diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/RequirementMatcherFactory.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/RequirementMatcherFactory.java
index 4c7476bdc162..b8f2d89ae0e5 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/RequirementMatcherFactory.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/RequirementMatcherFactory.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
  */
 package org.apache.maven.toolchain;
 
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
+
 import org.apache.maven.artifact.versioning.DefaultArtifactVersion;
 import org.apache.maven.artifact.versioning.InvalidVersionSpecificationException;
 import org.apache.maven.artifact.versioning.VersionRange;
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ private VersionMatcher(String version) {
         @Override
         public boolean matches(String requirement) {
             try {
-                VersionRange range = VersionRange.createFromVersionSpec(requirement);
+                VersionRange range = convertRequirementToVersionRange(requirement);
                 if (range.hasRestrictions()) {
                     return range.containsVersion(version);
                 } else {
@@ -79,6 +81,29 @@ public boolean matches(String requirement) {
             }
         }
 
+        private VersionRange convertRequirementToVersionRange(String requirement)
+                throws InvalidVersionSpecificationException {
+            // Specific for Version _requirement_ matching;
+            // If the version is a simple integer (like "25")
+            // then treat this as the requirement "the major version is 25"
+            if (Pattern.matches("^[0-9]+$", requirement)) {
+                int majorVersion = Integer.parseInt(requirement);
+                return VersionRange.createFromVersionSpec("[" + majorVersion + "," + (majorVersion + 1) + ")");
+            }
+
+            // If the version is a major.minor (like "1.5")
+            // then treat this as the requirement "the major version is 1 and the minor is 5"
+            if (Pattern.matches("^[0-9]\\.[0-9]+$", requirement)) {
+                String[] split = requirement.split("\\.", 2);
+                int majorVersion = Integer.parseInt(split[0]);
+                int minorVersion = Integer.parseInt(split[1]);
+                return VersionRange.createFromVersionSpec(
+                        "[" + majorVersion + "." + minorVersion + "," + majorVersion + "." + (minorVersion + 1) + ")");
+            }
+
+            return VersionRange.createFromVersionSpec(requirement);
+        }
+
         @Override
         public String toString() {
             return version.toString();
diff --git a/maven-core/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/RequirementMatcherFactoryTest.java b/maven-core/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/RequirementMatcherFactoryTest.java
index 6b9cc2d8003d..083e9b260e19 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/RequirementMatcherFactoryTest.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/RequirementMatcherFactoryTest.java
@@ -50,11 +50,18 @@ public void testCreateExactMatcher() {
     public void testCreateVersionMatcher() {
         RequirementMatcher matcher;
         matcher = RequirementMatcherFactory.createVersionMatcher("1.5.2");
-        assertFalse(matcher.matches("1.5"));
-        assertTrue(matcher.matches("1.5.2"));
+        assertTrue(matcher.matches("1")); // Major matches
+        assertTrue(matcher.matches("1.5")); // Major.Minor matches
+        assertTrue(matcher.matches("1.5.2")); // Full match
+        assertFalse(matcher.matches("1.6")); // Wrong minor
+        assertFalse(matcher.matches("2")); // Wrong major
+        assertFalse(matcher.matches("2.5")); // Wrong major, right minor
         assertFalse(matcher.matches("[1.4,1.5)"));
         assertFalse(matcher.matches("[1.5,1.5.2)"));
+        assertTrue(matcher.matches("[1.5,1.5.3)"));
+        assertTrue(matcher.matches("(1.5.1,1.6)"));
         assertFalse(matcher.matches("(1.5.2,1.6)"));
+        assertTrue(matcher.matches("[1.5.2,1.6)"));
         assertTrue(matcher.matches("(1.4,1.5.2]"));
         assertTrue(matcher.matches("(1.5,)"));
         assertEquals("1.5.2", matcher.toString());