diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
index 85fe712fd8d85..20f63d5842a16 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
@@ -348,7 +348,10 @@ class BuildPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
                 // just a self contained test-fixture configuration, likely transitive and hellacious
                 return
             }
-            configuration.resolutionStrategy.failOnVersionConflict()
+            configuration.resolutionStrategy { 
+                failOnVersionConflict()
+                preferProjectModules()
+            }
         })
 
         // force all dependencies added directly to compile/testCompile to be non-transitive, except for ES itself