diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 6484a356857..3d52d4ab279 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os
 subprojects {
   group = 'org.elasticsearch'
   version = org.elasticsearch.gradle.VersionProperties.elasticsearch
+  description = "Elasticsearch subproject ${project.path}"
 
   // we only use maven publish to add tasks for pom generation
   plugins.withType(MavenPublishPlugin).whenPluginAdded {
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
index 2cfd98f276f..029c80b6e25 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.elasticsearch.gradle
 
 import nebula.plugin.extraconfigurations.ProvidedBasePlugin
+import nebula.plugin.publishing.maven.MavenBasePublishPlugin
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.precommit.PrecommitTasks
 import org.gradle.api.GradleException
 import org.gradle.api.JavaVersion
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ import org.gradle.api.artifacts.ResolvedArtifact
 import org.gradle.api.artifacts.dsl.RepositoryHandler
 import org.gradle.api.artifacts.maven.MavenPom
 import org.gradle.api.publish.maven.MavenPublication
-import org.gradle.api.publish.maven.plugins.MavenPublishPlugin
 import org.gradle.api.publish.maven.tasks.GenerateMavenPom
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.bundling.Jar
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.compile.JavaCompile
@@ -343,8 +343,8 @@ class BuildPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
     }
 
     /**Configuration generation of maven poms. */
-    private static void configurePomGeneration(Project project) {
-        project.plugins.withType(MavenPublishPlugin.class).whenPluginAdded {
+    public static void configurePomGeneration(Project project) {
+        project.plugins.withType(MavenBasePublishPlugin.class).whenPluginAdded {
             project.publishing {
                 publications {
                     all { MavenPublication publication -> // we only deal with maven
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/plugin/PluginBuildPlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/plugin/PluginBuildPlugin.groovy
index 36770ab35f7..7ff83f4eae3 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/plugin/PluginBuildPlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/plugin/PluginBuildPlugin.groovy
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.gradle.plugin
 
+import nebula.plugin.publishing.maven.MavenBasePublishPlugin
 import nebula.plugin.publishing.maven.MavenManifestPlugin
 import nebula.plugin.publishing.maven.MavenScmPlugin
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.BuildPlugin
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ public class PluginBuildPlugin extends BuildPlugin {
             } else {
                 project.integTest.clusterConfig.plugin(name, project.bundlePlugin.outputs.files)
                 project.tasks.run.clusterConfig.plugin(name, project.bundlePlugin.outputs.files)
-                configurePomGeneration(project)
+                addPomGeneration(project)
             }
 
             project.namingConventions {
@@ -131,9 +132,9 @@ public class PluginBuildPlugin extends BuildPlugin {
     /**
      * Adds the plugin jar and zip as publications.
      */
-    private static void configurePomGeneration(Project project) {
+    protected static void addPomGeneration(Project project) {
+        project.plugins.apply(MavenBasePublishPlugin.class)
         project.plugins.apply(MavenScmPlugin.class)
-        project.plugins.apply(MavenManifestPlugin.class)
 
         project.publishing {
             publications {
diff --git a/distribution/build.gradle b/distribution/build.gradle
index 44949cd0604..40fb6b64f99 100644
--- a/distribution/build.gradle
+++ b/distribution/build.gradle
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 import org.apache.tools.ant.filters.FixCrLfFilter
 import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.BuildPlugin
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.EmptyDirTask
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.MavenFilteringHack
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.precommit.DependencyLicensesTask
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ subprojects {
    *****************************************************************************/
   // note: the group must be correct before applying the nexus plugin, or it will capture the wrong value...
   project.group = "org.elasticsearch.distribution.${project.name}"
+  project.archivesBaseName = 'elasticsearch'
   apply plugin: 'com.bmuschko.nexus'
   // we must create our own install task, because it is only added when the java plugin is added
   task install(type: Upload, description: "Installs the 'archives' artifacts into the local Maven repository.", group: 'Upload') {
@@ -162,6 +164,8 @@ subprojects {
    /*****************************************************************************
    *                           Publishing setup                                *
    *****************************************************************************/
+  BuildPlugin.configurePomGeneration(project)
+  apply plugin: 'nebula.info-scm'
   apply plugin: 'nebula.maven-base-publish'
   apply plugin: 'nebula.maven-scm'
   publishing {