diff --git a/distribution/build.gradle b/distribution/build.gradle
index 03b30848282..fcf22ff48dc 100644
--- a/distribution/build.gradle
+++ b/distribution/build.gradle
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ buildscript {
 }
 
 // this is common configuration for distributions, but we also add it here for the license check to use
-ext.dependencyFiles = project(':core').configurations.runtime.copyRecursive() // .exclude(module: 'slf4j-api')
+ext.dependencyFiles = project(':core').configurations.runtime.copyRecursive().exclude(module: 'slf4j-api')
 
 
 /*****************************************************************************
diff --git a/plugins/repository-hdfs/build.gradle b/plugins/repository-hdfs/build.gradle
index e9e93b46d19..4bade1850f0 100644
--- a/plugins/repository-hdfs/build.gradle
+++ b/plugins/repository-hdfs/build.gradle
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ dependencies {
   compile 'commons-io:commons-io:2.4'
   compile 'commons-lang:commons-lang:2.6'
   compile 'javax.servlet:servlet-api:2.5'
-  // we need this one, its not really 'provided' compile 'org.slf4j:slf4j-api:${versions.slf4j}'
+  compile "org.slf4j:slf4j-api:${versions.slf4j}"
 
   hdfsFixture project(':test:fixtures:hdfs-fixture')
 }