diff --git a/PHPCI/Model/Build.php b/PHPCI/Model/Build.php
index 20ff6a34..c5b0dc1a 100644
--- a/PHPCI/Model/Build.php
+++ b/PHPCI/Model/Build.php
@@ -88,20 +88,73 @@ class Build extends BuildBase
      */
     protected function handleConfig(Builder $builder, $buildPath)
     {
+        $build_config = null;
+
+        // Try phpci.yml first:
         if (is_file($buildPath . '/phpci.yml')) {
             $build_config = file_get_contents($buildPath . '/phpci.yml');
         }
 
-        if (!is_file($buildPath . '/phpci.yml') || !$build_config) {
+        // Try getting the project build config from the database:
+        if (empty($build_config)) {
             $build_config = $this->getProject()->getBuildConfig();
-            if (!$build_config) {
-                $builder->logFailure('Project does not contain a phpci.yml file.');
-                return false;
+        }
+
+        // Fall back to zero config plugins:
+        if (empty($build_config)) {
+            $build_config = $this->getZeroConfigPlugins($builder);
+        }
+
+        if (is_string($build_config)) {
+            $yamlParser = new YamlParser();
+            $build_config = $yamlParser->parse($build_config);
+        }
+
+        $builder->setConfigArray($build_config);
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    protected function getZeroConfigPlugins(Builder $builder)
+    {
+        $pluginDir = PHPCI_DIR . 'PHPCI/Plugin/';
+        $dir = new \DirectoryIterator($pluginDir);
+
+        $config = array(
+            'build_settings' => array(
+                'ignore' => array(
+                    'vendor/',
+                )
+            )
+        );
+
+        foreach ($dir as $item) {
+            if ($item->isDot()) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if (!$item->isFile()) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if ($item->getExtension() != 'php') {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $className = '\PHPCI\Plugin\\'.$item->getBasename('.php');
+
+            $reflectedPlugin = new \ReflectionClass($className);
+
+            if (!$reflectedPlugin->implementsInterface('\PHPCI\ZeroConfigPlugin')) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            foreach (array('setup', 'test', 'complete', 'success', 'failure') as $stage) {
+                if ($className::canExecute($stage, $builder, $this)) {
+                    $config[$stage][$className] = array();
+                }
             }
         }
 
-        $yamlParser = new YamlParser();
-        $builder->setConfigArray($yamlParser->parse($build_config));
-        return $builder->getConfig('build_settings');
+        return $config;
     }
 }
diff --git a/PHPCI/Plugin/Composer.php b/PHPCI/Plugin/Composer.php
index d40ac100..70462eba 100644
--- a/PHPCI/Plugin/Composer.php
+++ b/PHPCI/Plugin/Composer.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace PHPCI\Plugin;
 
+use PHPCI;
 use PHPCI\Builder;
 use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 
@@ -18,13 +19,24 @@ use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 * @package      PHPCI
 * @subpackage   Plugins
 */
-class Composer implements \PHPCI\Plugin
+class Composer implements PHPCI\Plugin, PHPCI\ZeroConfigPlugin
 {
     protected $directory;
     protected $action;
     protected $preferDist;
     protected $phpci;
 
+    public static function canExecute($stage, Builder $builder, Build $build)
+    {
+        $path = $builder->buildPath . '/composer.json';
+
+        if (file_exists($path) && $stage == 'setup') {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
     public function __construct(Builder $phpci, Build $build, array $options = array())
     {
         $path               = $phpci->buildPath;
diff --git a/PHPCI/Plugin/Lint.php b/PHPCI/Plugin/Lint.php
index ebab146e..73b4beaf 100644
--- a/PHPCI/Plugin/Lint.php
+++ b/PHPCI/Plugin/Lint.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace PHPCI\Plugin;
 
+use PHPCI;
 use PHPCI\Builder;
 use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ use PHPCI\Model\Build;
  * @package      PHPCI
  * @subpackage   Plugins
  */
-class Lint implements \PHPCI\Plugin
+class Lint implements PHPCI\Plugin
 {
     protected $directories;
     protected $recursive = true;
diff --git a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpCodeSniffer.php b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpCodeSniffer.php
index 2f0d7592..b942e44b 100755
--- a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpCodeSniffer.php
+++ b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpCodeSniffer.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace PHPCI\Plugin;
 
+use PHPCI;
 use PHPCI\Builder;
 use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 * @package      PHPCI
 * @subpackage   Plugins
 */
-class PhpCodeSniffer implements \PHPCI\Plugin
+class PhpCodeSniffer implements PHPCI\Plugin, PHPCI\ZeroConfigPlugin
 {
     /**
      * @var \PHPCI\Builder
@@ -50,6 +51,16 @@ class PhpCodeSniffer implements \PHPCI\Plugin
      */
     protected $encoding;
 
+    /**
+     * @var int
+     */
+    protected $allowed_errors;
+
+    /**
+     * @var int
+     */
+    protected $allowed_warnings;
+
     /**
      * @var string, based on the assumption the root may not hold the code to be
      * tested, exteds the base path
@@ -61,21 +72,33 @@ class PhpCodeSniffer implements \PHPCI\Plugin
      */
     protected $ignore;
 
+    public static function canExecute($stage, Builder $builder, Build $build)
+    {
+        if ($stage == 'test') {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @param \PHPCI\Builder $phpci
+     * @param \PHPCI\Model\Build $build
      * @param array $options
      */
     public function __construct(Builder $phpci, Build $build, array $options = array())
     {
-        $this->phpci        = $phpci;
-        $this->build        = $build;
-        $this->suffixes     = array('php');
-        $this->directory    = $phpci->buildPath;
-        $this->standard     = 'PSR2';
-        $this->tab_width    = '';
-        $this->encoding     = '';
-        $this->path         = '';
-        $this->ignore       = $this->phpci->ignore;
+        $this->phpci = $phpci;
+        $this->build = $build;
+        $this->suffixes = array('php');
+        $this->directory = $phpci->buildPath;
+        $this->standard = 'PSR2';
+        $this->tab_width = '';
+        $this->encoding = '';
+        $this->path = '';
+        $this->ignore = $this->phpci->ignore;
+        $this->allowed_warnings = -1;
+        $this->allowed_errors = -1;
 
         if (isset($options['suffixes'])) {
             $this->suffixes = (array)$options['suffixes'];
@@ -104,6 +127,14 @@ class PhpCodeSniffer implements \PHPCI\Plugin
         if (isset($options['ignore'])) {
             $this->ignore = $options['ignore'];
         }
+
+        if (isset($options['allowed_warnings'])) {
+            $this->allowed_warnings = (int)$options['allowed_warnings'];
+        }
+
+        if (isset($options['allowed_errors'])) {
+            $this->allowed_errors = (int)$options['allowed_errors'];
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -121,7 +152,7 @@ class PhpCodeSniffer implements \PHPCI\Plugin
         }
 
         $cmd = $phpcs . ' --report=emacs %s %s %s %s %s "%s"';
-        $success = $this->phpci->executeCommand(
+        $this->phpci->executeCommand(
             $cmd,
             $standard,
             $suffixes,
@@ -133,14 +164,25 @@ class PhpCodeSniffer implements \PHPCI\Plugin
 
         $output = $this->phpci->getLastOutput();
 
+        $success = true;
         $matches = array();
         if (preg_match_all('/\: warning \-/', $output, $matches)) {
-            $this->build->storeMeta('phpcs-warnings', count($matches[0]));
+            $warnings = count($matches[0]);
+            $this->build->storeMeta('phpcs-warnings', $warnings);
+
+            if ($this->allowed_warnings != -1 && $warnings > $this->allowed_warnings) {
+                $success = false;
+            }
         }
 
         $matches = array();
         if (preg_match_all('/\: error \-/', $output, $matches)) {
-            $this->build->storeMeta('phpcs-errors', count($matches[0]));
+            $errors = count($matches[0]);
+            $this->build->storeMeta('phpcs-errors', $errors);
+
+            if ($this->allowed_errors != -1 && $errors > $this->allowed_errors) {
+                $success = false;
+            }
         }
 
         return $success;
diff --git a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpLoc.php b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpLoc.php
index 809b6409..000b82cc 100644
--- a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpLoc.php
+++ b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpLoc.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace PHPCI\Plugin;
 
+use PHPCI;
 use PHPCI\Builder;
 use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ use PHPCI\Model\Build;
  * @package      PHPCI
  * @subpackage   Plugins
  */
-class PhpLoc implements \PHPCI\Plugin
+class PhpLoc implements PHPCI\Plugin, PHPCI\ZeroConfigPlugin
 {
     /**
      * @var string
@@ -29,6 +30,15 @@ class PhpLoc implements \PHPCI\Plugin
      */
     protected $phpci;
 
+    public static function canExecute($stage, Builder $builder, Build $build)
+    {
+        if ($stage == 'test') {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
     public function __construct(Builder $phpci, Build $build, array $options = array())
     {
         $this->phpci     = $phpci;
diff --git a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpMessDetector.php b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpMessDetector.php
index 06bc72e8..f68d7aec 100755
--- a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpMessDetector.php
+++ b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpMessDetector.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace PHPCI\Plugin;
 
+use PHPCI;
 use PHPCI\Builder;
 use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 * @package      PHPCI
 * @subpackage   Plugins
 */
-class PhpMessDetector implements \PHPCI\Plugin
+class PhpMessDetector implements PHPCI\Plugin, PHPCI\ZeroConfigPlugin
 {
     /**
      * @var \PHPCI\Builder
@@ -49,6 +50,15 @@ class PhpMessDetector implements \PHPCI\Plugin
      */
     protected $rules;
 
+    public static function canExecute($stage, Builder $builder, Build $build)
+    {
+        if ($stage == 'test') {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @param \PHPCI\Builder $phpci
      * @param array $options
@@ -61,11 +71,16 @@ class PhpMessDetector implements \PHPCI\Plugin
         $this->ignore = $phpci->ignore;
         $this->path = '';
         $this->rules = array('codesize', 'unusedcode', 'naming');
+        $this->allowed_warnings = -1;
 
         if (!empty($options['path'])) {
             $this->path = $options['path'];
         }
 
+        if (array_key_exists('allowed_warnings', $options)) {
+            $this->allowed_warnings = (int)$options['allowed_warnings'];
+        }
+
         foreach (array('rules', 'ignore', 'suffixes') as $key) {
             $this->overrideSetting($options, $key);
         }
@@ -110,7 +125,7 @@ class PhpMessDetector implements \PHPCI\Plugin
         }
 
         $cmd = $phpmd . ' "%s" text %s %s %s';
-        $success = $this->phpci->executeCommand(
+        $this->phpci->executeCommand(
             $cmd,
             $path,
             implode(',', $this->rules),
@@ -118,9 +133,14 @@ class PhpMessDetector implements \PHPCI\Plugin
             $suffixes
         );
 
+        $success = true;
         $errors = count(array_filter(explode(PHP_EOL, trim($this->phpci->getLastOutput()))));
         $this->build->storeMeta('phpmd-warnings', $errors);
 
+        if ($this->allowed_warnings != -1 && $errors > $this->allowed_warnings) {
+            $success = false;
+        }
+
         return $success;
     }
 
diff --git a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpSpec.php b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpSpec.php
index 02aebba7..843017b9 100644
--- a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpSpec.php
+++ b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpSpec.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace PHPCI\Plugin;
 
+use PHPCI;
 use PHPCI\Builder;
 use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 * @package      PHPCI
 * @subpackage   Plugins
 */
-class PhpSpec implements \PHPCI\Plugin
+class PhpSpec implements PHPCI\Plugin
 {
     protected $phpci;
 
diff --git a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpUnit.php b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpUnit.php
index fde1b2fa..ab0cfc58 100755
--- a/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpUnit.php
+++ b/PHPCI/Plugin/PhpUnit.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace PHPCI\Plugin;
 
+use PHPCI;
 use PHPCI\Builder;
 use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ use PHPCI\Model\Build;
 * @package      PHPCI
 * @subpackage   Plugins
 */
-class PhpUnit implements \PHPCI\Plugin
+class PhpUnit implements PHPCI\Plugin, PHPCI\ZeroConfigPlugin
 {
     protected $args;
     protected $phpci;
@@ -46,9 +47,44 @@ class PhpUnit implements \PHPCI\Plugin
      */
     protected $xmlConfigFile;
 
+    public static function canExecute($stage, Builder $builder, Build $build)
+    {
+        if ($stage == 'test' && !is_null(self::findConfigFile($builder->buildPath))) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    public static function findConfigFile($buildPath)
+    {
+        if (file_exists($buildPath . '/phpunit.xml')) {
+            return $buildPath . '/phpunit.xml';
+        }
+
+        if (file_exists($buildPath . '/tests/phpunit.xml')) {
+            return $buildPath . '/tests/phpunit.xml';
+        }
+
+        if (file_exists($buildPath . '/phpunit.xml.dist')) {
+            return $buildPath . '/phpunit.xml.dist';
+        }
+
+        if (file_exists($buildPath . '/tests/phpunit.xml.dist')) {
+            return $buildPath . '/tests/phpunit.xml.dist';
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
     public function __construct(Builder $phpci, Build $build, array $options = array())
     {
-        $this->phpci        = $phpci;
+        $this->phpci = $phpci;
+
+        if (!count($options)) {
+            $this->runFrom = $phpci->buildPath;
+            $this->xmlConfigFile = self::findConfigFile($phpci->buildPath);
+        }
 
         if (isset($options['directory'])) {
             $this->directory = $options['directory'];
diff --git a/PHPCI/ZeroConfigPlugin.php b/PHPCI/ZeroConfigPlugin.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b779cf5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PHPCI/ZeroConfigPlugin.php
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * PHPCI - Continuous Integration for PHP
+ *
+ * @copyright    Copyright 2013, Block 8 Limited.
+ * @license      https://github.com/Block8/PHPCI/blob/master/LICENSE.md
+ * @link         http://www.phptesting.org/
+ */
+
+namespace PHPCI;
+
+use PHPCI\Model\Build;
+
+/**
+ * PHPCI Plugin Interface - Used by all build plugins.
+ * @author   Dan Cryer <dan@block8.co.uk>
+ */
+interface ZeroConfigPlugin
+{
+    public static function canExecute($stage, Builder $builder, Build $build);
+}