diff --git a/javadoc/plugin.jelly b/javadoc/plugin.jelly
index c830933e..1ad9b351 100644
--- a/javadoc/plugin.jelly
+++ b/javadoc/plugin.jelly
@@ -160,6 +160,10 @@
           <ant:path location="${maven.build.dest}"/>
         </ant:classpath>
       
+        <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.javadoc.overview') != null}">
+          <ant:setProperty name="overview" value="${maven.javadoc.overview}" />
+        </j:if>
+
         <j:if test="${maxMemory != null}">
           <ant:setProperty name="maxmemory" value="${maven.javadoc.maxmemory}" />
         </j:if>
diff --git a/javadoc/xdocs/changes.xml b/javadoc/xdocs/changes.xml
index 7dc9d19d..05bf4887 100644
--- a/javadoc/xdocs/changes.xml
+++ b/javadoc/xdocs/changes.xml
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 
   <body>
     <release version="1.3" date="in CVS">
+      <action dev="evenisse" type="add">
+        MAVEN-639. Add maven.javadoc.overview property.
+      </action>
       <action dev="evenisse" type="add">
         MAVEN-805. Add maven.javadoc.useexternalfile property.
       </action>
diff --git a/javadoc/xdocs/properties.xml b/javadoc/xdocs/properties.xml
index ba21ea6b..69f8354e 100644
--- a/javadoc/xdocs/properties.xml
+++ b/javadoc/xdocs/properties.xml
@@ -148,6 +148,13 @@ maven.javadoc.offlineLinks=http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/#/opt/java-ap
             the <code>-Xmx</code> parameter.
           </td>
         </tr>
+        <tr>
+          <td>maven.javadoc.overview</td>
+          <td>Yes</td>
+          <td>
+            Read overview documentation from HTML file.
+          </td>
+        </tr>
         <tr>
           <td>maven.javadoc.source</td>
           <td>Yes</td>
