diff --git a/marvel/build.gradle b/marvel/build.gradle
index 2abc375e372..7eda0dacc35 100644
--- a/marvel/build.gradle
+++ b/marvel/build.gradle
@@ -8,16 +8,11 @@ esplugin {
   isolated false
 }
 
-configurations {
-  licensePluginZip
-}
-
 ext.versions = [
   okhttp: '2.3.0'
 ]
 
 dependencies {
-  licensePluginZip project(path: ':x-plugins:license:plugin') // zip
   provided project(path: ':x-plugins:license:plugin', configuration: 'runtime')
   provided project(path: ':x-plugins:shield', configuration: 'runtime')
   testCompile 'org.elasticsearch:securemock:1.1'
@@ -49,9 +44,8 @@ processTestResources {
 }
 
 integTest {
-  dependsOn configurations.licensePluginZip
   cluster {
-    plugin 'license', configurations.licensePluginZip
+    plugin 'license', project(':x-plugins:license:plugin')
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/qa/shield-core-rest-tests/build.gradle b/qa/shield-core-rest-tests/build.gradle
index 926d18bb2a1..8d2d2411db2 100644
--- a/qa/shield-core-rest-tests/build.gradle
+++ b/qa/shield-core-rest-tests/build.gradle
@@ -1,18 +1,10 @@
 apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.rest-test'
 
-configurations {
-  licensePluginZip
-  shieldPluginZip
-}
-
 dependencies {
-  licensePluginZip project(path: ':x-plugins:license:plugin')
-  shieldPluginZip project(path: ':x-plugins:shield')
   testCompile project(path: ':x-plugins:shield', configuration: 'runtime')
 }
 
 integTest {
-  dependsOn configurations.licensePluginZip, configurations.shieldPluginZip
   includePackaged true
   systemProperty 'tests.rest.blacklist', 
     ['indices.get/10_basic/*allow_no_indices*',
@@ -38,8 +30,8 @@ integTest {
      'bulk/40_fields/Fields'].join(',')
 
   cluster {
-    plugin 'license', configurations.licensePluginZip
-    plugin 'shield', configurations.shieldPluginZip
+    plugin 'license', project(':x-plugins:license:plugin')
+    plugin 'shield', project(':x-plugins:shield')
     setupCommand 'setupDummyUser',
                  'bin/shield/esusers', 'useradd', 'test_user', '-p', 'changeme', '-r', 'admin'
     waitCondition = { node, ant ->
diff --git a/shield/build.gradle b/shield/build.gradle
index c314b390739..0d2c5999458 100644
--- a/shield/build.gradle
+++ b/shield/build.gradle
@@ -6,12 +6,7 @@ esplugin {
   isolated false
 }
 
-configurations {
-  licensePluginZip
-}
-
 dependencies {
-  licensePluginZip project(path: ':x-plugins:license:plugin') // zip
   provided project(path: ':x-plugins:license:plugin', configuration: 'runtime')
   compile project(':x-plugins:license:plugin-api')
   compile 'dk.brics.automaton:automaton:1.11-8'
diff --git a/watcher/build.gradle b/watcher/build.gradle
index ef997debfa9..3a64e30bb84 100644
--- a/watcher/build.gradle
+++ b/watcher/build.gradle
@@ -8,16 +8,11 @@ esplugin {
   isolated false
 }
 
-configurations {
-  licensePluginZip
-}
-
 ext.versions = [
   okhttp: '2.3.0'
 ]
 
 dependencies {
-  licensePluginZip project(path: ':x-plugins:license:plugin') // zip
   provided project(path: ':x-plugins:license:plugin', configuration: 'runtime')
   provided project(path: ':x-plugins:shield', configuration: 'runtime')
 
@@ -44,22 +39,9 @@ dependencies {
 compileJava.options.compilerArgs << "-Xlint:-deprecation,-rawtypes,-serial,-try,-unchecked"
 compileTestJava.options.compilerArgs << "-Xlint:-deprecation,-rawtypes,-serial,-try,-unchecked"
 
-/*ext.expansions = [
-  'integ.http.port': integTest.cluster.httpPort
-]
-
-processTestResources {
-  inputs.properties(expansions)
-  with copySpec {
-    MavenFilteringHack.filter(it, expansions)
-  }
-}
-*/
-
 integTest {
-  dependsOn configurations.licensePluginZip
   cluster {
-    plugin 'installLicensePlugin', configurations.licensePluginZip
+    plugin 'license', project(':x-plugins:license:plugin')
   }
 }