diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 8f9d9583971f949616cb3dd367e1c3fdde99ab3e..68dacaa40b1e18162b8d864d4ea99139864a29a2 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -278,16 +278,16 @@ dependencies {
 
 cargo {
     containerId = 'tomcat7x'
-    port = deployPort as int
+    port = propertyWithDefault('deployPort', 8080) as int
 
     deployable {
-        context = deployContext
+        context = propertyWithDefault('deployContext', '/')
     }
 
     remote {
-        hostname = deployHost
-        username = deployUser
-        password = deployPassword
+        hostname = propertyWithDefault('deployHost', 'localhost')
+        username = propertyWithDefault('deployUser', 'deploy')
+        password = propertyWithDefault('deployPassword', 'deploy')
     }
 }
 
@@ -350,3 +350,7 @@ publishing {
         }
     }
 }
+
+def propertyWithDefault(def String property, def defaultValue) {
+    hasProperty(property) ? eval(property) : defaultValue
+}