diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/BootstrapForTesting.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/BootstrapForTesting.java
index 83ae87580bb..a7b9043f350 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/BootstrapForTesting.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/BootstrapForTesting.java
@@ -106,6 +106,13 @@ public class BootstrapForTesting {
                 if (Strings.hasLength(System.getProperty("tests.config"))) {
                     perms.add(new FilePermission(System.getProperty("tests.config"), "read,readlink"));
                 }
+                // jacoco coverage output file
+                if (Boolean.getBoolean("tests.coverage")) {
+                    Path coverageDir = PathUtils.get(System.getProperty("tests.coverage.dir"));
+                    perms.add(new FilePermission(coverageDir.resolve("jacoco.exec").toString(), "read,write"));
+                    // in case we get fancy and use the -integration goals later:
+                    perms.add(new FilePermission(coverageDir.resolve("jacoco-it.exec").toString(), "read,write"));
+                }
                 Policy.setPolicy(new ESPolicy(perms));
                 System.setSecurityManager(new TestSecurityManager());
                 Security.selfTest();
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 1379d3b65c4..c25d62f1fc8 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
         <jackson.version>2.5.3</jackson.version>
         <slf4j.version>1.6.2</slf4j.version>
         <log4j.version>1.2.17</log4j.version>
-        <jacoco.version>0.7.2.201409121644</jacoco.version>
+        <jacoco.version>0.7.5.201505241946</jacoco.version>
         <elasticsearch.s3.repository>s3://download.elasticsearch.org/elasticsearch/staging/</elasticsearch.s3.repository>
 
         <!-- Build resources properties -->
@@ -646,6 +646,8 @@
                             <tests.showSuccess>${tests.showSuccess}</tests.showSuccess>
                             <tests.thirdparty>${tests.thirdparty}</tests.thirdparty>
                             <tests.config>${tests.config}</tests.config>
+                            <tests.coverage>${tests.coverage}</tests.coverage>
+                            <tests.coverage.dir>${project.build.directory}</tests.coverage.dir>
                             <tests.client.ratio>${tests.client.ratio}</tests.client.ratio>
                             <tests.enable_mock_modules>${tests.enable_mock_modules}</tests.enable_mock_modules>
                             <tests.assertion.disabled>${tests.assertion.disabled}</tests.assertion.disabled>
@@ -1415,7 +1417,8 @@ org.eclipse.jdt.ui.text.custom_code_templates=<?xml version\="1.0" encoding\="UT
                 </property>
             </activation>
             <properties>
-                <tests.security.manager>false</tests.security.manager> <!-- security policy doesn't have appropriate permissions for instrumentation -->
+                <!-- in case activated otherwise -->
+                <tests.coverage>true</tests.coverage>
             </properties>
             <build>
                 <plugins>