diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 118478e..0230966 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -20,16 +20,23 @@
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
   <name>pregelix</name>
 
-  <parent>
-    <groupId>edu.uci.ics.hyracks</groupId>
-    <artifactId>fullstack</artifactId>
-    <version>0.2.13-SNAPSHOT</version>
-  </parent>
-
   <properties>
     <jvm.extraargs />
+    <hanging.pregelix.tests>**/pregelix/**/FailureRecovery*.java</hanging.pregelix.tests>
+    <global.test.includes>**/*TestSuite.java,**/*Test.java</global.test.includes>
+    <global.test.excludes>**/Abstract*.java,${hanging.pregelix.tests},${hivesterix.perf.tests}</global.test.excludes>
   </properties>
 
+  <dependencyManagement>
+    <dependencies>
+      <dependency>
+        <groupId>junit</groupId>
+        <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
+        <version>4.8.1</version>
+      </dependency>
+    </dependencies>
+  </dependencyManagement>
+
   <profiles>
     <profile>
       <id>macosx</id>
@@ -56,10 +63,31 @@
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
       <plugin>
-      	<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-      	<artifactId>versions-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-      	<version>1.2</version>
+        <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+        <artifactId>versions-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>1.2</version>
       </plugin>
+        <plugin>
+            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+            <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
+            <version>2.16</version>
+            <configuration>
+                <failIfNoTests>false</failIfNoTests>
+                <forkCount>1</forkCount>
+                <reuseForks>false</reuseForks>
+                <argLine>-enableassertions -Xmx2048m
+                -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8
+                -Djava.util.logging.config.file=${user.home}/logging.properties
+                -Xdebug
+                -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,server=y,address=8000,suspend=n</argLine>
+            <includes>
+                <include>${global.test.includes},${test.includes}</include>
+            </includes>
+            <excludes>
+                <exclude>${global.test.excludes},${test.excludes}</exclude>
+            </excludes>
+            </configuration>
+        </plugin>
     </plugins>
   </build>