diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/build/optional/OptionalDependenciesPlugin.java b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/build/optional/OptionalDependenciesPlugin.java
index 93ae77995d1..f4a51cb0e8b 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/build/optional/OptionalDependenciesPlugin.java
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/build/optional/OptionalDependenciesPlugin.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package org.springframework.build.optional;
 import org.gradle.api.Plugin;
 import org.gradle.api.Project;
 import org.gradle.api.artifacts.Configuration;
+import org.gradle.api.attributes.Usage;
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPlugin;
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPluginConvention;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.SourceSetContainer;
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@ public class OptionalDependenciesPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
 	@Override
 	public void apply(Project project) {
 		Configuration optional = project.getConfigurations().create("optional");
+		optional.attributes((attributes) -> attributes.attribute(Usage.USAGE_ATTRIBUTE,
+				project.getObjects().named(Usage.class, Usage.JAVA_API)));
+		optional.setCanBeConsumed(false);
+		optional.setCanBeResolved(true);
 		project.getPlugins().withType(JavaPlugin.class, (javaPlugin) -> {
 			SourceSetContainer sourceSets = project.getConvention()
 					.getPlugin(JavaPluginConvention.class).getSourceSets();