diff --git a/cache-ehcache/pom.xml b/cache-ehcache/pom.xml
index f97d0ba5f1..08030c7c57 100644
--- a/cache-ehcache/pom.xml
+++ b/cache-ehcache/pom.xml
@@ -45,14 +45,12 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>cglib</groupId>
             <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
-            <version>2.2</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>javassist</groupId>
             <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
-            <version>3.4.GA</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
-</project>
\ No newline at end of file
+</project>
diff --git a/cache-jbosscache/pom.xml b/cache-jbosscache/pom.xml
index 7d857d4af1..c6702c9b05 100644
--- a/cache-jbosscache/pom.xml
+++ b/cache-jbosscache/pom.xml
@@ -72,53 +72,21 @@
             <version>1.8.0.2</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>commons-logging</groupId>
-            <artifactId>commons-logging</artifactId>
-            <version>99.0-does-not-exist</version>
-            <scope>test</scope>
-        </dependency>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>commons-logging</groupId>
-            <artifactId>commons-logging-api</artifactId>
-            <version>99.0-does-not-exist</version>
-            <scope>test</scope>
-        </dependency>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
-            <artifactId>jcl104-over-slf4j</artifactId>
-            <version>1.4.2</version>
-            <scope>test</scope>
-        </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
             <artifactId>slf4j-log4j12</artifactId>
-            <version>1.4.2</version>
-            <scope>test</scope>
-        </dependency>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>log4j</groupId>
-            <artifactId>log4j</artifactId>
-            <version>1.2.14</version>
+            <version>${slf4jVersion}</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <!-- these are optional on core... :( -->
         <dependency>
             <groupId>javassist</groupId>
             <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
-            <version>3.4.GA</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>cglib</groupId>
             <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
-            <version>2.2</version>
-            <scope>test</scope>
-        </dependency>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>asm</groupId>
-            <artifactId>asm</artifactId>
-            <version>3.1</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
diff --git a/cache-jbosscache2/pom.xml b/cache-jbosscache2/pom.xml
index 9cdaaa40f1..81ce1efbf8 100644
--- a/cache-jbosscache2/pom.xml
+++ b/cache-jbosscache2/pom.xml
@@ -45,13 +45,11 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>cglib</groupId>
             <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
-            <version>2.2</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>javassist</groupId>
             <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
-            <version>3.4.GA</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
diff --git a/core/pom.xml b/core/pom.xml
index f078d4df18..d9d17b106b 100644
--- a/core/pom.xml
+++ b/core/pom.xml
@@ -30,6 +30,18 @@
             <artifactId>dom4j</artifactId>
         </dependency>
 
+        <!-- optional deps for bytecode providers until those are finally properly scoped -->
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>javassist</groupId>
+            <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
+            <optional>true</optional>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>cglib</groupId>
+            <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
+            <optional>true</optional>
+        </dependency>
+
         <dependency>
             <!-- YUCK, YUCK, YUCK!!!! -->
             <groupId>javax.transaction</groupId>
@@ -54,20 +66,6 @@
             <version>1.6.5</version>
             <scope>provided</scope>
         </dependency>
-
-        <!-- optional deps for bytecode providers until those are finally properly scoped -->
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>javassist</groupId>
-            <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
-            <version>3.4.GA</version>
-            <optional>true</optional>
-        </dependency>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>cglib</groupId>
-            <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
-            <version>2.2</version>
-            <optional>true</optional>
-        </dependency>
     </dependencies>
 
     <build>
diff --git a/distribution/pom.xml b/distribution/pom.xml
index 96c5bf74cd..ddb8094944 100644
--- a/distribution/pom.xml
+++ b/distribution/pom.xml
@@ -117,13 +117,11 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>javassist</groupId>
             <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
-            <version>3.4.GA</version>
             <optional>true</optional>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>cglib</groupId>
             <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
-            <version>2.2</version>
             <optional>true</optional>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
diff --git a/documentation/manual/pom.xml b/documentation/manual/pom.xml
index b05a298eba..40b05316ff 100644
--- a/documentation/manual/pom.xml
+++ b/documentation/manual/pom.xml
@@ -107,4 +107,24 @@
         </plugins>
     </build>
 
+
+    <properties>
+        <skipTranslations>true</skipTranslations>
+    </properties>
+
+    <profiles>
+        <profile>
+            <id>processTransations</id>
+            <activation>
+                <property>
+                    <name>processTransations</name>
+                    <value>true</value>
+                </property>
+            </activation>
+            <properties>
+                <skipTranslations>false</skipTranslations>
+            </properties>
+        </profile>
+    </profiles>
+
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/parent/pom.xml b/parent/pom.xml
index 78033257d7..262cb3c5d6 100644
--- a/parent/pom.xml
+++ b/parent/pom.xml
@@ -334,6 +334,18 @@
                 <artifactId>dom4j</artifactId>
                 <version>1.6.1</version>
             </dependency>
+            <!-- javassist is optional, but if defined it should be version 3.9.0 -->
+            <dependency>
+                <groupId>javassist</groupId>
+                <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
+                <version>3.9.0.GA</version>
+            </dependency>
+            <!-- cglib is optional, but if defined it should be version 2.2 -->
+            <dependency>
+                <groupId>cglib</groupId>
+                <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
+                <version>2.2</version>
+            </dependency>
         </dependencies>
     </dependencyManagement>
 
diff --git a/testsuite/pom.xml b/testsuite/pom.xml
index 121ea15e0c..102046c331 100644
--- a/testsuite/pom.xml
+++ b/testsuite/pom.xml
@@ -31,12 +31,10 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>javassist</groupId>
             <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
-            <version>3.4.GA</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>cglib</groupId>
             <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
-            <version>2.2</version>
         </dependency>
         <!-- optional dom4j dependency; needed here for dom4j (de)serialization -->
         <dependency>
diff --git a/tutorials/pom.xml b/tutorials/pom.xml
index 72bdd2a47a..f51def877a 100644
--- a/tutorials/pom.xml
+++ b/tutorials/pom.xml
@@ -62,17 +62,10 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>javassist</groupId>
             <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
-            <version>3.4.GA</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>cglib</groupId>
             <artifactId>cglib</artifactId>
-            <version>2.2</version>
-        </dependency>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>asm</groupId>
-            <artifactId>asm-attrs</artifactId>
-            <version>1.5.3</version>
         </dependency>
         <!-- optional dom4j dependency; needed here for dom4j (de)serialization -->
         <dependency>