescriptorArtifactsIncompleteTest.java b/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng3428PluginDescriptorArtifactsIncompleteTest.java
index 9b23e205d1..f12d3d24f7 100644
--- a/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng3428PluginDescriptorArtifactsIncompleteTest.java
+++ b/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng3428PluginDescriptorArtifactsIncompleteTest.java
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ public class MavenITmng3428PluginDescriptorArtifactsIncompleteTest
 {
     public MavenITmng3428PluginDescriptorArtifactsIncompleteTest()
     {
-        super( "(2.0.8,)" ); // 2.0.8+
+        // core artifacts are deliberately excluded in 3.x (see MNG-4277)
+        super( "(2.0.8,3.0-alpha-1)" ); // 2.0.8+
     }
 
     public void testitMNG3428 ()