diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
index 00169f35284fa..e3266f000617e 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
@@ -29,14 +29,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.ElasticsearchCluster
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.TestClustersPlugin
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.TestDistribution
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.util.GradleUtils
-import org.gradle.api.Action
-import org.gradle.api.GradleException
-import org.gradle.api.InvalidUserDataException
 import org.gradle.api.JavaVersion
-import org.gradle.api.NamedDomainObjectContainer
-import org.gradle.api.Plugin
-import org.gradle.api.Project
-import org.gradle.api.Task
+import org.gradle.api.*
 import org.gradle.api.artifacts.Configuration
 import org.gradle.api.artifacts.Dependency
 import org.gradle.api.artifacts.ModuleDependency
@@ -48,8 +42,10 @@ import org.gradle.api.artifacts.repositories.IvyPatternRepositoryLayout
 import org.gradle.api.artifacts.repositories.MavenArtifactRepository
 import org.gradle.api.credentials.HttpHeaderCredentials
 import org.gradle.api.execution.TaskActionListener
+import org.gradle.api.file.CopySpec
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.ExtraPropertiesExtension
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPlugin
+import org.gradle.api.tasks.bundling.Jar
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.testing.Test
 import org.gradle.authentication.http.HttpHeaderAuthentication
 import org.gradle.util.GradleVersion
@@ -85,6 +81,7 @@ class BuildPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
             )
         }
         project.pluginManager.apply('elasticsearch.java')
+        configureLicenseAndNotice(project)
         project.pluginManager.apply('elasticsearch.publish')
         project.pluginManager.apply(DependenciesInfoPlugin)
 
@@ -273,6 +270,7 @@ class BuildPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
         }
     }
 
+
     private static class TestFailureReportingPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
         @Override
         void apply(Project project) {
@@ -305,4 +303,32 @@ class BuildPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
     private static inFipsJvm(){
         return Boolean.parseBoolean(System.getProperty("tests.fips.enabled"));
     }
+
+    static void configureLicenseAndNotice(Project project) {
+        ExtraPropertiesExtension ext = project.extensions.getByType(ExtraPropertiesExtension)
+        ext.set('licenseFile',  null)
+        ext.set('noticeFile', null)
+        // add license/notice files
+        project.afterEvaluate {
+            project.tasks.withType(Jar).configureEach { Jar jarTask ->
+                if (ext.has('licenseFile') == false || ext.get('licenseFile') == null || ext.has('noticeFile') == false || ext.get('noticeFile') == null) {
+                    throw new GradleException("Must specify license and notice file for project ${project.path}")
+                }
+
+                File licenseFile = ext.get('licenseFile') as File
+                File noticeFile = ext.get('noticeFile') as File
+
+                jarTask.metaInf { CopySpec spec ->
+                    spec.from(licenseFile.parent) { CopySpec from ->
+                        from.include licenseFile.name
+                        from.rename { 'LICENSE.txt' }
+                    }
+                    spec.from(noticeFile.parent) { CopySpec from ->
+                        from.include noticeFile.name
+                        from.rename { 'NOTICE.txt' }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/ElasticsearchJavaPlugin.java b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/ElasticsearchJavaPlugin.java
index 4db65c606e968..e3d6d12e356c8 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/ElasticsearchJavaPlugin.java
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/ElasticsearchJavaPlugin.java
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
 import org.gradle.api.artifacts.ResolutionStrategy;
 import org.gradle.api.file.FileCollection;
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.BasePlugin;
-import org.gradle.api.plugins.ExtraPropertiesExtension;
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPlugin;
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPluginExtension;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.SourceSet;
@@ -398,11 +397,10 @@ public void execute(Task t) {
         });
     }
 
-    /** Adds additional manifest info to jars */
+    /**
+     * Adds additional manifest info to jars
+     */
     static void configureJars(Project project) {
-        ExtraPropertiesExtension ext = project.getExtensions().getExtraProperties();
-        ext.set("licenseFile", null);
-        ext.set("noticeFile", null);
         project.getTasks()
             .withType(Jar.class)
             .configureEach(
@@ -427,25 +425,6 @@ static void configureJars(Project project) {
                     );
                 }
             );
-        // add license/notice files
-        project.afterEvaluate(p -> project.getTasks().withType(Jar.class).configureEach(jarTask -> {
-            File licenseFile = (File) ext.get("licenseFile");
-            File noticeFile = (File) ext.get("noticeFile");
-            if (licenseFile == null || noticeFile == null) {
-                throw new GradleException("Must specify license and notice file for project");
-            }
-
-            jarTask.metaInf(spec -> {
-                spec.from(licenseFile.getParent(), from -> {
-                    from.include(licenseFile.getName());
-                    from.rename(s -> "LICENSE.txt");
-                });
-                spec.from(noticeFile.getParent(), from -> {
-                    from.include(noticeFile.getName());
-                    from.rename(s -> "NOTICE.txt");
-                });
-            });
-        }));
         project.getPluginManager().withPlugin("com.github.johnrengelman.shadow", p -> {
             project.getTasks()
                 .withType(ShadowJar.class)