diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/ArtifactRepository.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/ArtifactRepository.java
index 81faf7a..558c19d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/ArtifactRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/ArtifactRepository.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
     private final ArtifactTypeMappingService artifactTypeMappingService;
 
     /**
-     * Creates a new repository wih the specified artifacts.
+     * Creates a new repository with the specified artifacts.
      * 
      * @param artifacts the artifacts
      * @param mainArtifactId the id to use for the main artifact (no classifier)
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/AbstractEarTestBase.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/AbstractEarTestBase.java
index f4f0638..8c47ba5 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/AbstractEarTestBase.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/AbstractEarTestBase.java
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 package org.apache.maven.plugins.ear;
 
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.TreeSet;
 
 import org.apache.maven.artifact.Artifact;
-import org.apache.maven.plugins.ear.stub.ArtifactTestStub;
+import org.apache.maven.artifact.DefaultArtifact;
+import org.apache.maven.plugins.ear.stub.ArtifactHandlerTestStub;
 
 /*
  * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
@@ -31,90 +33,41 @@
 public abstract class AbstractEarTestBase
 {
 
-    public static final String DEFAULT_GROUPID = "eartest";
+    protected static final String DEFAULT_GROUPID = "eartest";
 
-    public static final String DEFAULT_TYPE = "jar";
+    private static final String DEFAULT_TYPE = "jar";
 
     protected void setUri( EarModule module, String uri )
     {
         ( (AbstractEarModule) module ).setUri( uri );
     }
 
-    protected Set<Artifact> createArtifacts( String[] artifactsId )
+    protected Set<Artifact> createArtifacts( String[] artifactIds )
     {
-        return createArtifacts( artifactsId, null );
+        return createArtifacts( artifactIds, null );
     }
 
-    protected Set<Artifact> createArtifacts( String[] artifactsId, String[] types )
-    {
-        return createArtifacts( artifactsId, types, null );
-    }
-
-    protected Set<Artifact> createArtifacts( String[] artifactsId, String[] types, String[] groupsId )
-    {
-        return createArtifacts( artifactsId, types, groupsId, null );
-    }
-
-    protected Set<Artifact> createArtifacts( String[] artifactsId, String[] types, String[] groupsId,
-                                             String[] classifiers )
+    protected Set<Artifact> createArtifacts( String[] artifactIds, String[] classifiers )
     {
         Set<Artifact> result = new TreeSet<Artifact>();
-        if ( artifactsId == null || artifactsId.length == 0 )
+        ArtifactHandlerTestStub artifactHandler = new ArtifactHandlerTestStub( "jar" );
+        for ( int i = 0; i < artifactIds.length; i++ )
         {
-            return result;
-        }
-        for ( int i = 0; i < artifactsId.length; i++ )
-        {
-            String artifactId = artifactsId[i];
-            String type = getData( types, i, DEFAULT_TYPE );
-            String groupId = getData( groupsId, i, DEFAULT_GROUPID );
-            String classifier = getData( classifiers, i, null );
-            result.add( new ArtifactTestStub( groupId, artifactId, type, classifier ) );
-
+            String artifactId = artifactIds[i];
+            String classifier = classifiers == null ? null : classifiers[i];
+            Artifact artifactTestStub = new DefaultArtifact(
+                DEFAULT_GROUPID, artifactId, "1.0", "compile", DEFAULT_TYPE, classifier, artifactHandler );
+            result.add( artifactTestStub );
         }
         return result;
     }
 
-    protected String getData( String[] data, int i, String defaultValue )
-    {
-        if ( data == null || data[i] == null )
-        {
-            return defaultValue;
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            return data[i];
-
-        }
-    }
-
-    protected String getDefaultValue( String t, String defaultValue )
-    {
-        if ( t == null )
-        {
-            return defaultValue;
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            return t;
-        }
-    }
-
-    protected Artifact createArtifact( String artifactId, String type, String groupId, String classifier )
-    {
-        return new ArtifactTestStub( getDefaultValue( groupId, DEFAULT_GROUPID ), artifactId,
-                                     getDefaultValue( type, DEFAULT_TYPE ), classifier );
-    }
-
-    protected Artifact createArtifact( String artifactId, String type, String groupId )
-    {
-        return createArtifact( artifactId, type, groupId, null );
-
-    }
-
     protected Artifact createArtifact( String artifactId, String type )
     {
-        return createArtifact( artifactId, type, null );
-
+        Artifact artifactTestStub = new DefaultArtifact(
+            DEFAULT_GROUPID, artifactId, "1.0", "compile", Objects.toString( type, DEFAULT_TYPE ),
+            null, new ArtifactHandlerTestStub( "jar" ) );
+        
+        return artifactTestStub;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/stub/ArtifactHandlerTestStub.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/stub/ArtifactHandlerTestStub.java
index d71c994..38ed9ef 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/stub/ArtifactHandlerTestStub.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/stub/ArtifactHandlerTestStub.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 
     public String getClassifier()
     {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
+        return null;
     }
 
     public String getPackaging()
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/stub/ArtifactTestStub.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/stub/ArtifactTestStub.java
deleted file mode 100644
index c695ac0..0000000
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/stub/ArtifactTestStub.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,357 +0,0 @@
-package org.apache.maven.plugins.ear.stub;
-
-/*
- * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
- * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
- * distributed with this work for additional information
- * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
- * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
- * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
- * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
- * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
- * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
- * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
- * specific language governing permissions and limitations
- * under the License.
- */
-
-import org.apache.maven.artifact.Artifact;
-import org.apache.maven.artifact.handler.ArtifactHandler;
-import org.apache.maven.artifact.metadata.ArtifactMetadata;
-import org.apache.maven.artifact.repository.ArtifactRepository;
-import org.apache.maven.artifact.resolver.filter.ArtifactFilter;
-import org.apache.maven.artifact.versioning.ArtifactVersion;
-import org.apache.maven.artifact.versioning.OverConstrainedVersionException;
-import org.apache.maven.artifact.versioning.VersionRange;
-
-import java.io.File;
-import java.util.Collection;
-import java.util.List;
-
-/**
- * A fake {@link Artifact} test stub.
- * 
- * @author <a href="snicoll@apache.org">Stephane Nicoll</a>
- */
-public class ArtifactTestStub
-    implements Artifact
-
-{
-    public static final String DEFAULT_VERSION = "1.0";
-
-    private final String groupId;
-
-    private final String artifactId;
-
-    private final String type;
-
-    private final String classifier;
-
-    private String version;
-
-    public ArtifactTestStub( String groupId, String artifactId, String type, String classifier, String version )
-    {
-        this.groupId = groupId;
-        this.artifactId = artifactId;
-        this.type = type;
-        this.classifier = classifier;
-        this.version = version;
-    }
-
-    public ArtifactTestStub( String groupId, String artifactId, String type, String classifier )
-    {
-        this( groupId, artifactId, type, classifier, DEFAULT_VERSION );
-    }
-
-    public String getGroupId()
-    {
-        return groupId;
-    }
-
-    public String getArtifactId()
-    {
-        return artifactId;
-    }
-
-    public String getVersion()
-    {
-        return version;
-    }
-
-    public void setVersion( String version )
-    {
-        this.version = version;
-    }
-
-    public String getScope()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public String getType()
-    {
-        return type;
-    }
-
-    public String getClassifier()
-    {
-        return classifier;
-    }
-
-    public boolean hasClassifier()
-    {
-        return classifier != null;
-    }
-
-    public File getFile()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setFile( File file )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public String getBaseVersion()
-    {
-        return version;
-    }
-
-    public void setBaseVersion( String string )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public String getId()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public String getDependencyConflictId()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void addMetadata( ArtifactMetadata artifactMetadata )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public Collection<ArtifactMetadata> getMetadataList()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setRepository( ArtifactRepository artifactRepository )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public ArtifactRepository getRepository()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void updateVersion( String string, ArtifactRepository artifactRepository )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public String getDownloadUrl()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setDownloadUrl( String string )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public ArtifactFilter getDependencyFilter()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setDependencyFilter( ArtifactFilter artifactFilter )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public ArtifactHandler getArtifactHandler()
-    {
-        return new ArtifactHandlerTestStub( "jar" );
-    }
-
-    public List<String> getDependencyTrail()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setDependencyTrail( List<String> list )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setScope( String string )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public VersionRange getVersionRange()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setVersionRange( VersionRange versionRange )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void selectVersion( String string )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setGroupId( String string )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setArtifactId( String string )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public boolean isSnapshot()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setResolved( boolean b )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public boolean isResolved()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setResolvedVersion( String string )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setArtifactHandler( ArtifactHandler artifactHandler )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public boolean isRelease()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setRelease( boolean b )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public List<ArtifactVersion> getAvailableVersions()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setAvailableVersions( List<ArtifactVersion> list )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public boolean isOptional()
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public void setOptional( boolean b )
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public ArtifactVersion getSelectedVersion()
-        throws OverConstrainedVersionException
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public boolean isSelectedVersionKnown()
-        throws OverConstrainedVersionException
-    {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( "not implemented ; fake artifact stub" );
-    }
-
-    public boolean equals( Object o )
-    {
-        if ( this == o )
-        {
-            return true;
-        }
-        if ( o == null || getClass() != o.getClass() )
-        {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        ArtifactTestStub that = (ArtifactTestStub) o;
-
-        if ( artifactId != null ? !artifactId.equals( that.artifactId ) : that.artifactId != null )
-        {
-            return false;
-        }
-        if ( classifier != null ? !classifier.equals( that.classifier ) : that.classifier != null )
-        {
-            return false;
-        }
-        if ( groupId != null ? !groupId.equals( that.groupId ) : that.groupId != null )
-        {
-            return false;
-        }
-        if ( type != null ? !type.equals( that.type ) : that.type != null )
-        {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    public int hashCode()
-    {
-        int result;
-        result = ( groupId != null ? groupId.hashCode() : 0 );
-        result = 31 * result + ( artifactId != null ? artifactId.hashCode() : 0 );
-        result = 31 * result + ( type != null ? type.hashCode() : 0 );
-        result = 31 * result + ( classifier != null ? classifier.hashCode() : 0 );
-        return result;
-    }
-
-    public int compareTo( Artifact o )
-    {
-        if ( this.equals( o ) )
-        {
-            return 0;
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            return 1;
-        }
-    }
-
-    public ArtifactMetadata getMetadata( Class<?> metadataClass )
-    {
-        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
-        return null;
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/ArtifactRepositoryTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/ArtifactRepositoryTest.java
index f7739cc..0f8218c 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/ArtifactRepositoryTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/ArtifactRepositoryTest.java
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import org.apache.maven.artifact.Artifact;
 import org.apache.maven.plugins.ear.AbstractEarTestBase;
-import org.apache.maven.plugins.ear.EarPluginException;
-import org.codehaus.plexus.configuration.PlexusConfigurationException;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 /**
@@ -34,14 +36,15 @@
     extends AbstractEarTestBase
 {
 
-    public static final String MAIN_ARTIFACT_ID = "none";
+    private static final String MAIN_ARTIFACT_ID = "none";
+
+    private ArtifactTypeMappingService artifactTypeMappingService = new ArtifactTypeMappingService();
 
     @Test
     public void testEmptyRepository()
     {
-        ArtifactTypeMappingService artifactTypeMappingService = new ArtifactTypeMappingService();
-        ArtifactRepository repo =
-            new ArtifactRepository( createArtifacts( null ), MAIN_ARTIFACT_ID, artifactTypeMappingService );
+        Set<Artifact> artifacts = new HashSet<>();
+        ArtifactRepository repo = new ArtifactRepository( artifacts, MAIN_ARTIFACT_ID, artifactTypeMappingService );
         assertNull( repo.getUniqueArtifact( "ear", "ar", "jar" ) );
         assertNull( repo.getUniqueArtifact( "ear", "ar", "jar", null ) );
         assertNull( repo.getUniqueArtifact( "ear", "ar", "jar", "class" ) );
@@ -50,7 +53,6 @@
     @Test
     public void testRepositoryWithOneUnclassifiedArtifact()
     {
-        ArtifactTypeMappingService artifactTypeMappingService = new ArtifactTypeMappingService();
         ArtifactRepository repo =
             new ArtifactRepository( createArtifacts( new String[] { "myartifact" } ), MAIN_ARTIFACT_ID,
                                     artifactTypeMappingService );
@@ -61,9 +63,8 @@
     @Test
     public void testRepositoryWithOneClassifiedArtifact()
     {
-        ArtifactTypeMappingService artifactTypeMappingService = new ArtifactTypeMappingService();
         ArtifactRepository repo =
-            new ArtifactRepository( createArtifacts( new String[] { "myartifact" }, null, null,
+            new ArtifactRepository( createArtifacts( new String[] { "myartifact" },
                                                      new String[] { "classified" } ), MAIN_ARTIFACT_ID,
                                     artifactTypeMappingService );
         assertNotNull( repo.getUniqueArtifact( DEFAULT_GROUPID, "myartifact", "jar" ) );
@@ -74,10 +75,9 @@
     @Test
     public void testRepositoryWithMultipleClassifiedArtifacts()
     {
-        ArtifactTypeMappingService artifactTypeMappingService = new ArtifactTypeMappingService();
         ArtifactRepository repo =
-            new ArtifactRepository( createArtifacts( new String[] { "myartifact", "myartifact", "myartifact" }, null,
-                                                     null, new String[] { "class1", "class2", "class3" } ),
+            new ArtifactRepository( createArtifacts( new String[] { "myartifact", "myartifact", "myartifact" }, 
+                                                     new String[] { "class1", "class2", "class3" } ),
                                     MAIN_ARTIFACT_ID, artifactTypeMappingService );
 
         assertNull( repo.getUniqueArtifact( DEFAULT_GROUPID, "myartifact", "jar" ) );
@@ -89,12 +89,10 @@
 
     @Test
     public void testRepositoryWithMultipleClassifiedArtifactsAndMainArtifact()
-        throws PlexusConfigurationException, EarPluginException
     {
-        ArtifactTypeMappingService artifactTypeMappingService = new ArtifactTypeMappingService();
         ArtifactRepository repo =
-            new ArtifactRepository( createArtifacts( new String[] { "myartifact", "myartifact", "myartifact" }, null,
-                                                     null, new String[] { "class1", "class2", null } ),
+            new ArtifactRepository( createArtifacts( new String[] { "myartifact", "myartifact", "myartifact" },
+                                                     new String[] { "class1", "class2", null } ),
                                     MAIN_ARTIFACT_ID, artifactTypeMappingService );
 
         assertNull( repo.getUniqueArtifact( DEFAULT_GROUPID, "myartifact", "jar" ) );
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/EarMavenArchiverTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/EarMavenArchiverTest.java
index 693c84a..bca17c8 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/EarMavenArchiverTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/ear/util/EarMavenArchiverTest.java
@@ -36,10 +36,11 @@
     extends AbstractEarTestBase
 {
 
+    private List<EarModule> modules = new ArrayList<EarModule>();
+
     @Test
     public void testSimpleEjbModule()
     {
-        final List<EarModule> modules = new ArrayList<EarModule>();
         final EarModule module = new EjbModule( createArtifact( "foo", "ejb" ) );
         setUri( module, "foo-1.0.jar" );
         modules.add( module );
@@ -52,7 +53,6 @@
     @Test
     public void testSimpleJarModuleWithCustomBundleDir()
     {
-        final List<EarModule> modules = new ArrayList<EarModule>();
         final EarModule module = new EjbModule( createArtifact( "foo", "jar" ) );
         setUri( module, "libs/foo-1.0.jar" );
         modules.add( module );
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@
     @Test
     public void testTwoModules()
     {
-        final List<EarModule> modules = new ArrayList<EarModule>();
         final EarModule module = new EjbModule( createArtifact( "foo", "ejb" ) );
         setUri( module, "foo-1.0.jar" );
         modules.add( module );