diff --git a/maven-plugin-api/src/main/mdo/plugin.mdo b/maven-plugin-api/src/main/mdo/plugin.mdo
index 8eae096efb..5af6aca4fc 100644
--- a/maven-plugin-api/src/main/mdo/plugin.mdo
+++ b/maven-plugin-api/src/main/mdo/plugin.mdo
@@ -430,6 +430,12 @@ under the License.
           <type>String</type>
           <description>Parameter expression.</description>
         </field>
+        <field xml.attribute="true" xml.tagName="implementation">
+          <name>implementation</name>
+          <version>1.0.0</version>
+          <type>String</type>
+          <description></description>
+        </field>
         <field xml.attribute="true" xml.tagName="default-value">
           <name>defaultValue</name>
           <version>1.0.0</version>
diff --git a/maven-plugin-api/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/descriptor/PluginDescriptorBuilderTest.java b/maven-plugin-api/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/descriptor/PluginDescriptorBuilderTest.java
index 89b48907b8..5fbf76e001 100644
--- a/maven-plugin-api/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/descriptor/PluginDescriptorBuilderTest.java
+++ b/maven-plugin-api/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/descriptor/PluginDescriptorBuilderTest.java
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ public class PluginDescriptorBuilderTest
 
         assertEquals( "${jar.finalName}", pc.getValue() );
         assertEquals( "${project.build.finalName}", pc.getAttribute( "default-value" ) );
+        assertEquals( "java.lang.String", pc.getAttribute( "implementation" ) );
 
         Parameter mp = md.getParameters().get( 0 );
 
diff --git a/maven-plugin-api/src/test/resources/plugin.xml b/maven-plugin-api/src/test/resources/plugin.xml
index 40840b0ba1..c5d4e8a467 100644
--- a/maven-plugin-api/src/test/resources/plugin.xml
+++ b/maven-plugin-api/src/test/resources/plugin.xml
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
         </parameter>
       </parameters>
       <configuration>
-        <finalName default-value="${project.build.finalName}">${jar.finalName}</finalName>
+        <finalName implementation="java.lang.String" default-value="${project.build.finalName}">${jar.finalName}</finalName>
       </configuration>
       <requirements>
         <requirement>