diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index e7c08e932c..5f388c5739 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ configure(allprojects) { project ->
 	ext.hibval4Version       = "4.3.2.Final"
 	ext.hibval5Version       = "5.2.4.Final"
 	ext.hsqldbVersion        = "2.3.4"
-	ext.httpasyncVersion     = "4.1.1"
+	ext.httpasyncVersion     = "4.1.2"
 	ext.httpclientVersion    = "4.5.2"
 	ext.jackson2Version      = "2.8.0.rc2"
-	ext.jasperreportsVersion = "6.2.1"
+	ext.jasperreportsVersion = "6.2.1"  // our tests fail with JR-internal NPEs against 6.2.2 and higher
 	ext.javamailVersion      = "1.5.5"
 	ext.jettyVersion         = "9.3.10.v20160621"
 	ext.jodaVersion          = "2.9.4"
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ project("spring-core") {
 		compile("commons-logging:commons-logging:1.2")
 		optional("commons-codec:commons-codec:1.10")
 		optional("org.aspectj:aspectjweaver:${aspectjVersion}")
-		optional("net.sf.jopt-simple:jopt-simple:5.0.1")
+		optional("net.sf.jopt-simple:jopt-simple:5.0.2")
 		optional("log4j:log4j:${log4jVersion}")
 		testCompile("org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core:${tomcatVersion}")
 		testCompile("xmlunit:xmlunit:${xmlunitVersion}")
@@ -1008,9 +1008,9 @@ project("spring-test") {
 		optional("org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all:${groovyVersion}")
 		optional("org.hamcrest:hamcrest-core:${hamcrestVersion}")
 		optional("xmlunit:xmlunit:${xmlunitVersion}")
-		optional("net.sourceforge.htmlunit:htmlunit:2.21")
-		optional("org.seleniumhq.selenium:htmlunit-driver:2.20")
-		optional("org.seleniumhq.selenium:selenium-java:2.53.0")
+		optional("net.sourceforge.htmlunit:htmlunit:2.22")
+		optional("org.seleniumhq.selenium:htmlunit-driver:2.21")
+		optional("org.seleniumhq.selenium:selenium-java:2.53.1")
 		optional("org.skyscreamer:jsonassert:1.3.0")
 		optional("com.jayway.jsonpath:json-path:2.2.0")
 		testCompile(project(":spring-context-support"))