diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 43114071ab03bf704fcebdf87577cb7415b292ec..f2ab0dd02b6fb013951c12e309a2c460e6a32a65 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -290,17 +290,19 @@ dependencies {
 }
 
 cargo {
+    def blankProperty = "xxx"
+    def blankPort = 0
     containerId = 'tomcat7x'
-    port = deployPort as int
+    port = hasProperty('deployPort') ? getProperty('deployPort') as int : blankPort
 
     deployable {
-        context = deployContext
+        context = hasProperty('deployContext') ? getProperty('deployContext') : blankProperty
     }
 
     remote {
-        hostname = deployHost
-        username = deployUser
-        password = deployPassword
+        hostname = hasProperty('deployHost') ? getProperty('deployHost') : blankProperty
+        username = hasProperty('deployUser') ? getProperty('deployUser') : blankProperty
+        password = hasProperty('deployPassword') ? getProperty('deployPassword') : blankProperty
     }
 }
 
@@ -335,12 +337,13 @@ publishing {
         }
     }
     repositories {
+        def blankProperty = "xxx"
         maven {
             credentials {
                 // These properties must be set in the ~/.gradle/gradle.properties file or passed on the Gradle command
                 // line in the form -DrepoUsername=foo -DrepoPassword=bar.
-                username repoUsername
-                password repoPassword
+                username hasProperty('repoUsername') ? getProperty('repoUsername') : blankProperty
+                password hasProperty('repoPassword') ? getProperty('repoPassword') : blankProperty
             }
             if (project.version.endsWith('-SNAPSHOT')) {
                 url "http://nrgxnat.artifactoryonline.com/nrgxnat/libs-snapshot-local"
@@ -352,8 +355,8 @@ publishing {
             credentials {
                 // These properties must be set in the ~/.gradle/gradle.properties file or passed on the Gradle command
                 // line in the form -DrepoUsername=foo -DrepoPassword=bar.
-                username repoUsername
-                password repoPassword
+                username hasProperty('repoUsername') ? getProperty('repoUsername') : blankProperty
+                password hasProperty('repoPassword') ? getProperty('repoPassword') : blankProperty
             }
             if (project.version.endsWith('-SNAPSHOT')) {
                 url "http://nrgxnat.artifactoryonline.com/nrgxnat/libs-snapshot-local"