diff --git a/pom/plugin.jelly b/pom/plugin.jelly
index dbb7c0a4..b38e17ff 100644
--- a/pom/plugin.jelly
+++ b/pom/plugin.jelly
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@
   xmlns:ant="jelly:ant"
   xmlns:x="jelly:xml"
   xmlns:log="jelly:log"
-  xmlns:artifact="artifact">
+  xmlns:artifact="artifact"
+  xmlns:assert="assert">
 
   <!-- set up pom tag library -->
   <d:taglib uri="pom">
@@ -61,6 +62,12 @@
     name="pom:validate"
     description="Validate the Maven XML project descriptor">
 
+    <assert:assertPluginAvailable
+        groupId="maven"
+        artifactId="maven-plugin-plugin"
+        minRelease="1.7"
+        neededBy="${plugin.artifactId}"/>
+
     <j:set var="xsd"
         value="${plugin.resources}/xsd/pom-strict-${pom.pomVersion}.xsd"/>