diff --git a/scm/plugin.jelly b/scm/plugin.jelly
index 02bdb87e..c947d134 100644
--- a/scm/plugin.jelly
+++ b/scm/plugin.jelly
@@ -15,21 +15,24 @@
   <!-- Goal to validate SCM properties                                  -->
   <!--==================================================================-->
   <goal name="scm:validate">
-    <j:set var="value" value="${pom.repository.connection}"/>
-    <j:if test="${!empty(value)}">
-      <!-- Use pom.repository.connection if present -->
-      <util:tokenize var="tokens" delim=":">${pom.repository.connection}</util:tokenize>
-      <j:if test="${tokens[0] != 'scm'}">
-        <ant:fail>Invalid repository connection format</ant:fail>
-      </j:if>
-      <j:set var="maven.scm.method" value="${tokens[1]}"/>
-      <j:set var="scmMethod" value="${maven.scm.method}"/>
-      <log:info>Using SCM method: ${scmMethod}</log:info>
-      <j:if test="${scmMethod == 'cvs'}">
-        <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.root" value=":${tokens[2]}:${tokens[3]}:${tokens[4]}"/>
-        <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.module" value="${tokens[5]}"/>
-        <log:info>Using CVSROOT: ${maven.scm.cvs.root}</log:info>
-        <log:info>Using module: ${maven.scm.cvs.module}</log:info>
+    <j:set var="value" value="${maven.scm.ignore.pom.connection}"/>
+    <j:if test="${!value}">
+      <j:set var="value" value="${pom.repository.connection}"/>
+      <j:if test="${!empty(value)}">
+        <!-- Use pom.repository.connection if present -->
+        <util:tokenize var="tokens" delim=":">${pom.repository.connection}</util:tokenize>
+        <j:if test="${tokens[0] != 'scm'}">
+          <ant:fail>Invalid repository connection format</ant:fail>
+        </j:if>
+        <j:set var="maven.scm.method" value="${tokens[1]}"/>
+        <j:set var="scmMethod" value="${maven.scm.method}"/>
+        <log:info>Using SCM method: ${scmMethod}</log:info>
+        <j:if test="${scmMethod == 'cvs'}">
+          <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.root" value=":${tokens[2]}:${tokens[3]}:${tokens[4]}"/>
+          <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.module" value="${tokens[5]}"/>
+          <log:info>Using CVSROOT: ${maven.scm.cvs.root}</log:info>
+          <log:info>Using module: ${maven.scm.cvs.module}</log:info>
+        </j:if>
       </j:if>
     </j:if>
 
diff --git a/scm/plugin.properties b/scm/plugin.properties
index 2bdf95f6..71bbdb29 100644
--- a/scm/plugin.properties
+++ b/scm/plugin.properties
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 maven.scm.method=
 # Directory to checkout to
 maven.scm.checkout.dir=${basedir}/checkouts
+# Set to true if you want to ignore the connection parameter in the POM
+maven.scm.ignore.pom.connection=false
 
 # Goals to run on checkout when bootstrapping a project
 maven.scm.bootstrap.goals=
diff --git a/scm/project.xml b/scm/project.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..35853c2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scm/project.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+
+<project>
+  <extend>${basedir}/../project.xml</extend>
+  <id>maven-scm-plugin</id>
+  <name>Maven Source Control Management Plug-in</name>
+  <currentVersion>1.0-SNAPSHOT</currentVersion>
+  <description>A plugin for SCM tasks, currently CVS.</description>
+  <shortDescription>SCM Plugin for Maven</shortDescription>
+  <url>http://maven.apache.org/reference/plugins/scm/</url>
+  <siteDirectory>/www/maven.apache.org/reference/plugins/scm/</siteDirectory>
+  <repository>
+    <connection>scm:cvs:pserver:anoncvs@cvs.apache.org:/home/cvspublic:maven/src/plugins-build/scm/</connection>
+    <url>http://cvs.apache.org/viewcvs/maven/src/plugins-build/scm/</url>
+  </repository>
+
+  <versions>
+    <version>
+      <id>SNAPSHOT</id>
+      <name>SNAPSHOT</name>
+      <tag>HEAD</tag>
+    </version>
+  </versions>
+
+  <developers>
+    <developer>
+      <name>Brett Porter</name>
+      <id>brett</id>
+      <email>brett@apache.org</email>
+      <organization>f2 network</organization>
+      <roles>
+        <role>Developer</role>
+      </roles>
+    </developer>
+  </developers>
+  
+  <dependencies>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>commons-jelly</groupId>
+      <artifactId>commons-jelly-tags-interaction</artifactId>
+      <version>20030211.143817</version>
+    </dependency>
+  </dependencies>
+</project>