diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/jdkpackager/JDKPackagerHelper.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/jdkpackager/JDKPackagerHelper.scala
index d86c28330..dd536ba00 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/jdkpackager/JDKPackagerHelper.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/jdkpackager/JDKPackagerHelper.scala
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@ object JDKPackagerHelper {
       .map(c ⇒ Map("-appclass" -> c))
       .getOrElse(Map.empty)
 
+    val vendorArg = if (maintainer.nonEmpty)
+      Map("-vendor" -> maintainer) else Map.empty
+
+    val descriptionArg = if (description.nonEmpty)
+      Map("-description" -> description) else Map.empty
+
     // Make a setting?
     val jvmOptsFile = (sourceDir ** JavaAppPackaging.appIniLocation).getPaths.headOption.map(file)
 
@@ -104,10 +110,8 @@ object JDKPackagerHelper {
       "-srcdir" -> sourceDir.getAbsolutePath,
       "-native" -> packageType,
       "-outdir" -> outputDir.getAbsolutePath,
-      "-outfile" -> basename,
-      "-description" -> description,
-      "-vendor" -> maintainer
-    ) ++ mainClassArg
+      "-outfile" -> basename
+    ) ++ mainClassArg ++ vendorArg ++ descriptionArg
 
     val singles = Seq(
       s"-BappVersion=$version",
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-image/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-image/build.sbt
index 275150412..0f08d885a 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-image/build.sbt
+++ b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-image/build.sbt
@@ -23,5 +23,6 @@ TaskKey[Unit]("checkImage") <<= (target in JDKPackager, name, streams) map { (ba
         case _ ⇒ ""
     }
     val expectedImage = base / "bundles" / (name + extension)
+    println(s"Checking for '${expectedImage.getAbsolutePath}'")
     assert(expectedImage.exists, s"Expected image file to be found at '$expectedImage'")
 }
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-image/test b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-image/test
index 834134e50..8f7c4c2d4 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-image/test
+++ b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-image/test
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 # Run the jdkpackager packaging
 > jdkPackager:packageBin
 > checkImage
-
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/build.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..79b64bf42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/build.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+// Tests plugin behavior when none of the metadata keys are set.
+
+enablePlugins(JDKPackagerPlugin)
+
+mainClass in Compile := Some("ExampleApp")
+
+TaskKey[Unit]("checkImage") <<= (target in JDKPackager, name, streams) map { (base, name, streams) ⇒
+    val extension = sys.props("os.name").toLowerCase match {
+        case os if os.contains("mac") ⇒ ".app"
+        case os if os.contains("win") ⇒ ".exe"
+        case _ ⇒ ""
+    }
+    val expectedImage = base / "bundles" / (name + extension)
+    println(s"Checking for '${expectedImage.getAbsolutePath}'")
+    assert(expectedImage.exists, s"Expected image file to be found at '$expectedImage'")
+}
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/project/plugins.sbt b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/project/plugins.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dbfb7cea2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/project/plugins.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+    val pluginVersion = sys.props("project.version")
+    if (pluginVersion == null)
+        throw new RuntimeException(
+            """|The system property 'plugin.version' is not defined.
+               |Specify this property using the scriptedLaunchOpts -D.""".stripMargin)
+    else
+        addSbtPlugin("com.typesafe.sbt" % "sbt-native-packager" % sys.props("project.version"))
+}
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/src/main/scala/test/Test.scala b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/src/main/scala/test/Test.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..242dc2381
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/src/main/scala/test/Test.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package test
+
+object Test extends App {
+  println("SUCCESS!")
+}
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/test b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8f7c4c2d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/jdkpackager/test-package-minimal/test
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Run the jdkpackager packaging
+> jdkPackager:packageBin
+> checkImage