diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 416dd8f..5477541 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
 buildscript {
-	dependencies {
-		classpath 'io.spring.gradle:spring-build-conventions:0.0.37'
-		classpath "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-gradle-plugin:$springBootVersion"
-	}
 	repositories {
 		mavenCentral()
 		gradlePluginPortal()
@@ -17,6 +13,10 @@ buildscript {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	dependencies {
+		classpath 'io.spring.gradle:spring-build-conventions:0.0.37'
+		classpath "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-gradle-plugin:$springBootVersion"
+	}
 }
 
 apply plugin: 'io.spring.convention.root'
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 67ded9d..98c33bf 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1,19 +1,7 @@
 org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2g -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8
 deployDocsHost=docs-ip.spring.io
-antlrVersion=2.7.7
 apacheGeodeVersion=1.13.2
-apacheTaglibsStandardVersion=1.2.5
-assertjVersion=3.19.0
 findbugsVersion=3.0.2
-javaxServletApiVersion=4.0.1
-javaxServletJspJstlApiVersion=1.2.2
-junitVersion=4.13.2
-log4jVersion=2.14.1
-logbackVersion=1.2.3
-mockitoVersion=3.10.0
-multithreadedtcVersion=1.01
-seleniumHtmlUnitVersion=2.50.0
-slf4jVersion=1.7.30
 # The Spring Boot & Spring Session version are the only required version properties.
 # The other Spring version properties are for overriding/testing purposes.
 springVersion=5.3.7
@@ -22,8 +10,6 @@ springDataBomVersion=2021.0.1
 springDataCommonsVersion=2.5.1
 springDataGeodeVersion=2.5.1
 springDataGeodeTestVersion=0.0.25
-springSecurityVersion=5.5.0
 springSessionVersion=2.5.1-SNAPSHOT
 springSessionBomVersion=2021.0.0-SNAPSHOT
-springShellVersion=1.2.0.RELEASE
 version=2.5.1-SNAPSHOT
diff --git a/gradle/dependency-management.gradle b/gradle/dependency-management.gradle
index 3131b53..6ddef04 100644
--- a/gradle/dependency-management.gradle
+++ b/gradle/dependency-management.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,20 @@
+// Define dependency version properties
+ext['antlrVersion'] = '2.7.7'
+ext['apacheTaglibsVersion'] = '1.2.5'
+ext['assertjVersion'] = '3.19.0'
+ext['javaxServletApiVersion'] ='4.0.1'
+ext['javaxServletJspJstlApiVersion'] = '1.2.2'
+ext['log4jVersion'] = '2.14.1'
+ext['logbackVersion'] = '1.2.3'
+ext['junitVersion'] = '4.13.2'
+ext['mockitoVersion'] = '3.10.0'
+ext['multithreadedtcVersion'] = '1.01'
+ext['seleniumHtmlUnitVersion'] = '2.50.0'
+ext['slf4jVersion'] = '1.7.30'
+ext['springSecurityVersion'] = '5.5.0'
+ext['springShellVersion'] = '1.2.0.RELEASE'
+
+// Declare dependency management for the following dependencies.
 dependencyManagement {
 	imports {
 //		mavenBom "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-dependencies:$springBootVersion"
@@ -17,9 +34,9 @@ dependencyManagement {
 //		dependency "org.apache.geode:geode-lucene:$apacheGeodeVersion"
 //		dependency "org.apache.geode:geode-wan:$apacheGeodeVersion"
 		dependency "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-to-slf4j:$log4jVersion"
-		dependency "org.apache.taglibs:taglibs-standard-impl:$apacheTaglibsStandardVersion"
-		dependency "org.apache.taglibs:taglibs-standard-jstlel:$apacheTaglibsStandardVersion"
-		dependency "org.apache.taglibs:taglibs-standard-spec:$apacheTaglibsStandardVersion"
+		dependency "org.apache.taglibs:taglibs-standard-impl:$apacheTaglibsVersion"
+		dependency "org.apache.taglibs:taglibs-standard-jstlel:$apacheTaglibsVersion"
+		dependency "org.apache.taglibs:taglibs-standard-spec:$apacheTaglibsVersion"
 		dependency "org.assertj:assertj-core:$assertjVersion"
 		dependency "org.mockito:mockito-core:$mockitoVersion"
 		dependency "org.seleniumhq.selenium:htmlunit-driver:$seleniumHtmlUnitVersion"
diff --git a/spring-session-data-geode/spring-session-data-geode.gradle b/spring-session-data-geode/spring-session-data-geode.gradle
index 14d71e4..ce84d12 100644
--- a/spring-session-data-geode/spring-session-data-geode.gradle
+++ b/spring-session-data-geode/spring-session-data-geode.gradle
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ dependencies {
 	compile "org.springframework:spring-context-support"
 	compile "org.springframework:spring-jcl"
 	compile "org.springframework.data:spring-data-geode"
-	compile "org.springframework.session:spring-session-core:$springSessionVersion"
+	compile "org.springframework.session:spring-session-core"
 
 	compileOnly "com.google.code.findbugs:jsr305:$findbugsVersion"
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ dependencies {
 
 	provided "javax.servlet:javax.servlet-api"
 
-	// TODO: Remove when all internal Apache Geode API usage is removed; Only required by tests!
+	// TODO: Remove dependency declarations when all internal Apache Geode API usage is removed; Only required by tests!
 	provided "org.apache.geode:geode-logging:$apacheGeodeVersion"
 	provided "org.apache.geode:geode-membership:$apacheGeodeVersion" // Need for Geode Serialization
 	provided "org.apache.geode:geode-serialization:$apacheGeodeVersion" // Need for Geode Serialization