diff --git a/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementContainer.groovy b/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementContainer.groovy
index 695b6cd..55e8efc 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementContainer.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementContainer.groovy
@@ -18,9 +18,14 @@ class DependencyManagementContainer {
   private Project rootProject = null
   private boolean resolved = false
 
+  boolean manageDependencies = true
+
   Map versions = [:].withDefault { "" }
 
-  Map<String, String> resolveCache = [:].withDefault { String s -> s ? engine.createTemplate(s).make(versions).toString() : s }
+  Map<String, String> resolveCache = [:].withDefault { String s ->
+    Map resolutionContextMap = (versions + rootProject.extensions.extraProperties.properties).withDefault { "" }
+    s ? engine.createTemplate(s).make(resolutionContextMap).toString() : s
+  }
   Map managedVersions = [:]
   List<GroupArtifact> blackList = []
   Map rewrites = [:]
@@ -48,10 +53,25 @@ class DependencyManagementContainer {
   }
 
   private def exposeVersions() {
-    versions.collect { k, v ->
-      if (v !== "" && k != "out") {
-        logger.debug("${rootProject.name} added $k=$v")
-        rootProject.extensions.extraProperties.set(k, v)
+    versions << versions.collectEntries { k, v ->
+      if (k !== "out") {
+        if (rootProject.extensions.extraProperties.has(k)) {
+          def overrideValue = rootProject.extensions.extraProperties.get(k)
+          logger.info("${rootProject.name} added overriden version ${k}=${overrideValue} (found in gradle extra properties)")
+          rootProject.extensions.extraProperties.set(k, overrideValue)
+          [k:overrideValue]
+        } else {
+          if (v !== "") {
+            logger.info("${rootProject.name} added version $k=$v")
+            rootProject.extensions.extraProperties.set(k, v)
+            [k:v]
+          } else {
+            logger.error("Unable to expose version ${k} to gradle extra properties. Check if it is defined in gradle.properties or .conf file")
+            [k:""]
+          }
+        }
+      } else {
+        [:]
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementExtension.groovy b/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementExtension.groovy
index ce7c1f7..68eddc8 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementExtension.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementExtension.groovy
@@ -32,4 +32,9 @@ class DependencyManagementExtension {
     project.logger.info("Added dependency management artifact: $s")
     container.addSupplier(new DependencySupplier(this.project, s))
   }
+
+  def manageDependencies(Boolean manageDependencies) {
+    project.logger.info("Dependencies managed by Dependency management plugin: $manageDependencies")
+    container.manageDependencies = manageDependencies
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementProjectConfigurer.groovy b/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementProjectConfigurer.groovy
index b879e70..2b8658e 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementProjectConfigurer.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/DependencyManagementProjectConfigurer.groovy
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ class DependencyManagementProjectConfigurer {
     // Contract for all is that it executes the closure for all currently assigned objects, and any objects added later.
     project.getConfigurations().all { Configuration config ->
       if (config.name != 'zinc') { // The Scala compiler 'zinc' configuration should not be managed by us
-        config.resolutionStrategy { ResolutionStrategy rs ->
-          rs.eachDependency(manageDependency(project, container))
+        if (container.manageDependencies) {
+          config.resolutionStrategy { ResolutionStrategy rs ->
+            rs.eachDependency(manageDependency(project, container))
+          }
         }
         configureExcludes(project, config, container)
       }
diff --git a/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/XLDependencyPlatformPlugin.groovy b/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/XLDependencyPlatformPlugin.groovy
index 95e72ac..33fabcf 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/XLDependencyPlatformPlugin.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/com/xebialabs/gradle/dependency/XLDependencyPlatformPlugin.groovy
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class XLDependencyPlatformPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
               }
               project.logger.info("Added $artifactModule:$artifactVersion to ${projectName}")
             } else {
-              project.logger.info("Unable to add $artifactModule to ${projectName}")
+              project.logger.info("Unable to add $artifactModule to ${projectName} as a constraint")
             }
           }
         }