diff --git a/genapp/plugin.jelly b/genapp/plugin.jelly
index 89b9811e..dbbf132a 100644
--- a/genapp/plugin.jelly
+++ b/genapp/plugin.jelly
@@ -15,24 +15,28 @@
      |
      -->
     <define:tag name="generate">
-      <!-- Get the template -->
-      <!-- create a temporary variable with no dots in the name to get around a jexl bug -->
-      <j:set var="presettemplate" value="${template}"/>
-      <j:if test="${empty(presettemplate)}">
-        <i:ask question="${maven.genapp.prompt.template}" answer="template" default="${maven.genapp.default.template}"/>
-      </j:if>
-      
-      <!-- If template is in the user's home directory, use it -->    
-      <u:available file="${user.home}/.maven/template/${template}">
-        <j:set var="maven.genapp.template.dir" value="${user.home}/.maven/template/${template}"/>
-      </u:available>
-      
+      <!-- If a template directory is provided directly, then use it (and don't ask)! -->
       <j:set var="currenttemplatedir" value="${maven.genapp.template.dir}"/>
       <j:if test="${empty(currenttemplatedir)}">
-        <!-- The template was not found in user.home, check in the plugin resources -->
-        <u:available file="${plugin.resources}/${template}">
-          <j:set var="maven.genapp.template.dir" value="${plugin.resources}/${template}"/>
+        <!-- Get the template -->
+        <!-- create a temporary variable with no dots in the name to get around a jexl bug -->
+        <j:set var="presettemplate" value="${template}"/>
+        <j:if test="${empty(presettemplate)}">
+          <i:ask question="${maven.genapp.prompt.template}" answer="template" default="${maven.genapp.default.template}"/>
+        </j:if>
+      
+        <!-- If template is in the user's home directory, use it -->    
+        <u:available file="${user.home}/.maven/template/${template}">
+          <j:set var="maven.genapp.template.dir" value="${user.home}/.maven/template/${template}"/>
         </u:available>
+      
+        <j:set var="currenttemplatedir" value="${maven.genapp.template.dir}"/>
+        <j:if test="${empty(currenttemplatedir)}">
+          <!-- The template was not found in user.home, check in the plugin resources -->
+          <u:available file="${plugin.resources}/${template}">
+            <j:set var="maven.genapp.template.dir" value="${plugin.resources}/${template}"/>
+          </u:available>
+        </j:if>
       </j:if>
       
       <j:set var="currenttemplatedir" value="${maven.genapp.template.dir}"/>
@@ -119,6 +123,17 @@
           </j:forEach>
         </ant:fileset>
       </ant:copy>
+	  
+      <!-- copy config files normally excluded by Ant default excludes -->
+      <ant:copy todir="${basedir}">
+        <ant:fileset dir="${maven.genapp.resources}" defaultexcludes="no">
+          <ant:include name="**/.*"/>
+          <ant:exclude name="**/.svn/**"/>
+          <ant:exclude name="**/*~"/>
+          <ant:exclude name="**/*.bak"/>
+          <ant:exclude name="**/*.swp"/>
+        </ant:fileset>
+      </ant:copy>
       
       <!-- Run the specific jelly script for the template -->
       <u:available file="${maven.genapp.template.dir}/template.jelly">