diff --git a/devtools/gradle/gradle-extension-plugin/src/main/java/io/quarkus/extension/gradle/QuarkusExtensionPlugin.java b/devtools/gradle/gradle-extension-plugin/src/main/java/io/quarkus/extension/gradle/QuarkusExtensionPlugin.java
index 28353026924ee..cd65914f2a6df 100644
--- a/devtools/gradle/gradle-extension-plugin/src/main/java/io/quarkus/extension/gradle/QuarkusExtensionPlugin.java
+++ b/devtools/gradle/gradle-extension-plugin/src/main/java/io/quarkus/extension/gradle/QuarkusExtensionPlugin.java
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ private void registerTasks(Project project, QuarkusExtensionConfiguration quarku
             //This must be run after the extension has been configured
             Project deploymentProject = findDeploymentProject(project, quarkusExt);
             if (deploymentProject != null) {
+                deploymentProject.getPlugins().apply(JavaPlugin.class);
                 ApplicationDeploymentClasspathBuilder.initConfigurations(deploymentProject);
                 deploymentProject.getPlugins().withType(
                         JavaPlugin.class,