diff --git a/cache-ehcache/pom.xml b/cache-ehcache/pom.xml
index 52cca813b635..c53f0adf1b21 100644
--- a/cache-ehcache/pom.xml
+++ b/cache-ehcache/pom.xml
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>net.sf.ehcache</groupId>
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@
             <version>1.5.0</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-testing</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
diff --git a/cache-infinispan/pom.xml b/cache-infinispan/pom.xml
index 328c7afa0301..b1ada19bec5e 100644
--- a/cache-infinispan/pom.xml
+++ b/cache-infinispan/pom.xml
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.infinispan</groupId>
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@
         
         <!-- test dependencies -->
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-testing</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
             <!-- <scope>test</scope> TODO fix this -->
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
diff --git a/cache-jbosscache/pom.xml b/cache-jbosscache/pom.xml
index c725ed30430c..0995cad44396 100644
--- a/cache-jbosscache/pom.xml
+++ b/cache-jbosscache/pom.xml
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.jboss.cache</groupId>
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@
         
         <!-- test dependencies -->
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-testing</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
diff --git a/cache-oscache/pom.xml b/cache-oscache/pom.xml
index 71c2dde7180c..1066c98735d7 100644
--- a/cache-oscache/pom.xml
+++ b/cache-oscache/pom.xml
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>opensymphony</groupId>
diff --git a/cache-swarmcache/pom.xml b/cache-swarmcache/pom.xml
index 94cb0a78ab19..2c5bb09bd988 100644
--- a/cache-swarmcache/pom.xml
+++ b/cache-swarmcache/pom.xml
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>swarmcache</groupId>
diff --git a/connection-c3p0/pom.xml b/connection-c3p0/pom.xml
index 352e6149a1b8..009630922125 100644
--- a/connection-c3p0/pom.xml
+++ b/connection-c3p0/pom.xml
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>c3p0</groupId>
diff --git a/connection-proxool/pom.xml b/connection-proxool/pom.xml
index ccfddb96766b..25a037a43c8b 100644
--- a/connection-proxool/pom.xml
+++ b/connection-proxool/pom.xml
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>proxool</groupId>
diff --git a/core/pom.xml b/core/pom.xml
index daee9a10dc97..9b000e13726f 100644
--- a/core/pom.xml
+++ b/core/pom.xml
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
                 <configuration>
                     <bytecodeInjections>
                         <bytecodeInjection>
-                            <expression>${pom.version}</expression>
+                            <expression>${project.version}</expression>
                             <targetMembers>
                             	<methodBodyReturn>
                             	    <className>org.hibernate.Version</className>
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
+				<version>2.7</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <!-- 
                     for the time being, gonna ignore the custom stylesheet (what did it do anyway???) 
diff --git a/distribution/pom.xml b/distribution/pom.xml
index 3256ab0aa1b7..5d32b966562e 100644
--- a/distribution/pom.xml
+++ b/distribution/pom.xml
@@ -62,17 +62,17 @@
                             <source><![CDATA[
                                 def sourcePathName = 'javadocSourcePath'
                                 sourcePath = ant.path( id:sourcePathName ) {
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../cache-ehcache/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../cache-infinispan/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../cache-jbosscache/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../cache-oscache/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../cache-swarmcache/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../connection-c3p0/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../connection-proxool/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../entitymanager/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../envers/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../testing/src/main/java" )
-                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${pom.basedir}/../core/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../cache-ehcache/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../cache-infinispan/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../cache-jbosscache/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../cache-oscache/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../cache-swarmcache/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../connection-c3p0/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../connection-proxool/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../entitymanager/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../envers/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../testing/src/main/java" )
+                                    ant.pathElement( path: "${project.basedir}/../core/src/main/java" )
                                     ant.pathElement( path: "../core/target/generated-sources/antlr" )
                                 }
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
                                     classPath.createPathElement().path = element
                                 }
 
-                                targetDir = "${pom.basedir}/target/javadocs";
+                                targetDir = "${project.basedir}/target/javadocs";
 
                                 ant.javadoc(
                                     executable: '${jdk16_home}/bin/javadoc',
@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@
                                     destdir: targetDir ,
                                     sourcepathref: sourcePathName,
                                     classpathref: classPathName,
-                                    overview: '${pom.basedir}/src/javadoc/package.html',
-                                    stylesheetfile: '${pom.basedir}/src/javadoc/stylesheet.css',
+                                    overview: '${project.basedir}/src/javadoc/package.html',
+                                    stylesheetfile: '${project.basedir}/src/javadoc/stylesheet.css',
                                     windowtitle: 'Hibernate JavaDocs',
-                                    doctitle: 'Hibernate JavaDoc (${pom.version})',
+                                    doctitle: 'Hibernate JavaDoc (${project.version})',
                                     bottom: 'Copyright &copy; 2001-2010 <a href="http://redhat.com">Red Hat, Inc.</a>  All Rights Reserved.',
                                     use: true
                                 ) {
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
                                 imagesDir = targetDir + '/images'
                                 ant.mkdir( dir: imagesDir )
                                 ant.copy( toDir: imagesDir ) {
-                                    fileset( dir: "${pom.basedir}/src/javadoc/images" )
+                                    fileset( dir: "${project.basedir}/src/javadoc/images" )
                                 }
                                 ]]>
                             </source>
diff --git a/entitymanager/pom.xml b/entitymanager/pom.xml
index 334110037063..4fc7c94c9eea 100644
--- a/entitymanager/pom.xml
+++ b/entitymanager/pom.xml
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-testing</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
                 <configuration>
                     <bytecodeInjections>
                         <bytecodeInjection>
-                            <expression>${pom.version}</expression>
+                            <expression>${project.version}</expression>
                             <targetMembers>
                                 <methodBodyReturn>
                                     <className>org.hibernate.ejb.Version</className>
diff --git a/envers/pom.xml b/envers/pom.xml
index 931e38b80288..b5c8135991ab 100644
--- a/envers/pom.xml
+++ b/envers/pom.xml
@@ -131,17 +131,17 @@
             <dependency>
                 <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
                 <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-                <version>${version}</version>
+                <version>${project.version}</version>
             </dependency>
             <dependency>
                 <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
                 <artifactId>hibernate-entitymanager</artifactId>
-                <version>${version}</version>
+                <version>${project.version}</version>
             </dependency>
             <dependency>
                 <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
                 <artifactId>hibernate-testing</artifactId>
-                <version>${version}</version>
+                <version>${project.version}</version>
             </dependency>
             <dependency>
                 <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
diff --git a/parent/pom.xml b/parent/pom.xml
index 2a2c134f5767..77cbc5ab0855 100644
--- a/parent/pom.xml
+++ b/parent/pom.xml
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@
                         <packagesheader>Hibernate Packages</packagesheader>
                         <doctitle>Hibernate Core ${project.version}</doctitle>
                         <windowtitle>Hibernate Core ${project.version}</windowtitle>
-                        <bottom><![CDATA[Copyright &copy; ${inceptionYear}-{currentYear} <a href="http://redhat.com">Red Hat Middleware, LLC.</a>  All Rights Reserved]]></bottom>
+                        <bottom><![CDATA[Copyright &copy; ${project.inceptionYear}-{currentYear} <a href="http://redhat.com">Red Hat Middleware, LLC.</a>  All Rights Reserved]]></bottom>
                         <excludePackageNames>orh.hibernate.tutorial*</excludePackageNames>
                         <groups>
                             <group>
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@
             <properties>
                 <db.dialect>org.hibernate.dialect.DerbyDialect</db.dialect>
                 <jdbc.driver>org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver</jdbc.driver>
-                <jdbc.url>jdbc:derby:${pom.build.outputDirectory}/test/derby;create=true</jdbc.url>
+                <jdbc.url>jdbc:derby:${project.build.outputDirectory}/test/derby;create=true</jdbc.url>
                 <jdbc.user>sa</jdbc.user>
                 <jdbc.pass/>
                 <jdbc.isolation/>
diff --git a/testing/pom.xml b/testing/pom.xml
index 3b7db6b67a70..c55a80566466 100644
--- a/testing/pom.xml
+++ b/testing/pom.xml
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>       
         <dependency>
             <groupId>junit</groupId>
diff --git a/testsuite/pom.xml b/testsuite/pom.xml
index a5f39af5a90e..884b6f0c9c70 100644
--- a/testsuite/pom.xml
+++ b/testsuite/pom.xml
@@ -24,14 +24,14 @@
 
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
-            <groupId>${groupId}</groupId>
+            <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
             <artifactId>hibernate-testing</artifactId>
-            <version>${version}</version>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
         <!-- these are optional on core... :( -->
         <dependency>