diff --git a/dev-tools/integration-tests.xml b/dev-tools/integration-tests.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ad09092e52f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev-tools/integration-tests.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<project name="commercial-integration-tests">
+
+  <import file="${elasticsearch.integ.antfile.default}"/>
+
+  <!-- unzip core release artifact, install license plugin, install plugin, then start ES -->
+  <target name="start-external-cluster-with-plugin" depends="stop-external-cluster" unless="${shouldskip}">
+    <local name="integ.home"/>
+    <local name="integ.repo.home"/>
+    <local name="integ.plugin.url"/>
+    <local name="integ.pid"/>
+
+    <delete dir="${integ.scratch}"/>
+    <unzip src="${org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch:zip}"
+           dest="${integ.scratch}"/>
+
+    <property name="integ.home" location="${integ.scratch}/elasticsearch-${elasticsearch.version}"/>
+    <property name="integ.repo.home" location="${integ.home}/repo"/>
+
+    <!-- begin commercial plugin mods -->
+    <local name="integ.license.plugin.url"/>
+    <makeurl property="integ.license.plugin.url" file="${org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch-license-plugin:zip}"/>
+    <echo>Installing license plugin...</echo> 
+    <run-script dir="${integ.home}" script="bin/plugin"
+                args="-u ${integ.license.plugin.url} -i elasticsearch-license-plugin"/>
+    <!-- end commercial plugin mods -->
+
+    <makeurl property="integ.plugin.url" file="${project.build.directory}/releases/${project.artifactId}-${project.version}.zip"/>
+
+    <echo>Installing plugin ${project.artifactId}...</echo>
+    <run-script dir="${integ.home}" script="bin/plugin"
+                args="-u ${integ.plugin.url} -i ${project.artifactId}"/>
+
+    <!-- execute -->
+    <echo>Starting up external cluster...</echo>
+    <run-script dir="${integ.home}" script="bin/elasticsearch" spawn="true"
+                args="${integ.args} -Des.path.repo=${integ.repo.home}"/>
+
+    <waitfor maxwait="3" maxwaitunit="minute" checkevery="500">
+      <http url="http://127.0.0.1:9200"/>
+    </waitfor>
+
+    <extract-pid property="integ.pid"/>
+    <echo>External cluster started PID ${integ.pid}</echo>
+  </target>
+</project>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d15a7d4d7e3..55e358ba380 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -16,13 +16,15 @@
     </scm>
 
     <parent>
-        <groupId>org.elasticsearch</groupId>
+        <groupId>org.elasticsearch.plugin</groupId>
         <artifactId>elasticsearch-plugin</artifactId>
         <version>2.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
+
     <properties>
         <elasticsearch.license.header>dev-tools/elasticsearch_license_header.txt</elasticsearch.license.header>
         <elasticsearch.license.headerDefinition>dev-tools/license_header_definition.xml</elasticsearch.license.headerDefinition>
+        <elasticsearch.integ.antfile>dev-tools/integration-tests.xml</elasticsearch.integ.antfile>
         <license.plugin.version>2.0.0-SNAPSHOT</license.plugin.version>
         <shield.plugin.version>2.0.0-SNAPSHOT</shield.plugin.version>
         <tests.rest.load_packaged>false</tests.rest.load_packaged>
@@ -87,6 +89,14 @@
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
 
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.elasticsearch</groupId>
+            <artifactId>elasticsearch-license-plugin</artifactId>
+            <version>${license.plugin.version}</version>
+            <type>zip</type>
+            <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+
         <!-- needed for tests that use templating -->
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.github.spullara.mustache.java</groupId>
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/watcher/test/rest/WatcherRestIT.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/watcher/test/rest/WatcherRestIT.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9e282ddef54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/watcher/test/rest/WatcherRestIT.java
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+package org.elasticsearch.watcher.test.rest;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.test.rest.RestTestCandidate;
+
+/** Runs rest tests against external cluster */
+public class WatcherRestIT extends WatcherRestTests {
+
+    public WatcherRestIT(RestTestCandidate testCandidate) {
+        super(testCandidate);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected boolean enableShield() {
+        return false;
+    }
+}