diff --git a/asf/pom.xml b/asf/pom.xml
index dc142db..7d19b49 100644
--- a/asf/pom.xml
+++ b/asf/pom.xml
@@ -262,6 +262,16 @@
           <groupId>org.apache.rat</groupId>
           <artifactId>apache-rat-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>0.11</version>
+          <configuration>
+            <!--
+              The following configuration is needed, otherwise a release source package can't be
+              built without changing its content: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/RAT-184
+              TODO: remove when upgrading to 0.12
+            -->
+            <excludes>
+              <exclude>DEPENDENCIES</exclude>
+            </excludes>
+          </configuration>
           <dependencies><!-- TODO: remove when upgrading to 0.12, see https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/RAT-158 -->
             <dependency>
               <groupId>org.apache.maven.doxia</groupId>