diff --git a/hibernate-c3p0/hibernate-c3p0.gradle b/hibernate-c3p0/hibernate-c3p0.gradle
index b36b68d020..d260fd0c89 100644
--- a/hibernate-c3p0/hibernate-c3p0.gradle
+++ b/hibernate-c3p0/hibernate-c3p0.gradle
@@ -8,11 +8,15 @@ dependencies {
     compile project( ':hibernate-core' )
     compile( libraries.c3p0 )
 
+    testCompile project( ':hibernate-testing' )
+
     testCompile( libraries.validator ) {
         // for test runtime
         transitive = true
     }
-    testCompile project( ':hibernate-testing' )
+    // EL libraries are provided scope in Validator
+    testRuntime( libraries.expression_language_api )
+    testRuntime( libraries.expression_language_impl )
 }
 
 mavenPom {
diff --git a/hibernate-core/hibernate-core.gradle b/hibernate-core/hibernate-core.gradle
index 55c326ec94..aebf142b8b 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/hibernate-core.gradle
+++ b/hibernate-core/hibernate-core.gradle
@@ -36,16 +36,19 @@ dependencies {
     testCompile( libraries.jandex )
     testCompile( libraries.classmate )
     testCompile( libraries.mockito )
+
     testCompile( libraries.validator ) {
         // for test runtime
         transitive = true
     }
+    testRuntime( libraries.expression_language_api )
+    testRuntime( libraries.expression_language_impl )
+
     // for testing stored procedure support
     testCompile( libraries.derby )
 
     testRuntime( 'jaxen:jaxen:1.1' )
     testRuntime( libraries.javassist )
-    testRuntime( libraries.unified_el )
 }
 
 mavenPom {
diff --git a/libraries.gradle b/libraries.gradle
index 3b56fd4278..38d42557bf 100644
--- a/libraries.gradle
+++ b/libraries.gradle
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ ext {
     bytemanVersion = '2.1.2'
     infinispanVersion = '7.2.1.Final'
     jnpVersion = '5.0.6.CR1'
+    elVersion = '2.2.4'
 
     libraries = [
             // Ant
@@ -69,11 +70,9 @@ ext {
             //Maven plugin framework
             maven_plugin: 'org.apache.maven:maven-plugin-api:3.0.5',
             maven_plugin_tools: 'org.apache.maven.plugin-tools:maven-plugin-annotations:3.2',
-            maven_plugin_tools: 'org.apache.maven.plugin-tools:maven-plugin-annotations:3.2',
 
             // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ testing
 
-            // logging for testing
             log4j:          "log4j:log4j:1.2.17",
             junit:           "junit:junit:${junitVersion}",
             byteman:         "org.jboss.byteman:byteman:${bytemanVersion}",
@@ -81,13 +80,17 @@ ext {
             byteman_bmunit:  "org.jboss.byteman:byteman-bmunit:${bytemanVersion}",
             shrinkwrap_api:  'org.jboss.shrinkwrap:shrinkwrap-api:1.0.0-beta-6',
             shrinkwrap:      'org.jboss.shrinkwrap:shrinkwrap-impl-base:1.0.0-beta-6',
-            validator:       'org.hibernate:hibernate-validator:5.0.1.Final',
             h2:              "com.h2database:h2:${h2Version}",
             derby:           "org.apache.derby:derby:10.9.1.0",
             jboss_jta:       "org.jboss.jbossts:jbossjta:4.16.4.Final",
             xapool:          "com.experlog:xapool:1.5.0",
             mockito:         'org.mockito:mockito-core:1.9.0',
 
+            validator:       'org.hibernate:hibernate-validator:5.2.0.CR1',
+            // EL required by Hibernate Validator at test runtime
+            expression_language_api:  "javax.el:javax.el-api:${elVersion}",
+            expression_language_impl: "org.glassfish.web:javax.el:${elVersion}",
+
             // required by Hibernate Validator at test runtime
             unified_el:      "org.glassfish:javax.el:3.0-b07",