diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/pom.xml
index 778c262..273810e 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/pom.xml
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
     <mavenHome>${maven.home}</mavenHome>
     <!-- The (possibly instrumented copy of the) Maven distribution we actually use for the tests. -->
     <preparedMavenHome>${mavenHome}</preparedMavenHome>
+    <!-- the version of aven-assemplugin to use in ITs -->
+    <assemblyPluginVersion>2.2</assemblyPluginVersion>
   </properties>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/basics/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/basics/pom.xml
index d551dca..33b30cd 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/basics/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/basics/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>basics</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>basics-child1</module>
     <module>basics-child2</module>
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-5</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/build-output-dir/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/build-output-dir/pom.xml
index 4bec98e..db2257a 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/build-output-dir/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/build-output-dir/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>build-output-dir</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>build-output-dir-child1</module>
     <module>build-output-dir-child2</module>
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-5</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/ide-excludes/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/ide-excludes/pom.xml
index 2f0efca..7208c24 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/ide-excludes/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/ide-excludes/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>ide-excludes</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>ide-excludes-child1</module>
     <module>ide-excludes-child2</module>
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-5</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/misc-excludes/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/misc-excludes/pom.xml
index 6cba4a8..d8444c0 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/misc-excludes/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/misc-excludes/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>misc-excludes</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>misc-excludes-child1</module>
     <module>misc-excludes-child2</module>
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-5</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/misc-excludes/pom.xml.releaseBackup b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/misc-excludes/pom.xml.releaseBackup
index ac79487..cd52def 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/misc-excludes/pom.xml.releaseBackup
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/misc-excludes/pom.xml.releaseBackup
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>misc-excludes</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>misc-excludes-child1</module>
     <module>misc-excludes-child2</module>
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-4</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/output-dir-contains-src-name/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/output-dir-contains-src-name/pom.xml
index f0e488f..392d0ef 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/output-dir-contains-src-name/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/output-dir-contains-src-name/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>output-dir-contains-src-name</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>output-dir-contains-src-name-child1</module>
     <module>output-dir-contains-src-name-child2</module>
@@ -47,7 +54,7 @@
       </plugin>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-5</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/shared-resources/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/shared-resources/pom.xml
index e7fc75e..d2c594a 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/shared-resources/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/shared-resources/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>shared-resources</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>shared-resources-child1</module>
     <module>shared-resources-child2</module>
@@ -51,7 +58,7 @@
       
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-5</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/src-contains-ide-files/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/src-contains-ide-files/pom.xml
index 526a61e..bc70acf 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/src-contains-ide-files/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/src-contains-ide-files/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>src-contains-ide-files</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>src-contains-ide-files-child1</module>
   </modules>
@@ -33,7 +40,7 @@
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-5</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/src-contains-output-dir-name/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/src-contains-output-dir-name/pom.xml
index def738d..b567db2 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/src-contains-output-dir-name/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/src-contains-output-dir-name/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>src-contains-output-dir-name</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+  <properties>
+    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+  </properties>
+  
   <modules>
     <module>src-contains-output-dir-name-child1</module>
     <module>src-contains-output-dir-name-child2</module>
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2-beta-5</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>
diff --git a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/zip-and-tar/pom.xml b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/zip-and-tar/pom.xml
index 2744a74..e349491 100644
--- a/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/zip-and-tar/pom.xml
+++ b/apache-source-release-assembly-descriptor/src/test/resources/zip-and-tar/pom.xml
@@ -19,12 +19,15 @@
 under the License.
 -->
 
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+	xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
   <groupId>org.apache.assembly.it</groupId>
   <artifactId>zip-and-tar</artifactId>
   <version>1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
+
   <modules>
     <module>zip-and-tar-child1</module>
     <module>zip-and-tar-child2</module>
@@ -38,7 +41,7 @@
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
         <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2</version>
+        <version>@assemblyPluginVersion@</version>
         
         <dependencies>
           <dependency>