diff --git a/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/TestDirective.kt b/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/TestDirective.kt
index d7f6cb7e..09dd4a31 100644
--- a/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/TestDirective.kt
+++ b/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/TestDirective.kt
@@ -9,16 +9,20 @@ class TestConfig(val project: Project, val isDefault : Boolean = false) {
     val testIncludes = arrayListOf("**/*Test.class")
     val testExcludes = arrayListOf<String>()
 
+    @Directive
     var name: String = ""
 
+    @Directive
     fun args(vararg arg: String) {
         testArgs.addAll(arg)
     }
 
+    @Directive
     fun jvmArgs(vararg arg: String) {
         jvmArgs.addAll(arg)
     }
 
+    @Directive
     fun include(vararg arg: String) {
         testIncludes.apply {
             clear()
@@ -26,6 +30,7 @@ class TestConfig(val project: Project, val isDefault : Boolean = false) {
         }
     }
 
+    @Directive
     fun exclude(vararg arg: String) {
         testExcludes.apply {
             clear()
@@ -35,11 +40,12 @@ class TestConfig(val project: Project, val isDefault : Boolean = false) {
 }
 
 @Directive
-fun Project.test(init: TestConfig.() -> Unit) = let { project ->
+fun Project.test(init: TestConfig.() -> Unit): TestConfig = let { project ->
     with(testConfigs) {
         val tf = TestConfig(project).apply { init() }
         if (! map { it.name }.contains(tf.name)) {
             add(tf)
+            tf
         } else {
             throw KobaltException("Test configuration \"${tf.name}\" already exists, give it a different "
                     + "name with test { name = ... }")
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/groovy/GroovyPlugin.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/groovy/GroovyPlugin.kt
index 9f9153b3..13850571 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/groovy/GroovyPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/groovy/GroovyPlugin.kt
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ class GroovyConfig(val project: Project) {
 }
 
 @Directive
-fun Project.groovyCompiler(init: GroovyConfig.() -> Unit) = let {
-    val config = GroovyConfig(it)
-    config.init()
-    (Kobalt.findPlugin(GroovyPlugin.PLUGIN_NAME) as GroovyPlugin).addConfiguration(this, config)
-}
+fun Project.groovyCompiler(init: GroovyConfig.() -> Unit) =
+    GroovyConfig(this).also { config ->
+        config.init()
+        (Kobalt.findPlugin(GroovyPlugin.PLUGIN_NAME) as GroovyPlugin).addConfiguration(this, config)
+    }
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/java/JavaPlugin.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/java/JavaPlugin.kt
index 9eb99f47..e0d233c0 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/java/JavaPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/java/JavaPlugin.kt
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ class JavaConfig(val project: Project) {
 }
 
 @Directive
-fun Project.javaCompiler(init: JavaConfig.() -> Unit) = let {
-    val config = JavaConfig(it)
-    config.init()
-    (Kobalt.findPlugin(JavaPlugin.PLUGIN_NAME) as JavaPlugin).addConfiguration(this, config)
-}
+fun Project.javaCompiler(init: JavaConfig.() -> Unit) =
+    JavaConfig(this).also { config ->
+        config.init()
+        (Kobalt.findPlugin(JavaPlugin.PLUGIN_NAME) as JavaPlugin).addConfiguration(this, config)
+    }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/kotlin/KotlinPlugin.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/kotlin/KotlinPlugin.kt
index b71951d3..8f16a3d4 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/kotlin/KotlinPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/kotlin/KotlinPlugin.kt
@@ -154,11 +154,11 @@ class KotlinConfig(val project: Project) {
 }
 
 @Directive
-fun Project.kotlinCompiler(init: KotlinConfig.() -> Unit) = let {
-    val config = KotlinConfig(it)
-    config.init()
-    (Kobalt.findPlugin(KotlinPlugin.PLUGIN_NAME) as KotlinPlugin).addConfiguration(this, config)
-}
+fun Project.kotlinCompiler(init: KotlinConfig.() -> Unit) =
+    KotlinConfig(this).also { config ->
+        config.init()
+        (Kobalt.findPlugin(KotlinPlugin.PLUGIN_NAME) as KotlinPlugin).addConfiguration(this, config)
+    }
 
 //class SourceLinkMapItem {
 //    var dir: String = ""