In 1.27 of plugin.jelly, the following code was introduced: <j:choose> <j:when test="${isGenerateAppXML == 'true'}"> <attainGoal name="ear:generate-ear-descriptor"/> <attainGoal name="ear:generate-ear-descriptor"/> </j:when> <j:otherwise> <util:available file="${maven.ear.src}/META-INF/application.xml"> <ant:copy file="${maven.ear.appxml}" tofile="${finalAppxml}"/> </util:available> </j:otherwise> </j:choose> The hard coding of ${maven.ear.src}/META-INF/application.xml means that any application that previously provided a value for ${maven.ear.appxml} that wasn't in the hard coded and default location, no longer gets their application.xml bundled. This breaks the ear. Please change to <util:available file="${maven.ear.appxml}"> <ant:copy file="${maven.ear.appxml}" tofile="${finalAppxml}"/> </util:available>