diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-samples/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-samples/pom.xml
index a69ec9ce36..bdd0ce1233 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-samples/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-samples/pom.xml
@@ -28,6 +28,18 @@
 		<pluginManagement>
 			<plugins>
 				<plugin>
+					<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+					<artifactId>exec-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+					<configuration>
+						<includePluginDependencies>true</includePluginDependencies>
+						<mainClass>${start-class}</mainClass>
+					</configuration>
+				</plugin>
+
+				<!-- Launcher Style -->
+
+				<plugin>
+					<!-- Copy dependencies before assembly -->
 					<artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
 					<executions>
 						<execution>
@@ -64,6 +76,7 @@
 					</executions>
 				</plugin>
 				<plugin>
+					<!-- Assemble a complete JAR -->
 					<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
 					<configuration>
 						<descriptors>
@@ -89,14 +102,8 @@
 						</execution>
 					</executions>
 				</plugin>
-				<plugin>
-					<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-					<artifactId>exec-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-					<configuration>
-						<includePluginDependencies>true</includePluginDependencies>
-						<mainClass>${start-class}</mainClass>
-					</configuration>
-				</plugin>
+
+				<!-- Shade Style -->
 				<plugin>
 					<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
 					<artifactId>maven-shade-plugin</artifactId>
@@ -154,6 +161,14 @@
 			</plugins>
 		</pluginManagement>
 		<plugins>
+			<plugin>
+				<!-- Support executable archives -->
+				<groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
+				<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+				<version>${project.version}</version>
+				<extensions>true</extensions>
+				<inherited>true</inherited>
+			</plugin>
 			<plugin>
 				<!--skip deploy (these are just samples) -->
 				<artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-batch-sample/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-batch-sample/pom.xml
index d254ee71ef..5fe21aa70a 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-batch-sample/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-batch-sample/pom.xml
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
 		<version>0.5.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-batch-sample</artifactId>
-	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<properties>
-		<start-class>org.springframework.bootstrap.sample.simple.SimpleBootstrapApplication</start-class>
-	</properties>
+	<packaging>executable-jar</packaging>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
@@ -36,14 +33,4 @@
 			<scope>runtime</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
-	<build>
-		<plugins>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-		</plugins>
-	</build>
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-data-sample/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-data-sample/pom.xml
index 0e13dff556..9e50bf22c4 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-data-sample/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-data-sample/pom.xml
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
 		<version>0.5.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-data-sample</artifactId>
-	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<properties>
-		<start-class>org.springframework.bootstrap.sample.data.DataBootstrapApplication</start-class>
-	</properties>
+	<packaging>executable-jar</packaging>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
@@ -69,14 +66,4 @@
 			<scope>runtime</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
-	<build>
-		<plugins>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-		</plugins>
-	</build>
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-jetty-sample/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-jetty-sample/pom.xml
index 20d8c858c3..07713f3bd0 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-jetty-sample/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-jetty-sample/pom.xml
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
 		<version>0.5.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-jetty-sample</artifactId>
-	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<properties>
-		<start-class>org.springframework.bootstrap.sample.jetty.JettyBootstrapApplication</start-class>
-	</properties>
+	<packaging>executable-jar</packaging>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
@@ -43,14 +40,4 @@
 			<scope>runtime</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
-	<build>
-		<plugins>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-		</plugins>
-	</build>
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-profile-sample/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-profile-sample/pom.xml
index 227e285668..9ef9724ed5 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-profile-sample/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-profile-sample/pom.xml
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
 		<version>0.5.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-profile-sample</artifactId>
-	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<properties>
-		<start-class>org.springframework.bootstrap.sample.simple.SimpleBootstrapApplication</start-class>
-	</properties>
+	<packaging>executable-jar</packaging>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
@@ -29,14 +26,4 @@
 			<scope>runtime</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
-	<build>
-		<plugins>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-		</plugins>
-	</build>
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-simple-sample/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-simple-sample/pom.xml
index 809fd74309..b9c5b9ece2 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-simple-sample/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-simple-sample/pom.xml
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
 		<version>0.5.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-simple-sample</artifactId>
-	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<properties>
-		<start-class>org.springframework.bootstrap.sample.simple.SimpleBootstrapApplication</start-class>
-	</properties>
+	<packaging>executable-jar</packaging>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
@@ -24,14 +21,4 @@
 			<scope>runtime</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
-	<build>
-		<plugins>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-		</plugins>
-	</build>
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-tomcat-sample/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-tomcat-sample/pom.xml
index 0f5e0c50b7..cbe9ced5be 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-tomcat-sample/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-tomcat-sample/pom.xml
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
 		<version>0.5.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-tomcat-sample</artifactId>
-	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<properties>
-		<start-class>org.springframework.bootstrap.sample.tomcat.TomcatBootstrapApplication</start-class>
-	</properties>
+	<packaging>executable-jar</packaging>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
@@ -36,14 +33,4 @@
 			<scope>runtime</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
-	<build>
-		<plugins>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-			</plugin>
-		</plugins>
-	</build>
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-xml-sample/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-xml-sample/pom.xml
index 31943bf1e2..8bf8a520f7 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-xml-sample/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-samples/spring-bootstrap-xml-sample/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 		<version>0.5.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-xml-sample</artifactId>
-	<packaging>jar</packaging>
+	<packaging>executable-jar</packaging>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
diff --git a/spring-bootstrap-starters/pom.xml b/spring-bootstrap-starters/pom.xml
index 9ca8756f51..5867cea47f 100644
--- a/spring-bootstrap-starters/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-bootstrap-starters/pom.xml
@@ -108,8 +108,19 @@
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
 	<build>
+		<plugins>
+			<!-- Support bootstrap types -->
+			<plugin>
+				<groupId>org.springframework.bootstrap</groupId>
+				<artifactId>spring-bootstrap-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+				<version>${spring.bootstrap.version}</version>
+				<extensions>true</extensions>
+				<inherited>true</inherited>
+			</plugin>
+		</plugins>
 		<pluginManagement>
 			<plugins>
+				<!-- Allow exec plugin to launch the application -->
 				<plugin>
 					<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
 					<artifactId>exec-maven-plugin</artifactId>
@@ -118,6 +129,8 @@
 						<mainClass>${start-class}</mainClass>
 					</configuration>
 				</plugin>
+
+				<!-- Support shade packaging -->
 				<plugin>
 					<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
 					<artifactId>maven-shade-plugin</artifactId>