diff --git a/plugin/plugin.jelly b/plugin/plugin.jelly
index beb56092..910ba8ad 100644
--- a/plugin/plugin.jelly
+++ b/plugin/plugin.jelly
@@ -1,13 +1,29 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 
 <project
+  xmlns:ant="jelly:ant"
   xmlns:http="jelly:http"
   xmlns:j="jelly:core"
   xmlns:maven="jelly:maven"
   xmlns:u="jelly:util"
   xmlns:x="jelly:xml">
+  
+  <goal name="plugin:check" description="Check if project is a plugin">
+    <u:file var="projectFile" 
+      name="${basedir}/project.xml" />
+    <u:file var="jellyFile" 
+      name="${basedir}/plugin.jelly" />
+    <j:if test="${!projectFile.exists()}">
+      <j:set var="notPlugin" value="true"/>
+    </j:if>
+    <j:if test="${!pluginFile.exists()}">
+      <j:set var="notPlugin" value="true"/>
+    </j:if>
+    <ant:fail if="notPlugin">This project is a non-plugin project.</ant:fail>
+  </goal>
 
-  <goal name="plugin" description="Build a plugin jar and install to the maven.repo.local">
+  <goal name="plugin" prereqs="plugin:check"
+    description="Build a plugin jar and install to the maven.repo.local">
 
     <!-- Plugins are just a jar. -->
     <attainGoal name="jar:jar"/>
@@ -68,7 +84,7 @@
 
   <!-- generate a skeletal navigation.xml for the plugin specified
        by the 'plugin' variable -->
-  <goal name="plugin:generate-navigation"
+  <goal name="plugin:generate-navigation" prereqs="plugin:check"
     description="Generate navigation.xml for the plugin">
 
     <j:set var="skip" value="false" />
@@ -88,7 +104,7 @@
   </goal>
 
   <!-- generate a skeletal goals.xml for the plugin specified -->
-  <goal name="plugin:generate-goals"
+  <goal name="plugin:generate-goals" prereqs="plugin:check"
     description="Generate goals.xml for the plugin">
 
     <j:set var="skip" value="false" />
@@ -128,7 +144,7 @@
   </goal>
 
   <!-- generate properties documentation -->
-  <goal name="plugin:generate-properties"
+  <goal name="plugin:generate-properties" prereqs="plugin:check"
     description="Generate properties.xml for the plugin">
 
 
diff --git a/plugin/xdocs/changes.xml b/plugin/xdocs/changes.xml
index 55369de1..1c862c27 100644
--- a/plugin/xdocs/changes.xml
+++ b/plugin/xdocs/changes.xml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 
   <body>
 	<release version="1.1" date="in CVS">
+      <action dev="evenisse" type="fix">
+        Fixed MAVEN-791. Check if project is a plugin.
+      </action>
       <action dev="evenisse" type="fix">
         Fixed MAVEN-708. Fix the goals description generation if there is no plugin.jelly file.
       </action>
