diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify.yaml b/.github/workflows/verify.yaml
index 18dbf2bd..6c4195ff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify.yaml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ jobs:
       run: gu install native-image
 
     - name: mvn clean verify
-      run: ./mvnw clean verify -Pnative -B -ntp -e
+      run: ./mvnw clean verify -Pnative -Dmrm=false -B -ntp -e
 
     - name: Upload daemon test logs
       if: ${{ success() || failure() }}
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ jobs:
       shell: cmd
       run: |
         call "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat"
-        ./mvnw clean verify -Pnative -B -ntp -e
+        ./mvnw clean verify -Pnative -Dmrm=false -B -ntp -e
 
     - name: Upload daemon test logs
       if: ${{ success() || failure() }}
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ jobs:
       run: gu install native-image
 
     - name: mvn clean verify
-      run: ./mvnw clean verify -Pnative -B -ntp -e
+      run: ./mvnw clean verify -Pnative -Dmrm=false -B -ntp -e
 
     - name: Upload daemon test logs
       if: ${{ success() || failure() }}
diff --git a/integration-tests/pom.xml b/integration-tests/pom.xml
index bbe9d1a6..168f29f1 100644
--- a/integration-tests/pom.xml
+++ b/integration-tests/pom.xml
@@ -91,26 +91,6 @@
 
     <build>
         <plugins>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-                <artifactId>mrm-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <id>mrm-start</id>
-                        <phase>process-test-classes</phase>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>start</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                    <execution>
-                        <id>mrm-stop</id>
-                        <phase>post-integration-test</phase>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>stop</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
@@ -148,6 +128,40 @@
     </build>
 
     <profiles>
+        <profile>
+            <!-- To disable mrm-maven-plugin, pass '-Dmrm=false' to the command line -->
+            <id>mrm</id>
+            <activation>
+                <property>
+                    <name>mrm</name>
+                    <value>!false</value>
+                </property>
+            </activation>
+            <build>
+                <plugins>
+                    <plugin>
+                        <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+                        <artifactId>mrm-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                        <executions>
+                            <execution>
+                                <id>mrm-start</id>
+                                <phase>process-test-classes</phase>
+                                <goals>
+                                    <goal>start</goal>
+                                </goals>
+                            </execution>
+                            <execution>
+                                <id>mrm-stop</id>
+                                <phase>post-integration-test</phase>
+                                <goals>
+                                    <goal>stop</goal>
+                                </goals>
+                            </execution>
+                        </executions>
+                    </plugin>
+                </plugins>
+            </build>
+        </profile>
         <profile>
             <id>native</id>
             <build>
diff --git a/integration-tests/src/test/java/org/jboss/fuse/mvnd/junit/MvndTestExtension.java b/integration-tests/src/test/java/org/jboss/fuse/mvnd/junit/MvndTestExtension.java
index e71d1419..c2b1ff64 100644
--- a/integration-tests/src/test/java/org/jboss/fuse/mvnd/junit/MvndTestExtension.java
+++ b/integration-tests/src/test/java/org/jboss/fuse/mvnd/junit/MvndTestExtension.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import java.nio.file.Paths;
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
+import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.jboss.fuse.mvnd.client.Client;
 import org.jboss.fuse.mvnd.client.ClientLayout;
 import org.jboss.fuse.mvnd.client.DefaultClient;
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ import static org.jboss.fuse.mvnd.junit.TestUtils.deleteDir;
 
 public class MvndTestExtension implements BeforeAllCallback, BeforeEachCallback, AfterAllCallback {
 
+    private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(MvndTestExtension.class);
+
     /** A placeholder to replace with a temporary directory outside of the current source tree */
     public static final String TEMP_EXTERNAL = "${temp.external}";
     private volatile Exception bootException;
@@ -207,11 +210,16 @@ public class MvndTestExtension implements BeforeAllCallback, BeforeEachCallback,
         }
 
         static Path createSettings(Path settingsPath) {
+            final String mrmRepoUrl = System.getProperty("mrm.repository.url");
+            if (mrmRepoUrl == null || mrmRepoUrl.isEmpty()) {
+                LOG.info("Building without mrm-maven-plugin");
+                return null;
+            }
+            LOG.info("Building with mrm-maven-plugin");
             final Path settingsTemplatePath = Paths.get("src/test/resources/settings-template.xml");
             try {
                 final String template = Files.readString(settingsTemplatePath);
-                final String content = template.replaceAll("@mrm.repository.url@",
-                        Objects.requireNonNull(System.getProperty("mrm.repository.url")));
+                final String content = template.replaceAll("@mrm.repository.url@", mrmRepoUrl);
                 try {
                     Files.write(settingsPath, content.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
                 } catch (Exception e) {
diff --git a/integration-tests/src/test/projects/module-and-plugin/pom.xml b/integration-tests/src/test/projects/module-and-plugin/pom.xml
index a7028535..eb534e7f 100644
--- a/integration-tests/src/test/projects/module-and-plugin/pom.xml
+++ b/integration-tests/src/test/projects/module-and-plugin/pom.xml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         <maven-compiler-plugin.version>3.8.0</maven-compiler-plugin.version>
         <maven-install-plugin.version>2.4</maven-install-plugin.version>
         <maven-resources-plugin.version>2.6</maven-resources-plugin.version>
-        <maven-surefire-plugin.version>3.0.0-M5</maven-surefire-plugin.version>
+        <maven-surefire-plugin.version>2.22.3</maven-surefire-plugin.version>
     </properties>
 
     <modules>