diff --git a/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/HelpGeneratorMojo.java b/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/HelpGeneratorMojo.java
index 87a179a..e31274c 100644
--- a/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/HelpGeneratorMojo.java
+++ b/maven-plugin-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/plugin/HelpGeneratorMojo.java
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ import java.io.File;
 
 /**
  * Generates a <code>HelpMojo</code> class.
- *
+ * 
  * @author <a href="mailto:vincent.siveton@gmail.com">Vincent Siveton</a>
  * @version $Id$
  * @since 2.4
  */
-@Mojo( name = "helpmojo", defaultPhase = LifecyclePhase.GENERATE_SOURCES, threadSafe = true )
+@Mojo( name = "helpmojo", defaultPhase = LifecyclePhase.GENERATE_SOURCES, threadSafe = true /*, requiresDependencyResolution = ResolutionScope.COMPILE */ )
 public class HelpGeneratorMojo
     extends AbstractGeneratorMojo
 {
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public class HelpGeneratorMojo
     /**
      * The name of the package for the generated <code>HelpMojo</code>. By default, the package will be calculated based
      * on the packages of the other plugin goals.
-     *
+     * 
      * @since 2.6
      */
     @Parameter
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public class HelpGeneratorMojo
      */
     protected Generator createGenerator()
     {
-        return new PluginHelpGenerator().setHelpPackageName( helpPackageName ).setVelocityComponent( this.velocity );
+        return new PluginHelpGenerator().setHelpPackageName( helpPackageName ).setUseAnnotations( project.getArtifactMap().containsKey( "org.apache.maven.plugin-tools:maven-plugin-annotations" ) ).setVelocityComponent( this.velocity );
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/maven-plugin-tools-generators/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/tools/plugin/generator/PluginHelpGenerator.java b/maven-plugin-tools-generators/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/tools/plugin/generator/PluginHelpGenerator.java
index cf8552a..b45c113 100644
--- a/maven-plugin-tools-generators/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/tools/plugin/generator/PluginHelpGenerator.java
+++ b/maven-plugin-tools-generators/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/tools/plugin/generator/PluginHelpGenerator.java
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ public class PluginHelpGenerator
 
     private String helpPackageName;
 
+    private boolean useAnnotations;
+
     private VelocityComponent velocityComponent;
 
     /**
@@ -157,6 +159,12 @@ public class PluginHelpGenerator
         this.helpPackageName = helpPackageName;
         return this;
     }
+    
+    public PluginHelpGenerator setUseAnnotations( boolean useAnnotations )
+    {
+        this.useAnnotations = useAnnotations;
+        return this;
+    }
 
     public VelocityComponent getVelocityComponent()
     {
@@ -188,6 +196,7 @@ public class PluginHelpGenerator
         properties.put( "pluginHelpPath", pluginHelpPath );
         properties.put( "artifactId", pluginDescriptor.getArtifactId() );
         properties.put( "goalPrefix", pluginDescriptor.getGoalPrefix() );
+        properties.put( "useAnnotations", useAnnotations );
 
         StringWriter stringWriter = new StringWriter();
 
diff --git a/maven-plugin-tools-generators/src/main/resources/help-class-source.vm b/maven-plugin-tools-generators/src/main/resources/help-class-source.vm
index 7540dc6..407f9a7 100644
--- a/maven-plugin-tools-generators/src/main/resources/help-class-source.vm
+++ b/maven-plugin-tools-generators/src/main/resources/help-class-source.vm
@@ -34,33 +34,49 @@ public class HelpMojo
     /**
      * If <code>true</code>, display all settable properties for each goal.
      *
+#if ( !$useAnnotations )     
      * @parameter property="detail" default-value="false"
+#end
      */
-    //@Parameter( property = "detail", defaultValue = "false" )
+#if ( $useAnnotations )     
+    @Parameter( property = "detail", defaultValue = "false" )
+#end
     private boolean detail;
 
     /**
      * The name of the goal for which to show help. If unspecified, all goals will be displayed.
      *
+#if ( !$useAnnotations )     
      * @parameter property="goal"
+#end
      */
-    //@Parameter( property = "goal" )
+#if ( $useAnnotations )     
+    @Parameter( property = "goal" )
+#end    
     private java.lang.String goal;
 
     /**
      * The maximum length of a display line, should be positive.
      *
+#if ( !$useAnnotations )     
      * @parameter property="lineLength" default-value="80"
+#end
      */
-    //@Parameter( property = "lineLength", defaultValue = "80" )
+#if ( $useAnnotations )     
+    @Parameter( property = "lineLength", defaultValue = "80" )
+#end
     private int lineLength;
 
     /**
      * The number of spaces per indentation level, should be positive.
      *
+#if ( !$useAnnotations )     
      * @parameter property="indentSize" default-value="2"
+#end
      */
-    //@Parameter( property = "indentSize", defaultValue = "2" )
+#if ( $useAnnotations )     
+    @Parameter( property = "indentSize", defaultValue = "2" )
+#end
     private int indentSize;
 
     // groupId/artifactId/plugin-help.xml