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 c715e0cc..f7804ecf 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/kotlin/KotlinPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/kotlin/KotlinPlugin.kt
@@ -100,10 +100,9 @@ class KotlinPlugin @Inject constructor(
  */
 @Directive
 fun kotlinProject(vararg project: Project, init: KotlinProject.() -> Unit): KotlinProject {
-    with(KotlinProject()) {
+    return KotlinProject().apply {
         init()
         Kobalt.declareProjectDependencies(this, project)
-        return this
     }
 }