diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 78f87e430ef541195f6c0792e211202ef4898e41..fabc652236466bb804cc95ee5d2bc9a0a46a449e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -1827,9 +1827,6 @@ under the License.
 					</configuration>
 				</plugin>
 
-				<!-- Due to the Flink build setup, "mvn spotless:apply" and "mvn spotless:check"
-				don't work. You have to use the fully qualified name, i.e.
-				"mvn com.diffplug.spotless:spotless-maven-plugin:apply" -->
 				<plugin>
 					<groupId>com.diffplug.spotless</groupId>
 					<artifactId>spotless-maven-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/tools/force-shading/pom.xml b/tools/force-shading/pom.xml
index 86fc6a7f011267d5a8a5347e79ca484f82cf9144..6ba1c2e907ee335cc9ff0713f654c835339c9fbe 100644
--- a/tools/force-shading/pom.xml
+++ b/tools/force-shading/pom.xml
@@ -43,6 +43,21 @@ under the License.
 
 	<packaging>jar</packaging>
 
+	<build>
+		<pluginManagement>
+			<plugins>
+				<plugin>
+					<!-- This only exists to allow shorthand invocations on the command-line
+						i.e., 'mvn spotless:check'
+						This is necessary because this module does not declare the flink-parent pom as its parent -->
+					<groupId>com.diffplug.spotless</groupId>
+					<artifactId>spotless-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+					<version>2.4.2</version>
+				</plugin>
+			</plugins>
+		</pluginManagement>
+	</build>
+
 	<profiles>
 		<profile>
 			<id>release</id>