diff --git a/aspectwerkz/plugin.jelly b/aspectwerkz/plugin.jelly
index c21fda48..57ebcca3 100644
--- a/aspectwerkz/plugin.jelly
+++ b/aspectwerkz/plugin.jelly
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@
       <ant:pathelement location="${plugin.getDependencyPath('trove:trove')}"/>
     </path>    
 
+    <!-- Check if non-production aspects exist -->
+    <ant:available property="hasNonProductionAspects" 
+        file="${maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir}" type="dir"/>
+    
   </goal>
 
   <!--
@@ -70,7 +74,7 @@
       description="Compile AspectWerkz java sources">
 
     <!-- If there are non-production aspect sources, compile them -->
-    <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir') != null}">
+    <j:if test="${hasNonProductionAspects}">
 
       <ant:mkdir dir="${maven.aspectwerkz.build.dest}"/>
 
@@ -199,7 +203,7 @@
       </j:forEach>
 
       <!-- Parse non-production aspects if source directory has been defined -->
-      <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir') != null}">
+      <j:if test="${hasNonProductionAspects}">
         <aw:aspectc javaSrc="${maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir}"
             classSrc="${maven.aspectwerkz.build.dest}"/>
       </j:if>
@@ -247,7 +251,7 @@
       </j:if>
 
       <ant:sysproperty key="aspectwerkz.classloader.preprocessor" 
-          value="${aspectwerkz.classloader.preprocessor}"/>
+          value="${maven.aspectwerkz.classloader.preprocessor}"/>
         
       <ant:sysproperty key="aspectwerkz.transform.filter" 
           value="${maven.aspectwerkz.transform.filter}"/>
diff --git a/aspectwerkz/plugin.properties b/aspectwerkz/plugin.properties
index a190dcd5..79dd1288 100644
--- a/aspectwerkz/plugin.properties
+++ b/aspectwerkz/plugin.properties
@@ -22,17 +22,17 @@ maven.aspectwerkz.definition.validate = false
 maven.aspectwerkz.verbose = false
 
 # Classloader to use for class files weaving
-aspectwerkz.classloader.preprocessor = org.codehaus.aspectwerkz.transform.AspectWerkzPreProcessor
+maven.aspectwerkz.classloader.preprocessor = org.codehaus.aspectwerkz.transform.AspectWerkzPreProcessor
 
-# (optional) The AW plugin looks for source files in ${pom.sourceDirectory}. 
+# The AW plugin looks for source files in ${pom.sourceDirectory}. 
 # It also supports all source directories added to the ${maven.compile.src.set}
 # Ant path variable. Moreover, if you wish to keep non-production aspects in a 
 # specific directory, you can define the property below.
-# maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir = ${basedir}/src/aspectwerkz
+maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir = ${basedir}/src/aspectwerkz
 
-# (optional) Location where non-production aspect classes will be compiled to.
+# Location where non-production aspect classes will be compiled to.
 # There are the classes defined by ${maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir}.
-# maven.aspectwerkz.build.dest = ${maven.build.dir}/aspectwerkz/classes
+maven.aspectwerkz.build.dest = ${maven.build.dir}/aspectwerkz/classes
 
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # attribdef mode properties
diff --git a/aspectwerkz/src/plugin-test/project.properties b/aspectwerkz/src/plugin-test/project.properties
index 06a18ebe..617e9775 100644
--- a/aspectwerkz/src/plugin-test/project.properties
+++ b/aspectwerkz/src/plugin-test/project.properties
@@ -3,6 +3,4 @@
 # -------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 maven.aspectwerkz.verbose = true
-maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir = ${basedir}/src/aspectwerkz
-maven.aspectwerkz.build.dest = ${maven.build.dir}/aspectwerkz/classes
 maven.aspectwerkz.weave.build.dir = ${maven.build.dir}/aspectwerkz/weaved
diff --git a/aspectwerkz/xdocs/properties.xml b/aspectwerkz/xdocs/properties.xml
index b62a3f5d..7a023544 100644
--- a/aspectwerkz/xdocs/properties.xml
+++ b/aspectwerkz/xdocs/properties.xml
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
             directories added to the <code>${maven.compile.src.set}</code>
             Ant path variable. Moreover, if you wish to keep non-production 
             aspects in a specific directory, you can define the
-            <code>maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir</code> property. For example
+            <code>maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir</code> property. Defaults to
             <code>maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir = ${basedir}/src/aspectwerkz</code>.
           </td>
         </tr>
@@ -100,12 +100,12 @@
           <td>
             Location where non-production aspect classes will be compiled to.
             These are the classes defined by 
-            <code>${maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir}</code>. For example
+            <code>${maven.aspectwerkz.src.dir}</code>. Defaults to
             <code>maven.aspectwerkz.build.dest = ${maven.build.dir}/aspectwerkz/classes</code>.
           </td>
         </tr>
         <tr>
-          <td>aspectwerkz.classloader.preprocessor</td>
+          <td>maven.aspectwerkz.classloader.preprocessor</td>
           <td>Yes</td>
           <td>
             Classloader to use for class files weaving. Defaults to