diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index ed7a232dc0..60b4b15f85 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -14,17 +14,13 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Main gradle build file for Spring Integration
 //
 // - run `./gradlew(.bat) build` to kick off a complete compile-test-package
 //
-// - the imports above are from groovy and/or java classes in buildSrc/
-//   or from jars on 'buildscript' classpath (in our case, it's all buildSrc)
-//   sources in buildSrc are compiled and placed on the classpath automatically
-//
-// @author cbeams
+// @author Chris Beams
+// @author Mark Fisher
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
@@ -93,6 +89,7 @@ configure(javaprojects) {
     cglibVersion = '2.2'
     commonsIoVersion = '1.4'
     commonsLangVersion = '2.5'
+    commonsNetVersion = '2.0'
     easymockVersion = '2.3'
     jacksonVersion = '1.4.3'
     javaxActivationVersion = '1.1.1'
@@ -148,10 +145,11 @@ configure(javaprojects) {
 project('spring-integration-core') {
     description = 'Spring Integration Core'
     dependencies {
-        compile "org.codehaus.jackson:jackson-mapper-asl:$jacksonVersion"
         compile "org.springframework:spring-aop:$springVersion"
         compile "org.springframework:spring-context:$springVersion"
         compile "org.springframework:spring-tx:$springVersion"
+        // 'jackson' should be 'optional' in the generated POM
+        compile "org.codehaus.jackson:jackson-mapper-asl:$jacksonVersion"
         testCompile "org.aspectj:aspectjrt:$aspectjVersion"
         testCompile "org.aspectj:aspectjweaver:$aspectjVersion"
     }
@@ -192,12 +190,10 @@ project('spring-integration-ftp') {
     dependencies {        
         compile "commons-io:commons-io:$commonsIoVersion"
         compile "commons-lang:commons-lang:$commonsLangVersion"
-        compile "commons-net:commons-net:2.0"
+        compile "commons-net:commons-net:$commonsNetVersion"
         compile "javax.activation:activation:$javaxActivationVersion"
         compile "org.springframework:spring-context-support:$springVersion"
-        compile "org.springframework.integration:spring-integration-core:$version"
         compile "org.springframework.integration:spring-integration-file:$version"
-        compile "org.springframework.integration:spring-integration-stream:$version"
         testCompile "org.springframework.integration:spring-integration-test:$version"
     }
 }
diff --git a/gradle/version.gradle b/gradle/version.gradle
index b434f44998..310cf2752d 100644
--- a/gradle/version.gradle
+++ b/gradle/version.gradle
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ class Version {
 
     String value
     String releaseType
+    int majorVersion
+    int minorVersion
 
     /**
      * @param dotted -quad version spec, e.g.: 1.0.0.RELEASE
@@ -15,13 +17,24 @@ class Version {
     public Version(String value) {
         this.value = value;
         this.releaseType = releaseTypeFor(value);
+        this.majorVersion = Integer.parseInt(this.value.substring(0, this.value.indexOf('.')));
+        String afterMajor = this.value.substring(this.value.indexOf('.') + 1);
+        this.minorVersion = Integer.parseInt(afterMajor.substring(0, afterMajor.indexOf('.')));
+    }
+
+    public int getMajorVersion() {
+        return this.majorVersion;
+    }
+
+    public int getMinorVersion() {
+        return this.minorVersion
     }
 
     /**
      * @return 1.0.x style
      */
     public String getWildcardValue() {
-        return "1.0.x";
+        return majorVersion + '.' + minorVersion + '.x';
     }
 
     /**
@@ -38,9 +51,10 @@ class Version {
         if (version.endsWith("RELEASE")) return RELEASE;
         if (version.endsWith("SNAPSHOT")) return SNAPSHOT;
         if (version.matches(".*\\.M[0-9]+\$")) return MILESTONE;
+        if (version.matches(".*\\.RC[0-9]+\$")) return MILESTONE;
 
         throw new InvalidUserDataException("unknown version scheme: " +
-                "versions must end in (RELEASE|SNAPSHOT|M[0-9]+), " +
+                "versions must end in (SNAPSHOT|M[0-9]+|RC[0-9]+|RELEASE), " +
                 "but got (" + version + ")");
     }
 }