diff --git a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/AtomModelWriter.java b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/AtomModelWriter.java
index 2d30b7ff6..080023fef 100644
--- a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/AtomModelWriter.java
+++ b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/AtomModelWriter.java
@@ -16,13 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.sonatype.maven.polyglot.atom;
 
-import java.io.IOException;
-import java.io.PrintWriter;
-import java.io.Writer;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
-
 import org.apache.maven.model.Dependency;
 import org.apache.maven.model.Model;
 import org.apache.maven.model.Plugin;
@@ -34,6 +27,13 @@
 import org.codehaus.plexus.util.xml.Xpp3Dom;
 import org.sonatype.maven.polyglot.io.ModelWriterSupport;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.PrintWriter;
+import java.io.Writer;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
 @Component(role = ModelWriter.class, hint = "atom")
 public class AtomModelWriter extends ModelWriterSupport {
 
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ public void write(final Writer output, final Map<String, Object> options, final
     project(pw, model);
     id(pw, model);
     parent(pw, model);
-    packaging(pw, model);
     properties(pw, model);
     dependencyManagement(pw, model);
     dependencies(pw, model);
     modules(pw, model);
+    pw.println();
     pluginManagement(pw, model);
     plugins(pw, model);
 
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ private void project(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
     if (name == null) {
       name = model.getArtifactId();
     }
-    pw.println("project \"" + name + "\" @ \"" + model.getUrl() + "\"");
+    String url = model.getUrl() == null ? "" : model.getUrl();
+    pw.print("project \"" + name + "\" @ \"" + url + "\"");
+    packaging(pw, model);
   }
 
   private void id(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
@@ -101,19 +103,17 @@ private void id(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
 
   private void parent(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
     if (model.getParent() != null) {
-      pw.print(indent + "inherit: " + model.getParent().getGroupId() + ":" + model.getParent().getArtifactId() + ":" + model.getParent().getVersion());
+      pw.print(indent + "inherits: " + model.getParent().getGroupId() + ":" + model.getParent().getArtifactId() + ":" + model.getParent().getVersion());
       if (model.getParent().getRelativePath() != null) {
         //pw.println(":" + model.getParent().getRelativePath());
-        pw.println(":" + "../pom.atom");        
-      } else {
-        pw.println();
+//        pw.println(":" + "../pom.atom");
       }
+      pw.println();
     }
   }
 
   private void packaging(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
-    pw.println(indent + "packaging: " + model.getPackaging());
-    pw.println();
+    pw.println(" as " + model.getPackaging());
   }
 
   private void properties(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ private void properties(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
         }
       }
       pw.println(" ]");
-      pw.println();
     }
   }
 
@@ -145,7 +144,7 @@ private void modules(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
       for (int i = 0; i < modules.size(); i++) {
         String module = modules.get(i);
         if (i != 0) {
-          pw.print("             ");
+          pw.print(indent + "           ");
         }
         pw.print(module);
         if (i + 1 != modules.size()) {
@@ -153,7 +152,6 @@ private void modules(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
         }
       }
       pw.println(" ]");
-      pw.println();
     }
   }
 
@@ -182,17 +180,16 @@ private void deps(PrintWriter pw, String elementName, List<Dependency> deps) {
           // We are assuming the model is well-formed and that the parent is providing a version
           // for this particular dependency.
           //
-          pw.print(d.getGroupId() + ":" + d.getArtifactId());          
+          pw.print(d.getGroupId() + ":" + d.getArtifactId());
         }
         if (d.getClassifier() != null) {
           pw.print("(" + d.getClassifier() + ")");
-        }        
+        }
         if (i + 1 != deps.size()) {
           pw.println();
         }
       }
       pw.println(" ]");
-      pw.println();
     }
   }
 
@@ -211,40 +208,57 @@ private void plugins(PrintWriter pw, Model model) {
   // need to write nested objects
   private void plugins(PrintWriter pw, String elementName, List<Plugin> plugins) {
     if (!plugins.isEmpty()) {
-      pw.print(indent + elementName + ": [ ");
       for (int i = 0; i < plugins.size(); i++) {
         Plugin plugin = plugins.get(i);
-        if (i != 0) {
-          pw.print("             ");
-        }
-        pw.print(plugin.getGroupId() + ":" + plugin.getArtifactId() + ":" + plugin.getVersion());
+        pw.println("plugin");
+
+        pw.print(indent + "id: " + plugin.getGroupId() + ":" + plugin.getArtifactId());
+        if (plugin.getVersion() != null)
+          pw.print(":" + plugin.getVersion());
         if (plugin.getConfiguration() != null) {
           pw.println();
           Xpp3Dom configuration = (Xpp3Dom) plugin.getConfiguration();
-          if (configuration.getChildCount() != 0) {
-            pw.print("               properties:[ ");
-            int count = configuration.getChildCount();
-            for (int j = 0; j < count; j++) {
-              Xpp3Dom c = configuration.getChild(j);
-              if (c.getValue() != null) {
-                if (j != 0) {
-                  pw.print("                            ");
-                }
-                pw.print(c.getName() + ": " + c.getValue());
-                if (j + 1 != count) {
-                  pw.println();
-                }
-              }
-            }
-            pw.print(" ]");
-          }
+          printChildren(pw, configuration);
         }
         if (i + 1 != plugins.size()) {
           pw.println();
         }
       }
-      pw.println(" ]");
       pw.println();
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+
+  private boolean flipBrackets = false;
+
+  private void printChildren(PrintWriter pw, Xpp3Dom configuration) {
+    if (configuration.getChildCount() > 0) {
+      int count = configuration.getChildCount();
+      for (int j = 0; j < count; j++) {
+        Xpp3Dom c = configuration.getChild(j);
+        if (c.getValue() != null) {
+          pw.print(indent + c.getName() + ": " + c.getValue());
+          if (j + 1 != count) {
+            pw.println();
+          }
+        } else {
+          pw.println(indent + c.getName() + ": " + lbraceket());
+          String oldIndent = indent;
+          indent += "  ";
+          flipBrackets = !flipBrackets;
+          printChildren(pw, c);
+          flipBrackets = !flipBrackets;
+          indent = oldIndent;
+          pw.print("\n" + indent + rbraceket());
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  private char lbraceket() {
+    return (flipBrackets ? '{' : '[');
+  }
+
+  private char rbraceket() {
+    return (flipBrackets ? '}' : ']');
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/AtomParser.java b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/AtomParser.java
index 2c1a8908f..277ab0b5c 100644
--- a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/AtomParser.java
+++ b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/AtomParser.java
@@ -39,11 +39,13 @@ public AtomParser(ModelSource modelSource, List<Token> tokens) {
   }
 
   private void parseException(String message, Throwable t) {
-    throw new RuntimeException("Error parsing " + modelSource.getLocation() + ": " + message, t);
+    String location = modelSource != null ? modelSource.getLocation() : "";
+    throw new RuntimeException("Error parsing " + location + ": " + message, t);
   }
 
   private void parseException(String message) {
-    throw new RuntimeException("Error parsing " + modelSource.getLocation() + ": " + message);
+    String location = modelSource != null ? modelSource.getLocation() : "";
+    throw new RuntimeException("Error parsing " + location + ": " + message);
   }
 
   public Project parse() {
@@ -336,7 +338,7 @@ private Plugin plugin() {
       return null;
     }
 
-    Id pluginId = id();
+    Id pluginId = id(true);
     if (pluginId == null) {
       log.severe("Plugin id declaration malformed");
       return null;
@@ -409,9 +411,13 @@ private Map<String, Object> configurationMap() {
         match(Kind.EOL);
       } else {
         // This is a multilevel thing, recurse!
-        if (match(Kind.LBRACKET) != null) {
+        if (anyOf(Kind.LBRACKET, Kind.LBRACE) != null) {
+          chewEols();
+          chewIndents();
           Map<String, Object> childProps = configurationMap();
-          if (match(Kind.RBRACKET) == null)
+          chewEols();
+          chewIndents();
+          if (match(Kind.RBRACKET) == null && match(Kind.RBRACE) == null)
             parseException("Expected ']' after configuration properties");
 
           // stash into parent map.
@@ -468,7 +474,7 @@ private List<String> modules() {
     chewIndents();
 
     String module;
-    while ((module = idFragment()).length() != 0) {
+    while ((module = idFragment()) != null) {
       chewEols();
       chewIndents();
       modules.add(module);
@@ -556,7 +562,7 @@ private Id id(boolean allowNullVersion) {
       return null;
     } else {
       version = idFragment();
-      if (version == null) {
+      if (version == null && !allowNullVersion) {
         return null;
       }
     }
@@ -647,6 +653,23 @@ private String idFragment() {
       }
     }
 
+    // Try parsing as property expression.
+    if (fragment.length() == 1 && fragment.charAt(0) == '$') {
+      List<Token> startOfExpr = match(Kind.LBRACE);
+      if (startOfExpr == null)
+        return null;
+
+      fragment.append("{");
+      String prop = idFragment();
+      if (prop == null)
+        parseException("Expected a property expression after ${");
+
+      if (match(Kind.RBRACE) == null)
+        parseException("Expected '}' after property expression");
+
+      fragment.append(prop).append("}");
+    }
+
     // Nothing matched.
     if (fragment.length() == 0)
       return null;
diff --git a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/Token.java b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/Token.java
index 80008753b..f0fde06f9 100644
--- a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/Token.java
+++ b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/main/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/Token.java
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ public static enum Kind {
     RPAREN,
     LBRACKET,
     RBRACKET,
+    LBRACE,
+    RBRACE,
 
     // keywords
     REQUIRE,
@@ -93,8 +95,8 @@ public static enum Kind {
       TOKEN_MAP.put(")", RPAREN);
       TOKEN_MAP.put("[", LBRACKET);
       TOKEN_MAP.put("]", RBRACKET);
-      TOKEN_MAP.put("{", LBRACKET);   // Alias braces as brackets.
-      TOKEN_MAP.put("}", RBRACKET);
+      TOKEN_MAP.put("{", LBRACE);   // Alias braces as brackets.
+      TOKEN_MAP.put("}", RBRACE);
       TOKEN_MAP.put("\n", EOL);
 
       TOKEN_MAP.put("id", ID);
@@ -159,4 +161,4 @@ public String toString() {
         ", kind=" + kind +
         '}';
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/AtomModelWithSBTest.java b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/AtomModelWithSBTest.java
index 090b555ca..6d9c4bc17 100644
--- a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/AtomModelWithSBTest.java
+++ b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/AtomModelWithSBTest.java
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public class AtomModelWithSBTest extends InjectedTestCase {
   @Named("${basedir}/src/test/poms")
   private File poms;
 
-  public void _testAtomModelWriter() throws Exception {
+  public void testAtomModelWriter() throws Exception {
     File pom = new File(poms, "sitebricks-parent-pom.xml");
     MavenXpp3Reader xmlModelReader = new MavenXpp3Reader();
     Model xmlModel = xmlModelReader.read(new FileInputStream(pom));
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ public void _testAtomModelWriter() throws Exception {
     MavenXpp3Writer xmlWriter = new MavenXpp3Writer();
     xmlWriter.write(w, xmlModel);
     System.out.println(w.toString());
+
+    assertEquals(xmlModel.getModules(), atomModel.getModules());
+    assertEquals(xmlModel.getRepositories().size(), atomModel.getRepositories().size());
   }
 
   public void testAtomModelWriterWhereModelHasDependenciesWithNoVersions() throws Exception {
@@ -82,9 +85,7 @@ public void testAtomModelWriterWhereModelHasDependenciesWithNoVersions() throws
     //
     // Test for fidelity
     //
-    //assertNotNull(atomModel);
-
-
+    assertNotNull(atomModel);
   }
 
   void testMavenModelForCompleteness(Model model) {
@@ -138,5 +139,4 @@ String gav(Dependency d) {
   String gav(Plugin p) {
     return p.getGroupId() + ":" + p.getArtifactId() + ":" + p.getVersion();
   }
-
 }
diff --git a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/resources/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/AtomParserTest.java b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/AtomParserTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/resources/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/AtomParserTest.java
rename to tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/java/org/sonatype/maven/polyglot/atom/parsing/AtomParserTest.java
diff --git a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/poms/sitebricks-pom.xml b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/poms/sitebricks-pom.xml
index d5630ab05..084c63d77 100644
--- a/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/poms/sitebricks-pom.xml
+++ b/tesla-polyglot/tesla-polyglot-atom/src/test/poms/sitebricks-pom.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
+         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.sitebricks</groupId>
@@ -7,6 +9,7 @@
   </parent>
   <artifactId>sitebricks</artifactId>
   <name>Sitebricks :: Core</name>
+  <url>http://sitebricks.org</url>
 
   <dependencies>
     <dependency>
@@ -21,8 +24,8 @@
       <artifactId>sitebricks-converter</artifactId>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
-     <groupId>com.google.sitebricks</groupId>
-     <artifactId>sitebricks-client</artifactId>
+      <groupId>com.google.sitebricks</groupId>
+      <artifactId>sitebricks-client</artifactId>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.mvel</groupId>
@@ -137,4 +140,30 @@
     </repository>
   </distributionManagement>
 
+  <build>
+    <plugins>
+      <plugin>
+        <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
+        <executions>
+          <execution>
+            <id>source-release-assembly</id>
+            <configuration>
+              <!-- we have a dedicated distribution module -->
+              <skipAssembly>true</skipAssembly>
+            </configuration>
+          </execution>
+        </executions>
+        <configuration>
+          <someCompoundKey>
+            <someKey>someValue</someKey>
+            <someKey2>someValue</someKey2>
+            <someCompoundKeyInner>
+              <someKey>someValue</someKey>
+            </someCompoundKeyInner>
+          </someCompoundKey>
+        </configuration>
+      </plugin>
+    </plugins>
+  </build>
+
 </project>