diff --git a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/README.md b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/README.md
index a659828dc70..15db6bfe315 100644
--- a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/README.md
+++ b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/README.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ If you're developing the plugin, you'll want to do something like:
 # run tests
 ./gradlew test
 # install it as a Logstash plugin
-/opt/logstash/bin/logstash-plugin install /path/to/logstash-output-vespa/logstash-output-vespa_feed-0.5.2.gem
+/opt/logstash/bin/logstash-plugin install /path/to/logstash-output-vespa/logstash-output-vespa_feed-0.6.1.gem
 # profit
 /opt/logstash/bin/logstash
 ```
diff --git a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/VERSION b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/VERSION
index a918a2aa18d..ee6cdce3c29 100644
--- a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/VERSION
+++ b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.6.0
+0.6.1
diff --git a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/build.gradle b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/build.gradle
index af184cc0bc5..7465e01088c 100644
--- a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/build.gradle
+++ b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/build.gradle
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ plugins {
 ext {
     snakeYamlVersion = '2.2'
     shadowGradlePluginVersion = '8.1.1'
+    log4jVersion = '2.17.1'
 }
 
 apply from: LOGSTASH_CORE_PATH + "/../rubyUtils.gradle"
@@ -47,12 +48,12 @@ repositories {
 
 shadowJar {
     archiveClassifier.set('')
-    configurations = [project.configurations.runtimeClasspath, project.configurations.testRuntimeClasspath]
+    configurations = [project.configurations.runtimeClasspath]
 }
 
 dependencies {
-    implementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-api:2.17.0'
-    implementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core:2.17.0'
+    implementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-api:${log4jVersion}"
+    implementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core:${log4jVersion}"
     implementation fileTree(dir: LOGSTASH_CORE_PATH, include: "**/logstash-core.jar")
 
     implementation("com.yahoo.vespa:vespa-feed-client:${VESPA_VERSION}")
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ dependencies {
 
     testImplementation 'org.jruby:jruby-complete:9.4.3.0'
     testImplementation 'org.jruby:jruby-core:9.4.3.0'
-    testImplementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core:2.9.1'
+    testImplementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core:${log4jVersion}"
     testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.13.2'
     testImplementation 'org.mockito:mockito-core:5.11.0'
     testImplementation("com.yahoo.vespa:vespa-feed-client:${VESPA_VERSION}")
@@ -122,13 +123,6 @@ tasks.register("gem"){
     }
 }
 
-test {
-    doFirst {
-        println "Test runtime classpath:"
-        classpath.each { println it }
-    }
-}
-
 task integrationTest(type: Exec) {
     workingDir 'integration-test'
     commandLine './run_tests.sh'
diff --git a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/integration-test/run_tests.sh b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/integration-test/run_tests.sh
index c6f687b8333..ab1f5b664b3 100755
--- a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/integration-test/run_tests.sh
+++ b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/integration-test/run_tests.sh
@@ -30,10 +30,20 @@ fi
 echo "Building plugin..."
 cd ..
 ./gradlew clean gem
-cd integration-test
+# bail if the plugin is not built
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo -e "${RED}Error: Plugin not built${NC}"
+    exit 1
+fi
 
+cd integration-test
 echo "Installing plugin..."
 $LOGSTASH_HOME/bin/logstash-plugin install --no-verify ../logstash-output-vespa_feed-$PLUGIN_VERSION.gem
+# bail if the plugin is not installed
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo -e "${RED}Error: Plugin not installed${NC}"
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 # Wait for Vespa to be ready
 echo "Checking Vespa availability..."
diff --git a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/lib/logstash-output-vespa_feed_jars.rb b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/lib/logstash-output-vespa_feed_jars.rb
index de5c514e365..011235fea22 100644
--- a/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/lib/logstash-output-vespa_feed_jars.rb
+++ b/integration/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-vespa/lib/logstash-output-vespa_feed_jars.rb
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 # encoding: utf-8
 
 require 'jar_dependencies'
-require_jar('org.logstashplugins', 'logstash-output-vespa_feed', '0.6.0')
+require_jar('org.logstashplugins', 'logstash-output-vespa_feed', '0.6.1')