diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/PmdViolationCheckMojoTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/PmdViolationCheckMojoTest.java
index 38b8f6dd..ed3e7dc5 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/PmdViolationCheckMojoTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/PmdViolationCheckMojoTest.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import java.io.File;
 
 import org.apache.maven.plugin.MojoFailureException;
+import org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject;
 
 /**
  * @author <a href="mailto:oching@apache.org">Maria Odea Ching</a>
@@ -88,15 +89,16 @@ public void testFailurePriority() throws Exception {
         File testPom = new File(
                 getBasedir(),
                 "src/test/resources/unit/default-configuration/pmd-check-failonpriority-plugin-config.xml");
-        PmdViolationCheckMojo pmdViolationMojo = (PmdViolationCheckMojo) lookupMojo(getGoal(), testPom);
-        pmdViolationMojo.execute();
+        PmdViolationCheckMojo pmdViolationCheckMojo = (PmdViolationCheckMojo) lookupMojo(getGoal(), testPom);
+        pmdViolationCheckMojo.execute();
 
         testPom = new File(
                 getBasedir(),
                 "src/test/resources/unit/default-configuration/pmd-check-failandwarnonpriority-plugin-config.xml");
-        pmdViolationMojo = (PmdViolationCheckMojo) lookupMojo(getGoal(), testPom);
+        pmdViolationCheckMojo = (PmdViolationCheckMojo) lookupMojo(getGoal(), testPom);
+
         try {
-            pmdViolationMojo.execute();
+            pmdViolationCheckMojo.execute();
             fail("Exception Expected");
         } catch (final MojoFailureException e) {
             assertTrue(e.getMessage()
@@ -111,11 +113,12 @@ public void testException() throws Exception {
                     getBasedir(),
                     "src/test/resources/unit/custom-configuration/pmd-check-exception-test-plugin-config.xml");
             final PmdViolationCheckMojo mojo = (PmdViolationCheckMojo) lookupMojo(getGoal(), testPom);
+            mojo.project = new MavenProject();
             mojo.execute();
 
             fail("MojoFailureException should be thrown.");
         } catch (final MojoFailureException e) {
-            assertTrue(true);
+            assertNotNull(e.getMessage());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/test/resources/unit/custom-configuration/pmd-check-exception-test-plugin-config.xml b/src/test/resources/unit/custom-configuration/pmd-check-exception-test-plugin-config.xml
index 90532abb..03b4c250 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/unit/custom-configuration/pmd-check-exception-test-plugin-config.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/unit/custom-configuration/pmd-check-exception-test-plugin-config.xml
@@ -33,11 +33,8 @@ under the License.
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-pmd-plugin</artifactId>
         <configuration>
-          <sourceDirectory>${basedir}/src/test/resources/unit/custom-configuration</sourceDirectory>
           <targetDirectory>${basedir}/target/test/unit/custom-configuration/target</targetDirectory>
-          <rulesetsTargetDirectory>${basedir}/target/test/unit/custom-configuration/target/pmd/rulesets</rulesetsTargetDirectory>
           <failOnViolation>false</failOnViolation>
-          <language>java</language>
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
     </plugins>