diff --git a/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/ExternalDependency.xtend b/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/ExternalDependency.xtend
index d566aad80..cf9459962 100644
--- a/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/ExternalDependency.xtend
+++ b/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/ExternalDependency.xtend
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class ExternalDependency {
 			version = parts.get(2)
 		}
 		Scope scope = Scope.COMPILE
+		boolean optional = false
 	}
 
 	@Accessors
diff --git a/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/PomFile.xtend b/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/PomFile.xtend
index db4e63088..134f22f46 100644
--- a/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/PomFile.xtend
+++ b/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/PomFile.xtend
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ class PomFile extends TextFile {
 						«IF dep.scope != Scope.COMPILE»
 							<scope>«dep.scope.mavenNotation»</scope>
 						«ENDIF»
+						«IF dep.optional»
+							<optional>true</optional>
+						«ENDIF»
 					</dependency>
 				«ENDFOR»
 			</dependencies>
diff --git a/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/RuntimeProjectDescriptor.xtend b/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/RuntimeProjectDescriptor.xtend
index 2a3837e51..b0dad490b 100644
--- a/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/RuntimeProjectDescriptor.xtend
+++ b/plugins/org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.wizard/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xtext/wizard/RuntimeProjectDescriptor.xtend
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ class RuntimeProjectDescriptor extends TestedProjectDescriptor {
 				deps += createBundleDependency("org.eclipse.emf.ecore.xcore")
 			}
 		}
+		if (!isEclipsePluginProject && config.needsMavenBuild) {
+			deps += createXtextDependency("org.eclipse.xtext.xtext") => [maven.optional = true]
+			deps += createXtextDependency("org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.generator")  => [maven.optional = true]
+		}
 		deps
 	}
 	
@@ -454,11 +458,6 @@ class RuntimeProjectDescriptor extends TestedProjectDescriptor {
 									<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.generator</artifactId>
 									<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
 								</dependency>
-								<dependency>
-									<groupId>org.eclipse.xtext</groupId>
-									<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xbase</artifactId>
-									<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
-								</dependency>
 							</dependencies>
 						</plugin>
 						<plugin>
diff --git a/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.full/org.xtext.example.full.parent/org.xtext.example.full/pom.xml b/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.full/org.xtext.example.full.parent/org.xtext.example.full/pom.xml
index 3f74a98f0..654028060 100644
--- a/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.full/org.xtext.example.full.parent/org.xtext.example.full/pom.xml
+++ b/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.full/org.xtext.example.full.parent/org.xtext.example.full/pom.xml
@@ -44,11 +44,6 @@
 						<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.generator</artifactId>
 						<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
 					</dependency>
-					<dependency>
-						<groupId>org.eclipse.xtext</groupId>
-						<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xbase</artifactId>
-						<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
-					</dependency>
 				</dependencies>
 			</plugin>
 			<plugin>
diff --git a/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho.parent/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho/pom.xml b/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho.parent/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho/pom.xml
index 67f0f5328..8bd546f89 100644
--- a/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho.parent/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho/pom.xml
+++ b/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho.parent/org.xtext.example.mavenTycho/pom.xml
@@ -44,11 +44,6 @@
 						<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.generator</artifactId>
 						<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
 					</dependency>
-					<dependency>
-						<groupId>org.eclipse.xtext</groupId>
-						<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xbase</artifactId>
-						<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
-					</dependency>
 				</dependencies>
 			</plugin>
 			<plugin>
diff --git a/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.plainMaven/org.xtext.example.plainMaven.parent/org.xtext.example.plainMaven/pom.xml b/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.plainMaven/org.xtext.example.plainMaven.parent/org.xtext.example.plainMaven/pom.xml
index b1cbcbbfa..5b6c37cab 100644
--- a/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.plainMaven/org.xtext.example.plainMaven.parent/org.xtext.example.plainMaven/pom.xml
+++ b/tests/org.eclipse.xtext.tests/testdata/wizard-expectations/org.xtext.example.plainMaven/org.xtext.example.plainMaven.parent/org.xtext.example.plainMaven/pom.xml
@@ -44,11 +44,6 @@
 						<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.generator</artifactId>
 						<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
 					</dependency>
-					<dependency>
-						<groupId>org.eclipse.xtext</groupId>
-						<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xbase</artifactId>
-						<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
-					</dependency>
 				</dependencies>
 			</plugin>
 			<plugin>
@@ -208,5 +203,17 @@
 			<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xbase</artifactId>
 			<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
 		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.eclipse.xtext</groupId>
+			<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xtext</artifactId>
+			<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
+			<optional>true</optional>
+		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.eclipse.xtext</groupId>
+			<artifactId>org.eclipse.xtext.xtext.generator</artifactId>
+			<version>${xtextVersion}</version>
+			<optional>true</optional>
+		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
 </project>