diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6348d7b..0abac6a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ for details.
 ## Plugin goals
 
 - `prepare-agent` - adds the AppMap Java agent to the JVM
+- `validate-config` - Validates the config file is present and redable
 
 ## Plugin configuration
 
@@ -114,6 +115,12 @@ Example:
 
 ## Troubleshooting
 
+**After I add the appmap plugin config in the POM my project won't build**
+  It's likely the configuration file is not present or is not redable, try
+  using the validate-config file goal of the maven plugin to check whether
+  you have a configuration problem or not, run:
+  `mvn com.appland:appmap-maven-plugin:validate-config`
+
 **I have no `target/appmap` directory**  
   It's likely that the agent is not running. Double check the `prepare-agent`
   goal is being run. If the JVM is being forked at any point, make sure the
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 061a991..7aa6550 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ buildscript {
     ext {
         mavenVersion = "$mavenVersionCore"
     }
-
 }
 
 plugins {
@@ -50,23 +49,23 @@ configurations {
 }
 
 dependencies {
+    implementation 'com.appland:appmap-agent:1.0.3'
+
     implementation 'org.apache.maven:maven-plugin-api:3.6.1'
-    compileOnly 'org.apache.maven.plugin-tools:maven-plugin-annotations:3.6.0'
+    compile 'org.apache.maven.plugin-tools:maven-plugin-annotations:3.6.0'
     implementation 'org.apache.maven:maven-core:3.5.4'
     implementation 'org.apache.commons:commons-lang3:3.10'
 
     testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.13.1'
+    testImplementation "org.apache.maven.plugin-testing:maven-plugin-testing-harness:3.3.0"
+    compile 'org.apache.maven:maven-compat:3.6.3'
+    compile 'commons-io:commons-io:2.6'
+
+    compile "org.eclipse.sisu:org.eclipse.sisu.plexus:0.3.3"
 
     // as per https://stackoverflow.com/a/64726155
     mavenEmbedder 'org.apache.maven:maven-embedder:3.6.3'
     mavenEmbedder 'org.apache.maven:maven-compat:3.6.3'
-    mavenEmbedder 'org.apache.maven.resolver:maven-resolver-connector-basic:1.4.1'
-    mavenEmbedder 'org.apache.maven.resolver:maven-resolver-transport-http:1.4.1'
-    mavenEmbedder 'org.slf4j:slf4j-simple:1.7.30'
-//    mavenEmbedder 'org.apache.maven.wagon:wagon-http:3.4.1'
-//    mavenEmbedder 'org.apache.maven.wagon:wagon-provider-api:3.4.1'
-
-    implementation 'com.appland:appmap-agent:1.0.4'
 }
 
 //group         = paramGroupId
@@ -129,6 +128,7 @@ task generatePluginDescriptor(type: JavaExec, dependsOn: compileJava) {
                                 appendNode('directory', directory)
                                 appendNode('outputDirectory', outputDirectory)
                             }
+                    asNode().appendNode('version', paramVersion)
                }
                .writeTo(pomFile)
 
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index caea657..7be5256 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <groupId>com.appland</groupId>
     <artifactId>appmap-maven-plugin</artifactId>
     <packaging>maven-plugin</packaging>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>1.1.2</version>
     <name>Appland Java Recorder Maven Plugin</name>
     <description>This maven plugin helps you automatically generate an Appland AppMap using the Java Recorder.
     </description>
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.appland</groupId>
             <artifactId>appmap-agent</artifactId>
-            <version>0.5.0</version>
+            <version>1.0.3</version>
         </dependency>
 
         <dependency>
@@ -46,6 +46,23 @@
             <version>4.13.1</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
+
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugin-testing</groupId>
+            <artifactId>maven-plugin-testing-harness</artifactId>
+            <version>3.3.0</version>
+            <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.apache.maven</groupId>
+            <artifactId>maven-compat</artifactId>
+            <version>3.6.3</version>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>commons-io</groupId>
+            <artifactId>commons-io</artifactId>
+            <version>2.6</version>
+        </dependency>
     </dependencies>
 
     <build>
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/AppMapAgentMojo.java b/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/AppMapAgentMojo.java
index 1a032ba..b0c1a7c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/AppMapAgentMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/AppMapAgentMojo.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject;
 
 import java.io.File;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.util.*;
 
 import static java.lang.String.format;
@@ -17,24 +18,28 @@ public abstract class AppMapAgentMojo extends AbstractMojo {
     static final String APPMAP_AGENT_ARTIFACT_NAME = "com.appland:appmap-agent";
     static final String SUREFIRE_ARG_LINE = "argLine";
     static final List<String> DEBUG_FLAGS = Arrays.asList("hooks", "locals", "http");
+    public static final String DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE = "appmap.yml";
+    public static final String DEFAULT_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY = "target/appmap";
+    public static final String DEFAULT_DEBUG_FILE = "target/appmap/agent.log";
+    public static final int DEFAULT_EVENT_VALUE_SIZE = 1024;
 
     @Parameter(property = "skip")
     protected boolean skip = false;
 
     @Parameter(property = "project.outputDirectory")
-    protected File outputDirectory = new File("target/appmap");
+    protected File outputDirectory = new File(DEFAULT_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY);
 
     @Parameter(property = "project.configFile")
-    protected File configFile = new File("appmap.yml");
+    protected File configFile = new File(DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE);
 
     @Parameter(property = "project.debug")
     protected String debug = "info";
 
     @Parameter(property = "project.debugFile")
-    protected File debugFile = new File("target/appmap/agent.log");
+    protected File debugFile = new File(DEFAULT_DEBUG_FILE);
 
     @Parameter(property = "project.eventValueSize")
-    protected Integer eventValueSize = 1024;
+    protected Integer eventValueSize = DEFAULT_EVENT_VALUE_SIZE;
 
     @Parameter(property = "plugin.artifactMap")
     protected Map<String, Artifact> pluginArtifactMap;
@@ -44,7 +49,9 @@ public abstract class AppMapAgentMojo extends AbstractMojo {
 
     public abstract void execute() throws MojoExecutionException;
 
-    protected void skipMojo() {
+    protected void skipMojo(String reason) {
+        skip = true;
+        getLog().info(reason);
     }
 
     protected void loadAppMapJavaAgent() {
@@ -131,4 +138,8 @@ protected File getAppMapAgentJar() {
     public MavenProject getProject() {
         return project;
     }
+
+    protected boolean isConfigFileValid() {
+        return configFile.exists() && Files.isReadable(configFile.toPath());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo.java b/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo.java
index 2a6e872..7153a2c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo.java
@@ -5,28 +5,36 @@
 import org.apache.maven.plugins.annotations.LifecyclePhase;
 import org.apache.maven.plugins.annotations.Mojo;
 
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
+
 /**
- * Goal that adds appmap.jar to JVM execution as javaagent,
- * right before the test execution begins.
+ * Goal that adds appmap.jar to JVM execution as javaagent, right before the test execution begins.
  */
 @Mojo(name = "prepare-agent", defaultPhase = LifecyclePhase.TEST_COMPILE)
 public class LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo extends AppMapAgentMojo {
 
     @Override
-    public void execute()
-            throws MojoExecutionException {
+    public void execute() throws MojoExecutionException {
         try {
             if (skip) {
-                getLog().info("Skipping AppLand AppMap execution because property skip is set.");
-                skipMojo();
+                skipMojo("Skipping AppLand AppMap execution because property skip is set.");
                 return;
+            } else if (!isConfigFileValid()) {
+                skipMojo(
+                        "Skipping AppLand AppMap execution because the config file: "
+                                + configFile.getPath()
+                                + " does not exist or is not readable"
+                );
+                throw new FileNotFoundException(configFile.getPath());
             } else {
-                getLog().info("Initializing AppLand AppMap Java Recorder." );
+                getLog().info("Initializing AppLand AppMap Java Recorder.");
                 loadAppMapJavaAgent();
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
             getLog().error("Error initializing AppLand AppMap Java Recorder");
-            e.printStackTrace();
+            throw new MojoExecutionException("Error initializing AppLand AppMap Java Recorder", e);
         }
     }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/ValidateConfigMojo.java b/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/ValidateConfigMojo.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dead076
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/appland/appmap/ValidateConfigMojo.java
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package com.appland.appmap;
+
+import org.apache.maven.plugin.MojoExecutionException;
+import org.apache.maven.plugins.annotations.LifecyclePhase;
+import org.apache.maven.plugins.annotations.Mojo;
+
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
+
+@Mojo(name = "validate-config", defaultPhase = LifecyclePhase.TEST_COMPILE)
+public class ValidateConfigMojo extends AppMapAgentMojo {
+
+    @Override
+    public void execute() throws MojoExecutionException {
+        try {
+            if (!isConfigFileValid()) {
+                skipMojo(
+                        "Skipping AppLand AppMap execution because the config file: "
+                                + configFile.getPath()
+                                + " does not exist or is not readable"
+                );
+                throw new FileNotFoundException(configFile.getPath());
+            } else {
+                getLog().info("Appland AppMap Configuration file found.");
+            }
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            getLog().error("Error executing AppLand AppMap Java Recorder");
+            throw new MojoExecutionException("Error initializing AppLand AppMap Java Recorder", e);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/appland/appmap/GoalLoadTest.java b/src/test/java/com/appland/appmap/GoalLoadTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..205d3cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/com/appland/appmap/GoalLoadTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package com.appland.appmap;
+
+import org.apache.maven.plugin.testing.AbstractMojoTestCase;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import java.io.File;
+
+public class GoalLoadTest extends AbstractMojoTestCase {
+
+    @Test
+    public void testPrepareAgentGoalIsLoadedCorrectly() throws Exception {
+        File pluginPom = new File("build/resources/test/test-project2/pom.xml");
+        LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo mojo = (LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo) lookupMojo("prepare-agent", pluginPom);
+        assertNotNull(mojo);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testValidateConfigGoalIsLoadedCorrectly() throws Exception {
+        File pluginPom = new File("build/resources/test/test-project2/pom.xml");
+        ValidateConfigMojo mojo = (ValidateConfigMojo) lookupMojo("validate-config", pluginPom);
+        assertNotNull(mojo);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/appland/appmap/PluginLoadTest.java b/src/test/java/com/appland/appmap/PluginLoadTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73b8514
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/com/appland/appmap/PluginLoadTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package com.appland.appmap;
+
+import org.apache.maven.plugin.Mojo;
+import org.apache.maven.plugin.MojoExecutionException;
+import org.apache.maven.plugin.testing.MojoRule;
+import org.junit.Rule;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
+public class PluginLoadTest {
+
+    @Rule
+    public MojoRule rule = new MojoRule() {
+        @Override
+        protected void before() throws Throwable {
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        protected void after() {
+        }
+    };
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMojoCanBeInstantiated()
+            throws Exception {
+
+        Mojo mojo = rule.configureMojo(
+                new LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo(),
+                "appmap-maven-plugin",
+                new File("build/resources/test/test-project/pom.xml")
+        );
+        assertNotNull(mojo);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMojoIsLoaded() throws Exception {
+        LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo mojo = (LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo)
+                rule.configureMojo(
+                        new LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo(),
+                        "appmap-maven-plugin",
+                        new File("build/resources/test/test-project/pom.xml")
+                );
+        assertNotNull(mojo);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMojoFailsWithMissingDefaultConfigFile() throws Exception {
+        LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo mojo = (LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo)
+                rule.configureMojo(
+                        new LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo(),
+                        "appmap-maven-plugin",
+                        new File("build/resources/test/test-project/pom.xml")
+                );
+        assertNotNull(mojo);
+        Exception exception = assertThrows(
+                MojoExecutionException.class,
+                () -> rule.executeMojo(new File("build/resources/test/test-project/"), "prepare-agent")
+        );
+        assertTrue(exception.getCause() instanceof FileNotFoundException);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMojoFailsWithNotExistingConfigFile() throws Exception {
+        LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo mojo = (LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo)
+                rule.configureMojo(
+                        new LoadJavaAppMapAgentMojo(),
+                        "appmap-maven-plugin",
+                        new File("build/resources/test/test-project/nonexistent_config_file_pom.xml")
+                );
+        assertNotNull(mojo);
+        Exception exception = assertThrows(
+                MojoExecutionException.class,
+                () -> rule.executeMojo(new File("build/resources/test/test-project/"), "prepare-agent")
+        );
+        assertTrue(exception.getCause() instanceof FileNotFoundException);
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/test/resources/test-project/nonexistent_config_file_pom.xml b/src/test/resources/test-project/nonexistent_config_file_pom.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..131952b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/test-project/nonexistent_config_file_pom.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
+    <groupId>com.github.gino0631</groupId>
+    <artifactId>appmap-maven-plugin-test</artifactId>
+    <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <packaging>jar</packaging>
+
+    <name>Appmap Plugin Test</name>
+
+    <build>
+        <plugins>
+            <plugin>
+                <groupId>com.appland</groupId>
+                <artifactId>appmap-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <configuration>
+                    <configFile>appmap.yml</configFile>
+                </configuration>
+                <executions>
+                    <execution>
+                        <phase>process-test-classes</phase>
+                        <goals>
+                            <goal>prepare-agent</goal>
+                        </goals>
+                    </execution>
+                </executions>
+            </plugin>
+        </plugins>
+    </build>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/test-project/pom.xml b/src/test/resources/test-project/pom.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1086459
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/test-project/pom.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
+    <groupId>com.github.gino0631</groupId>
+    <artifactId>appmap-maven-plugin-test</artifactId>
+    <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <packaging>jar</packaging>
+
+    <name>Appmap Plugin Test</name>
+
+    <build>
+        <plugins>
+            <plugin>
+                <groupId>com.appland</groupId>
+                <artifactId>appmap-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <configuration>
+ <!-- Can not remove configuration tag  due to testing framework restrictions, remove once tests are refactored -->
+                </configuration>
+                <executions>
+                    <execution>
+                        <phase>process-test-classes</phase>
+                        <goals>
+                            <goal>prepare-agent</goal>
+                        </goals>
+                    </execution>
+                </executions>
+            </plugin>
+        </plugins>
+    </build>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/test-project2/appmap.yml b/src/test/resources/test-project2/appmap.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa5ca80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/test-project2/appmap.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+name: SampleFiles
+packages:
+- path: com.appland.appmap.sample
diff --git a/src/test/resources/test-project2/pom.xml b/src/test/resources/test-project2/pom.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ac0d90a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/test-project2/pom.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
+    <groupId>com.github.gino0631</groupId>
+    <artifactId>appmap-maven-plugin-test</artifactId>
+    <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <packaging>jar</packaging>
+
+    <name>Appmap Plugin Test</name>
+
+    <build>
+        <plugins>
+            <plugin>
+                <groupId>com.appland</groupId>
+                <artifactId>appmap-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <configuration>
+                    <configFile>src/test/resources/test-project2/appmap.yml</configFile>
+                </configuration>
+                <executions>
+                    <execution>
+                        <phase>process-test-classes</phase>
+                        <goals>
+                            <goal>validate-config</goal>
+                            <goal>prepare-agent</goal>
+                        </goals>
+                    </execution>
+                </executions>
+            </plugin>
+        </plugins>
+    </build>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file