diff --git a/maven-plugins/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/PluginFailureResponse.java b/maven-plugins/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/PluginFailureResponse.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..487836b7b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maven-plugins/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/PluginFailureResponse.java
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package org.apache.maven.plugin.plugin;
+
+import org.apache.maven.plugin.FailureResponse;
+
+/**
+ * @author <a href="mailto:evenisse@apache.org">Emmanuel Venisse</a>
+ * @version $Id$
+ */
+public class PluginFailureResponse
+    extends FailureResponse
+{
+    private String LS = System.getProperty( "line.separator" );
+
+    private String message;
+
+    public PluginFailureResponse( Object o )
+    {
+        super( o );
+    }
+
+    public String shortMessage()
+    {
+        return (String) source;
+    }
+
+    public String longMessage()
+    {
+        return shortMessage();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/maven-plugins/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/PluginInstallMojo.java b/maven-plugins/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/PluginInstallMojo.java
index 3fe1a1891f..1c8e23903d 100644
--- a/maven-plugins/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/PluginInstallMojo.java
+++ b/maven-plugins/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/PluginInstallMojo.java
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@ public void execute( PluginExecutionRequest request, PluginExecutionResponse res
 
         ArtifactRepository localRepository = (ArtifactRepository) request.getParameter( "localRepository" );
 
+        if ( ! "plugin".equals( project.getType() ) )
+        {
+            response.setExecutionFailure( true, new PluginFailureResponse( "This project isn't a plugin." ) );
+
+            return;
+        }
+
         Artifact artifact = new DefaultArtifact( project.getGroupId(),
                                                  project.getArtifactId(),
                                                  project.getVersion(),