diff --git a/devtools/maven/src/main/java/io/quarkus/maven/DevMojo.java b/devtools/maven/src/main/java/io/quarkus/maven/DevMojo.java
index 68241025a..2f9b54205 100644
--- a/devtools/maven/src/main/java/io/quarkus/maven/DevMojo.java
+++ b/devtools/maven/src/main/java/io/quarkus/maven/DevMojo.java
@@ -237,6 +237,10 @@ public class DevMojo extends AbstractMojo {
     public void execute() throws MojoFailureException, MojoExecutionException {
 
         mavenVersionEnforcer.ensureMavenVersion(getLog(), session);
+
+        //we always want to compile if needed, so if it is run from the parent it will compile dependent projects
+        handleAutoCompile();
+
         Plugin pluginDef = MojoUtils.checkProjectForMavenBuildPlugin(project);
 
         if (pluginDef == null) {
@@ -249,34 +253,6 @@ public class DevMojo extends AbstractMojo {
         if (!sourceDir.isDirectory()) {
             getLog().warn("The project's sources directory does not exist " + sourceDir);
         }
-        //we check to see if there was a compile (or later) goal before this plugin
-        boolean compileNeeded = true;
-        for (String goal : session.getGoals()) {
-            if (POST_COMPILE_PHASES.contains(goal)) {
-                compileNeeded = false;
-                break;
-            }
-            if (goal.endsWith("quarkus:dev")) {
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-
-        //if the user did not compile we run it for them
-        if (compileNeeded) {
-            // compile the Kotlin sources if needed
-            final String kotlinMavenPluginKey = ORG_JETBRAINS_KOTLIN + ":" + KOTLIN_MAVEN_PLUGIN;
-            final Plugin kotlinMavenPlugin = project.getPlugin(kotlinMavenPluginKey);
-            if (kotlinMavenPlugin != null) {
-                executeCompileGoal(kotlinMavenPlugin, ORG_JETBRAINS_KOTLIN, KOTLIN_MAVEN_PLUGIN);
-            }
-
-            // Compile the Java sources if needed
-            final String compilerPluginKey = ORG_APACHE_MAVEN_PLUGINS + ":" + MAVEN_COMPILER_PLUGIN;
-            final Plugin compilerPlugin = project.getPlugin(compilerPluginKey);
-            if (compilerPlugin != null) {
-                executeCompileGoal(compilerPlugin, ORG_APACHE_MAVEN_PLUGINS, MAVEN_COMPILER_PLUGIN);
-            }
-        }
 
         try {
             List<String> args = new ArrayList<>();
@@ -361,6 +337,37 @@ public class DevMojo extends AbstractMojo {
         }
     }
 
+    private void handleAutoCompile() throws MojoExecutionException {
+        //we check to see if there was a compile (or later) goal before this plugin
+        boolean compileNeeded = true;
+        for (String goal : session.getGoals()) {
+            if (POST_COMPILE_PHASES.contains(goal)) {
+                compileNeeded = false;
+                break;
+            }
+            if (goal.endsWith("quarkus:dev")) {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        //if the user did not compile we run it for them
+        if (compileNeeded) {
+            // compile the Kotlin sources if needed
+            final String kotlinMavenPluginKey = ORG_JETBRAINS_KOTLIN + ":" + KOTLIN_MAVEN_PLUGIN;
+            final Plugin kotlinMavenPlugin = project.getPlugin(kotlinMavenPluginKey);
+            if (kotlinMavenPlugin != null) {
+                executeCompileGoal(kotlinMavenPlugin, ORG_JETBRAINS_KOTLIN, KOTLIN_MAVEN_PLUGIN);
+            }
+
+            // Compile the Java sources if needed
+            final String compilerPluginKey = ORG_APACHE_MAVEN_PLUGINS + ":" + MAVEN_COMPILER_PLUGIN;
+            final Plugin compilerPlugin = project.getPlugin(compilerPluginKey);
+            if (compilerPlugin != null) {
+                executeCompileGoal(compilerPlugin, ORG_APACHE_MAVEN_PLUGINS, MAVEN_COMPILER_PLUGIN);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     private void executeCompileGoal(Plugin plugin, String groupId, String artifactId) throws MojoExecutionException {
         Xpp3Dom configuration = (Xpp3Dom) plugin.getConfiguration();
         if (configuration == null) {