diff --git a/common/pomgenmode.py b/common/pomgenmode.py
index f22774f..6cb4ea2 100644
--- a/common/pomgenmode.py
+++ b/common/pomgenmode.py
@@ -23,26 +23,32 @@ class PomGenMode:
     """
     The pom generation mode, as specified by the `pom_generation_mode` attribute
     of the `maven_artifact` rule.
-    """
-    def __init__(self, name, produces_artifact):
-        """
+
+    The following attributes are available:
         name:
           The name of this pom_generation_mode
+
         produces_artifact:
           Whether this pomgen mode produces a maven artifact
+
         bazel_produced_artifact:
           Whether this pomgen mode represents an artifact that is built by
           Bazel (ie a jar)
+
+        additional_dependency_attrs:
+          The rule attributes that point to other dependencies to process.
+          For all pomgen modes, these attributes are "deps" and "runtime_deps".
+          Additional attributes may be added using this parameter
+    """
+    def __init__(self, name, produces_artifact, additional_dependency_attrs=()):
+        """
         """
         self.name = name
         self.produces_artifact = produces_artifact
+        self.dependency_attributes =\
+            ("deps", "runtime_deps") + tuple(additional_dependency_attrs)
 
         def bazel_produced_artifact(self, pom_template_content):
-            """
-            Whether this pomgen mode represents an artifact that is built by
-            Bazel (ie a jar)
-            Default is True.
-            """
             raise Exception("Method must be implemented")
 
     def __str__(self):
@@ -52,27 +58,30 @@ def __str__(self):
 
 
 # the pom is generated from scratch, using a common skeleton base template
-# "interesting" pom content is only the <dependencies> section, which is based
-# on BUILD file content
-DYNAMIC = PomGenMode("dynamic",
-                     produces_artifact=True,)
-DYNAMIC.bazel_produced_artifact = types.MethodType(lambda self, pom_template_content: True, DYNAMIC)
+# dynamic pom content is only the <dependencies> section, which is based on
+# BUILD file content
+DYNAMIC = PomGenMode("dynamic", produces_artifact=True,)
+DYNAMIC.bazel_produced_artifact = types.MethodType(
+    lambda self, pom_template_content: True, DYNAMIC)
+
 
 # the pom is generated based on a custom template file only
-TEMPLATE = PomGenMode("template",
-                      produces_artifact=True,)
+TEMPLATE = PomGenMode("template", produces_artifact=True,)
 # this is an edge case - for custom pom templates, the packaging tends to be
 # "pom" - that's the whole point. but we have a couple of cases with different
 # values (such as maven-plugin), in which case bazel is expected to build
 # something also
-TEMPLATE.bazel_produced_artifact = types.MethodType(lambda self, pom_template_content: pom_template_content.find("<packaging>pom</packaging>") == -1, TEMPLATE)
+TEMPLATE.bazel_produced_artifact = types.MethodType(
+    lambda self, pom_template_content: pom_template_content.find("<packaging>pom</packaging>") == -1, TEMPLATE)
+
 
 # this bazel package is skipped over at pom generation time
 # dependencies from this bazel package are "pushed up" to the closest parent
 # that has an artifact producing pom_generation_mode
-SKIP = PomGenMode("skip",
-                  produces_artifact=False,)
-SKIP.bazel_produced_artifact = types.MethodType(lambda self, pom_template_content: False, SKIP)
+SKIP = PomGenMode("skip", produces_artifact=False,
+                  additional_dependency_attrs=("exports",))
+SKIP.bazel_produced_artifact = types.MethodType(
+    lambda self, pom_template_content: False, SKIP)
 
 
 DEFAULT = DYNAMIC
diff --git a/crawl/bazel.py b/crawl/bazel.py
index 8e2aaef..dd1f18e 100644
--- a/crawl/bazel.py
+++ b/crawl/bazel.py
@@ -21,11 +21,12 @@
 import json
 
 
-def query_java_library_deps_attributes(repository_root_path, target_pattern, verbose=False):
+def query_java_library_deps_attributes(repository_root_path, target_pattern,
+                                       dep_attributes, verbose=False):
     """
-    Returns, as a list of strings, the combined values of the 'deps' and
-    'runtime_deps' attributes on the java_library rule identified by the
-    specified target_pattern.
+    Returns, as a list of strings, the combined values of the dep_attributes
+    given, typically 'deps' and 'runtime_deps', of the (java_library) rule
+    identified by the specified target_pattern.
 
     Example return value:
 
@@ -46,7 +47,6 @@ def query_java_library_deps_attributes(repository_root_path, target_pattern, ver
     if target_pattern.endswith("..."):
         raise Exception("target_pattern must be more specific")
 
-    dep_attributes = ("deps", "runtime_deps")
     query_parts = ["labels(%s, %s)" % (attr, target_pattern) for attr in dep_attributes]
     query = "bazel query --noimplicit_deps --order_output full '%s'" % " union ".join(query_parts)
     if verbose:
diff --git a/crawl/pom.py b/crawl/pom.py
index afde392..d52b62f 100644
--- a/crawl/pom.py
+++ b/crawl/pom.py
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ def _handle_description(self, content, description):
 
 class NoopPomGen(AbstractPomGen):
     """
-    A placeholder pom generator that doesn't generator anything, but still
+    A placeholder pom generator that doesn't generate anything, but still
     follows references.
     """
     def __init__(self, workspace, artifact_def, dependency):
@@ -723,8 +723,12 @@ def _query_dependencies(workspace, artifact_def, dependency):
         try:
             label = _build_bazel_label(artifact_def.bazel_package,
                                        dependency.bazel_target)
+
+            # the rule attributes to query for dependencies
+            dep_attrs=artifact_def.pom_generation_mode.dependency_attributes
             dep_labels = bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes(
-                workspace.repo_root_path, label, workspace.verbose)
+                workspace.repo_root_path, label, dep_attrs,
+                workspace.verbose)
             deps = workspace.parse_dep_labels(dep_labels)
             return workspace.normalize_deps(artifact_def, deps)
         except Exception as e:
diff --git a/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent1/BUILD b/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent1/BUILD
index c729b06..544de8f 100644
--- a/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent1/BUILD
+++ b/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent1/BUILD
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@ java_library(
     name = "parent1",
     srcs = glob(["src/main/java/**/*.java"]),
     # these deps get pulled into the pom generated for *this* package
+    # because the reference below has pomgen mode == skip
     deps = ["//examples/skip-artifact-generation/passthrough:set1"],
     runtime_deps = ["@maven//:org_antlr_stringtemplate"],
 )
 
 java_binary(
-    name = "Main",
-    srcs = glob(["src/**/*.java"]),
-    deps = [":parent1"],
+    name = "main",
+    main_class = "com.pomgen.example.lib1.Main",
+    runtime_deps = [":parent1"],
 )
     
diff --git a/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent1/src/main/java/com/pomgen/example/lib1/Main.java b/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent1/src/main/java/com/pomgen/example/lib1/Main.java
index 75ce0c9..5877f7f 100644
--- a/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent1/src/main/java/com/pomgen/example/lib1/Main.java
+++ b/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent1/src/main/java/com/pomgen/example/lib1/Main.java
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 package com.pomgen.example.lib1;
 
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
 public class Main  {
     public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
-        System.out.println("Hello Guava at-runtime-only: " + Class.forName("com.google.common.base.Preconditions"));
+        Preconditions.checkNotNull(args);
         System.out.println("Greetings from lib2: " + Class.forName("com.pomgen.example.lib2.Lib2API").getMethod("getGreeting").invoke(null));
     }
 }
diff --git a/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent2/BUILD b/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent2/BUILD
index 67f40a3..b820f67 100644
--- a/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent2/BUILD
+++ b/examples/skip-artifact-generation/parent/parent2/BUILD
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ java_library(
     name = "parent2",
     srcs = glob(["src/main/java/**/*.java"]),
     # these deps get pulled into the pom generated for *this* package
+    # because the reference below has pomgen mode == skip
     deps = ["//examples/skip-artifact-generation/passthrough:set1"],
     runtime_deps = ["@maven//:org_antlr_ST4"],
 )
diff --git a/examples/skip-artifact-generation/passthrough/BUILD b/examples/skip-artifact-generation/passthrough/BUILD
index 36da5eb..bd08410 100644
--- a/examples/skip-artifact-generation/passthrough/BUILD
+++ b/examples/skip-artifact-generation/passthrough/BUILD
@@ -1,24 +1,16 @@
 java_library(
     name = "set1",
-    runtime_deps = [
-        "@maven//:com_google_guava_guava",
-        ":set2",
-    ],
+    runtime_deps = [":set2",],
+    exports = ["@maven//:com_google_guava_guava",],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
 java_library(
     name = "set2",
-    runtime_deps = [
-        "//examples/skip-artifact-generation/lib",
-        "@maven//:com_google_guava_guava",
-        ":set3",
-    ],
+    runtime_deps = [":set3", "//examples/skip-artifact-generation/lib",],
 )
 
 java_library(
     name = "set3",
-    runtime_deps = [
-        "@maven//:org_apache_commons_commons_lang3",
-    ],
+    runtime_deps = ["@maven//:org_apache_commons_commons_lang3",],
 )
diff --git a/pomgen.py b/pomgen.py
index b370b41..3411795 100755
--- a/pomgen.py
+++ b/pomgen.py
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ def main(args):
                              mvn_install_info,
                              pom_content,
                              dependencymd,
-                             override_file_info.label_to_overridden_fq_label)
+                             override_file_info.label_to_overridden_fq_label,
+                             verbose=args.verbose)
     packages = argsupport.get_all_packages(repo_root, args.package)
     packages = ws.filter_artifact_producing_packages(packages)
     if len(packages) == 0:
diff --git a/tests/pomtest.py b/tests/pomtest.py
index 136eae8..4f50624 100644
--- a/tests/pomtest.py
+++ b/tests/pomtest.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def test_dynamic_pom__sanity(self):
 
         org_function = bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes
         try:
-            bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes = lambda r, p, v: ("@maven//:com_google_guava_guava", "@maven//:aopalliance_aopalliance", "@maven//:ch_qos_logback_logback_classic", "@maven//:gt2_t2" )
+            bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes = lambda r, p, a, v: ("@maven//:com_google_guava_guava", "@maven//:aopalliance_aopalliance", "@maven//:ch_qos_logback_logback_classic", "@maven//:gt2_t2" )
             _, _, deps = pomgen.process_dependencies()
             deps = list(deps)
             # appending a dependency that is built in the shared-repo (should not have an exclusions block)
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ def test_dyamic_pom__no_explicit_transitives(self):
         pomgen = pom.DynamicPomGen(ws, artifact_def, dep, TEST_POM_TEMPLATE)
         org_function = bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes
         try:
-            bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes = lambda r, p, v: ("@maven//:com_google_guava_guava", )
+            bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes = lambda r, p, a, v: ("@maven//:com_google_guava_guava", )
             _, _, deps = pomgen.process_dependencies()
             pomgen.register_dependencies(deps)
 
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ def test_dynamic_pom__do_not_include_deps(self):
 
         org_function = bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes
         try:
-            bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes = lambda r, p, v: 1/0 # fails
+            bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes = lambda r, p, a, v: 1/0 # fails
             pomgen.process_dependencies()
             generated_pom = pomgen.gen(pom.PomContentType.RELEASE)
 
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ def test_dynamic_pom_genmode__goldfile(self):
 
         org_function = bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes
         try:
-            bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes = lambda r, p, v: ("@maven//:com_google_guava_guava", "@maven//:aopalliance_aopalliance", )
+            bazel.query_java_library_deps_attributes = lambda r, p, a, v: ("@maven//:com_google_guava_guava", "@maven//:aopalliance_aopalliance", )
             _, _, deps = pomgen.process_dependencies()
             pomgen.register_dependencies(deps)