diff --git a/independent-projects/bootstrap/core/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/BootstrapAppModelFactory.java b/independent-projects/bootstrap/core/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/BootstrapAppModelFactory.java
index 71f006026..609eef9cd 100644
--- a/independent-projects/bootstrap/core/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/BootstrapAppModelFactory.java
+++ b/independent-projects/bootstrap/core/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/BootstrapAppModelFactory.java
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ public class BootstrapAppModelFactory {
 
     private LocalProject appClassesWorkspace;
 
+    private List<AppDependency> forcedDependencies = Collections.emptyList();
+
     private BootstrapAppModelFactory() {
     }
 
@@ -143,6 +145,11 @@ public class BootstrapAppModelFactory {
         return this;
     }
 
+    public BootstrapAppModelFactory setForcedDependencies(List<AppDependency> forcedDependencies) {
+        this.forcedDependencies = forcedDependencies;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     public AppModelResolver getAppModelResolver() {
 
         if (bootstrapAppModelResolver != null) {
@@ -273,7 +280,7 @@ public class BootstrapAppModelFactory {
             }
             AppModelResolver appModelResolver = getAppModelResolver();
             CurationResult curationResult = new CurationResult(appModelResolver
-                    .resolveManagedModel(appArtifact, Collections.emptyList(), managingProject));
+                    .resolveManagedModel(appArtifact, forcedDependencies, managingProject));
             if (cachedCpPath != null) {
                 Files.createDirectories(cachedCpPath.getParent());
                 try (DataOutputStream out = new DataOutputStream(Files.newOutputStream(cachedCpPath))) {
diff --git a/independent-projects/bootstrap/core/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/app/QuarkusBootstrap.java b/independent-projects/bootstrap/core/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/app/QuarkusBootstrap.java
index 980ceaa29..ede1400a6 100644
--- a/independent-projects/bootstrap/core/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/app/QuarkusBootstrap.java
+++ b/independent-projects/bootstrap/core/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/app/QuarkusBootstrap.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package io.quarkus.bootstrap.app;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.BootstrapAppModelFactory;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.BootstrapException;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.model.AppArtifact;
+import io.quarkus.bootstrap.model.AppDependency;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.resolver.AppModelResolver;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.resolver.maven.MavenArtifactResolver;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.resolver.update.DependenciesOrigin;
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ public class QuarkusBootstrap implements Serializable {
     private final boolean isolateDeployment;
     private final MavenArtifactResolver mavenArtifactResolver;
     private final AppArtifact managingProject;
+    private final List<AppDependency> forcedDependencies;
 
     private QuarkusBootstrap(Builder builder) {
         this.applicationRoot = builder.applicationRoot;
@@ -95,6 +97,7 @@ public class QuarkusBootstrap implements Serializable {
         this.additionalDeploymentArchives = builder.additionalDeploymentArchives;
         this.mavenArtifactResolver = builder.mavenArtifactResolver;
         this.managingProject = builder.managingProject;
+        this.forcedDependencies = new ArrayList<>(builder.forcedDependencies);
     }
 
     public CuratedApplication bootstrap() throws BootstrapException {
@@ -119,6 +122,7 @@ public class QuarkusBootstrap implements Serializable {
                 .setLocalProjectsDiscovery(localProjectDiscovery)
                 .setAppArtifact(appArtifact)
                 .setManagingProject(managingProject)
+                .setForcedDependencies(forcedDependencies)
                 .setAppClasses(getProjectRoot() != null ? getProjectRoot()
                         : getApplicationRoot());
         if (mode == Mode.TEST || test) {
@@ -213,6 +217,7 @@ public class QuarkusBootstrap implements Serializable {
         boolean isolateDeployment;
         MavenArtifactResolver mavenArtifactResolver;
         AppArtifact managingProject;
+        List<AppDependency> forcedDependencies = new ArrayList<>();
 
         public Builder(Path applicationRoot) {
             this.applicationRoot = applicationRoot;
@@ -329,6 +334,15 @@ public class QuarkusBootstrap implements Serializable {
             return this;
         }
 
+        /**
+         * If set, each of these dependencies will either be added to the application dependencies if the GA doesn't match any
+         * application dependencies, or override the existing version if the GA does match
+         */
+        public Builder setForcedDependencies(List<AppDependency> forcedDependencies) {
+            this.forcedDependencies = forcedDependencies;
+            return this;
+        }
+
         public QuarkusBootstrap build() {
             return new QuarkusBootstrap(this);
         }
diff --git a/test-framework/junit5-internal/src/main/java/io/quarkus/test/QuarkusProdModeTest.java b/test-framework/junit5-internal/src/main/java/io/quarkus/test/QuarkusProdModeTest.java
index 0472a874f..4821f67e0 100644
--- a/test-framework/junit5-internal/src/main/java/io/quarkus/test/QuarkusProdModeTest.java
+++ b/test-framework/junit5-internal/src/main/java/io/quarkus/test/QuarkusProdModeTest.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.nio.file.attribute.BasicFileAttributes;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -42,6 +43,8 @@ import io.quarkus.bootstrap.app.AugmentAction;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.app.AugmentResult;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.app.CuratedApplication;
 import io.quarkus.bootstrap.app.QuarkusBootstrap;
+import io.quarkus.bootstrap.model.AppArtifact;
+import io.quarkus.bootstrap.model.AppDependency;
 import io.quarkus.test.common.PathTestHelper;
 import io.quarkus.test.common.RestAssuredURLManager;
 import io.quarkus.utilities.JavaBinFinder;
@@ -84,6 +87,7 @@ public class QuarkusProdModeTest
     private Optional<Field> prodModeTestResultsField = Optional.empty();
     private Path logfilePath;
     private Optional<Field> logfileField = Optional.empty();
+    private List<AppArtifact> forcedDependencies = Collections.emptyList();
 
     public Supplier<JavaArchive> getArchiveProducer() {
         return archiveProducer;
@@ -148,6 +152,15 @@ public class QuarkusProdModeTest
         return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Provides a convenient way to either add additional dependencies to the application (if it doesn't already contain a
+     * dependency), or override a version (if the dependency already exists)
+     */
+    public QuarkusProdModeTest setForcedDependencies(List<AppArtifact> forcedDependencies) {
+        this.forcedDependencies = forcedDependencies;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     private void exportArchive(Path deploymentDir, Class<?> testClass) {
         try {
             JavaArchive archive = getArchiveProducerOrDefault();
@@ -229,7 +242,9 @@ public class QuarkusProdModeTest
                         .setLocalProjectDiscovery(true)
                         .addExcludedPath(testLocation)
                         .setProjectRoot(testLocation)
-                        .setTargetDirectory(buildDir);
+                        .setTargetDirectory(buildDir)
+                        .setForcedDependencies(forcedDependencies.stream().map(d -> new AppDependency(d, "compile"))
+                                .collect(Collectors.toList()));
                 if (applicationName != null) {
                     builder.setBaseName(applicationName);
                 }