diff --git a/core/pom.xml b/core/pom.xml
index d16a961a6..ebb146155 100644
--- a/core/pom.xml
+++ b/core/pom.xml
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@
       <version>4.13.1</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <!-- needed by junit -->
+      <groupId>org.hamcrest</groupId>
+      <artifactId>hamcrest</artifactId>
+      <version>3.0</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.hsqldb</groupId>
       <artifactId>hsqldb</artifactId>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 17356f0fb..4c45311b6 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@
             <includes>
               <include>com/threerings/**/*Test.java</include>
             </includes>
+            <systemPropertyVariables>
+              <java.awt.headless>true</java.awt.headless>
+            </systemPropertyVariables>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
         <plugin>
diff --git a/tools/pom.xml b/tools/pom.xml
index 539f9c288..7e4dbfff8 100644
--- a/tools/pom.xml
+++ b/tools/pom.xml
@@ -42,5 +42,12 @@
       <version>4.13.1</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <!-- needed by junit -->
+      <groupId>org.hamcrest</groupId>
+      <artifactId>hamcrest</artifactId>
+      <version>3.0</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 </project>