diff --git a/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/DetektPlugin.kt b/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/DetektPlugin.kt
index d3ce092f6c8..27629298c95 100644
--- a/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/DetektPlugin.kt
+++ b/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/DetektPlugin.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 package io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt
 
-import io.github.detekt.utils.openSafeStream
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.extensions.DetektExtension
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.internal.DetektAndroid
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.internal.DetektJvm
@@ -10,7 +9,6 @@ import org.gradle.api.Plugin
 import org.gradle.api.Project
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.ReportingBasePlugin
 import org.gradle.api.reporting.ReportingExtension
-import java.util.Properties
 
 class DetektPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
 
@@ -80,7 +78,7 @@ class DetektPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
             configuration.description = "The $CONFIGURATION_DETEKT dependencies to be used for this project."
 
             configuration.defaultDependencies { dependencySet ->
-                val version = extension.toolVersion ?: loadDetektVersion(DetektPlugin::class.java.classLoader)
+                val version = extension.toolVersion
                 dependencySet.add(project.dependencies.create("io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt:detekt-cli:$version"))
             }
         }
@@ -119,8 +117,3 @@ class DetektPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
 
 const val CONFIGURATION_DETEKT = "detekt"
 const val CONFIGURATION_DETEKT_PLUGINS = "detektPlugins"
-
-internal fun loadDetektVersion(classLoader: ClassLoader): String = Properties().run {
-    load(classLoader.getResource("versions.properties")!!.openSafeStream())
-    getProperty("detektVersion")
-}
diff --git a/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/extensions/DetektExtension.kt b/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/extensions/DetektExtension.kt
index f7f46bf482d..5a599ee7fc9 100644
--- a/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/extensions/DetektExtension.kt
+++ b/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/extensions/DetektExtension.kt
@@ -1,14 +1,20 @@
 package io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.extensions
 
+import io.github.detekt.utils.openSafeStream
 import org.gradle.api.Action
 import org.gradle.api.file.ConfigurableFileCollection
 import org.gradle.api.model.ObjectFactory
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.quality.CodeQualityExtension
 import java.io.File
+import java.util.Properties
 import javax.inject.Inject
 
 open class DetektExtension @Inject constructor(objects: ObjectFactory) : CodeQualityExtension() {
 
+    init {
+        toolVersion = loadDetektVersion(DetektExtension::class.java.classLoader)
+    }
+
     var ignoreFailures: Boolean
         @JvmName("ignoreFailures_")
         get() = isIgnoreFailures
@@ -101,3 +107,8 @@ open class DetektExtension @Inject constructor(objects: ObjectFactory) : CodeQua
         const val DEFAULT_BUILD_UPON_DEFAULT_CONFIG_VALUE = false
     }
 }
+
+internal fun loadDetektVersion(classLoader: ClassLoader): String = Properties().run {
+    load(classLoader.getResource("versions.properties")!!.openSafeStream())
+    getProperty("detektVersion")
+}
diff --git a/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/DetektTaskDslSpec.kt b/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/DetektTaskDslSpec.kt
index c422ab32803..2d112b0c360 100644
--- a/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/DetektTaskDslSpec.kt
+++ b/detekt-gradle-plugin/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/DetektTaskDslSpec.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt
 
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.extensions.DetektReportType
+import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.extensions.loadDetektVersion
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.testkit.DslGradleRunner
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.testkit.DslTestBuilder.Companion.kotlin
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.testkit.ProjectLayout