diff --git a/tycho-versions-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/versions/VersionBumpBuildListener.java b/tycho-versions-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/versions/VersionBumpBuildListener.java
index fd7d7666af..aa08802413 100644
--- a/tycho-versions-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/versions/VersionBumpBuildListener.java
+++ b/tycho-versions-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/versions/VersionBumpBuildListener.java
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public void buildEnded(MavenSession session) {
                             logger.info(project.getId() + " requires a version bump from " + currentVersion + " => "
                                     + newVersion);
                             engine.setProjects(metadataReader.getProjects());
-                            engine.setUpdatePackageVersions(false);
+                            engine.setUpdatePackageVersions(VersionBumpMojo.getUpdatePackages(session, project, projectHelper));
                             engine.addVersionChange(pomFile.getArtifactId(), newVersion);
                             engine.apply();
                             bumped++;
diff --git a/tycho-versions-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/versions/VersionBumpMojo.java b/tycho-versions-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/versions/VersionBumpMojo.java
index 720684de04..7d79e3f09b 100644
--- a/tycho-versions-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/versions/VersionBumpMojo.java
+++ b/tycho-versions-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/versions/VersionBumpMojo.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
  * <li>one can now run the build again with the incremented version and verify the automatic applied
  * changes</li>
  * </ul>
- * 
+ *
  */
 @Mojo(name = VersionBumpMojo.NAME, threadSafe = true, defaultPhase = LifecyclePhase.VERIFY, requiresProject = true)
 public class VersionBumpMojo extends AbstractMojo {
@@ -47,10 +47,14 @@ public class VersionBumpMojo extends AbstractMojo {
 
     static final int DEFAULT_INCREMENT = 1;
 
+    static final boolean DEFAULT_UPDATE_PACKAGES = false;
+
     static final String NAME = "bump-versions";
 
     static final String PROPERTY_INCREMENT = "tycho." + NAME + ".increment";
 
+    static final String PROPERTY_UPDATE_PACKAGES = "tycho." + NAME + ".updatePackages";
+
     /**
      * Configures the default increment of micro version to use if no version is recommended by the
      * VersionBumpRequiredException produced by the version check plugin.
@@ -58,6 +62,13 @@ public class VersionBumpMojo extends AbstractMojo {
     @Parameter(property = PROPERTY_INCREMENT, defaultValue = DEFAULT_INCREMENT + "")
     private int increment = DEFAULT_INCREMENT;
 
+    /**
+     * Configures whether to update exported packages to the version recommended by the
+     * VersionBumpRequiredException produced by the version check plugin.
+     */
+    @Parameter(property = PROPERTY_UPDATE_PACKAGES, defaultValue = DEFAULT_UPDATE_PACKAGES + "")
+    private boolean updatePackages = DEFAULT_UPDATE_PACKAGES;
+
     @Override
     public void execute() throws MojoExecutionException, MojoFailureException {
         //actual work is performed in VersionBumpBuildListener
@@ -79,4 +90,20 @@ public static int getIncrement(MavenSession mavenSession, MavenProject project,
         return DEFAULT_INCREMENT;
     }
 
+    public static boolean getUpdatePackages(MavenSession mavenSession, MavenProject project, ProjectHelper projectHelper) {
+        String prop = mavenSession.getUserProperties().getProperty(PROPERTY_UPDATE_PACKAGES);
+        if (prop != null) {
+            return Boolean.parseBoolean(prop);
+        }
+        Xpp3Dom configuration = projectHelper.getPluginConfiguration(GROUP_ID, ARTIFACT_ID, NAME, project,
+                mavenSession);
+        if (configuration != null) {
+            Xpp3Dom child = configuration.getChild("updatePackages");
+            if (child != null) {
+                return Boolean.parseBoolean(child.getValue());
+            }
+        }
+        return DEFAULT_UPDATE_PACKAGES;
+    }
+
 }