diff --git a/scm/plugin.jelly b/scm/plugin.jelly
index 068cc139..efae2207 100644
--- a/scm/plugin.jelly
+++ b/scm/plugin.jelly
@@ -17,38 +17,53 @@
   <!-- Goal to validate SCM properties                                  -->
   <!--==================================================================-->
   <goal name="scm:parse-connection">
-    <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 -->
-        <j:set var="delim" value=":"/>
-        <j:if test="${value.length() gt 3}">
-          <j:set var="delim" value="${value.substring(3, 4)}"/>
+    <j:set var="checkValue" value="${maven.scm.ignore.pom.connection}"/>
+    <j:if test="${!checkValue}">
+      <j:set var="checkValue" value="${maven.scm.ignore.pom.developerConnection}"/>
+      <j:if test="${!checkValue}">
+        <j:set var="value" value="${pom.repository.developerConnection}"/>
+        <j:if test="${!empty(value)}">
+          <echo>Using connection: ${pom.repository.developerConnection}</echo>
+          <j:set var="conn" value="${pom.repository.developerConnection}" />
         </j:if>
-        <util:tokenize var="tokens" delim="${delim}">${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:choose>
-            <j:when test="${tokens[2] == 'local'}">
-              <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.root" value=":${tokens[2]}:${tokens[3]}"/>
-              <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.module" value="${tokens[4]}"/>
-            </j:when>
-            <j:otherwise>
-              <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.root" value=":${tokens[2]}:${tokens[3]}:${tokens[4]}"/>
-              <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.module" value="${tokens[5]}"/>
-            </j:otherwise>
-          </j:choose>
-          <log:info>Using CVSROOT: ${maven.scm.cvs.root}</log:info>
-          <log:info>Using module: ${maven.scm.cvs.module}</log:info>
+      </j:if>
+
+      <j:if test="${conn == null}">
+        <j:set var="value" value="${pom.repository.connection}"/>
+        <j:if test="${!empty(value)}">
+          <echo>Using connection: ${pom.repository.connection}</echo>
+          <j:set var="conn" value="${pom.repository.connection}" />
         </j:if>
       </j:if>
     </j:if>
+
+    <j:if test="${conn != null}">
+      <j:set var="delim" value=":"/>
+      <j:if test="${value.length() gt 3}">
+        <j:set var="delim" value="${value.substring(3, 4)}"/>
+      </j:if>
+      <util:tokenize var="tokens" delim="${delim}">${conn}</util:tokenize>
+      <j:if test="${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:choose>
+          <j:when test="${tokens[2] == 'local'}">
+            <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.root" value=":${tokens[2]}:${tokens[3]}"/>
+            <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.module" value="${tokens[4]}"/>
+          </j:when>
+          <j:otherwise>
+            <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.root" value=":${tokens[2]}:${tokens[3]}:${tokens[4]}"/>
+            <j:set var="maven.scm.cvs.module" value="${tokens[5]}"/>
+          </j:otherwise>
+        </j:choose>
+        <log:info>Using CVSROOT: ${maven.scm.cvs.root}</log:info>
+        <log:info>Using module: ${maven.scm.cvs.module}</log:info>
+      </j:if>
+    </j:if>
   </goal>
 
   <goal name="scm:validate" prereqs="scm:parse-connection">
diff --git a/scm/plugin.properties b/scm/plugin.properties
index 823a71ac..e82599ce 100644
--- a/scm/plugin.properties
+++ b/scm/plugin.properties
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 maven.scm.method=
 # Directory to checkout to
 maven.scm.checkout.dir=${maven.build.dir}/checkouts
-# Set to true if you want to ignore the connection parameter in the POM
+# Set to true if you want to ignore the connection and developer connection parameters in the POM
 maven.scm.ignore.pom.connection=false
+# Set to true if you want to ignore the developer connection parameter only in the POM
+maven.scm.ignore.pom.developerConnection=false
 
 # Goals to run on checkout when bootstrapping a project
 maven.scm.bootstrap.goals=
diff --git a/scm/xdocs/changes.xml b/scm/xdocs/changes.xml
index fcafe0bf..1aff7130 100644
--- a/scm/xdocs/changes.xml
+++ b/scm/xdocs/changes.xml
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
       <action dev="brett" type="add">
         Update changes.xml version and release date on prepare.
       </action>
+      <action dev="brett" type="add">
+        Use developerConnection first, then standard connection when parsing connection from POM.
+      </action>
     </release>
 
     <release version="1.1" date="2003-09-29">