diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 32cff2a..f554aeb 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ limitations under the License.
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.codehaus.plexus</groupId>
     <artifactId>plexus</artifactId>
-    <version>13</version>
+    <version>16</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>plexus-xml</artifactId>
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ limitations under the License.
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.apache.maven</groupId>
       <artifactId>maven-xml-impl</artifactId>
-      <version>4.0.0-alpha-7</version>
+      <version>4.0.0-alpha-8</version>
       <exclusions>
         <exclusion>
           <groupId>org.eclipse.sisu</groupId>
@@ -66,13 +66,13 @@ limitations under the License.
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.openjdk.jmh</groupId>
       <artifactId>jmh-core</artifactId>
-      <version>1.36</version>
+      <version>1.37</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.openjdk.jmh</groupId>
       <artifactId>jmh-generator-annprocess</artifactId>
-      <version>1.36</version>
+      <version>1.37</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
@@ -80,12 +80,6 @@ limitations under the License.
       <artifactId>junit-jupiter</artifactId>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.hamcrest</groupId>
-      <artifactId>hamcrest</artifactId>
-      <version>2.2</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.codehaus.plexus</groupId>
       <artifactId>plexus-utils</artifactId>
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/pull/MXParserTest.java b/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/pull/MXParserTest.java
index f7c9d68..0359b8c 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/pull/MXParserTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/xml/pull/MXParserTest.java
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
 import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.ValueSource;
 
-import static org.hamcrest.MatcherAssert.*;
-import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
 
 /**
@@ -1485,14 +1483,16 @@ void testBlankAtBeginning(String ws) throws XmlPullParserException, IOException
 
         MXParser parser = new MXParser();
         parser.setInput(new StringReader(ws + xml));
-        assertThat(
-                assertThrows(XmlPullParserException.class, parser::next).getMessage(),
-                containsString("XMLDecl is only allowed as first characters in input"));
+
+        String message;
+        message = assertThrows(XmlPullParserException.class, parser::next).getMessage();
+        assertNotNull(message);
+        assertTrue(message.contains("XMLDecl is only allowed as first characters in input"), message);
 
         parser.setInput(new StringReader(ws + xml));
         assertEquals(XmlPullParser.IGNORABLE_WHITESPACE, parser.nextToken());
-        assertThat(
-                assertThrows(XmlPullParserException.class, parser::nextToken).getMessage(),
-                containsString("processing instruction can not have PITarget with reserved xml name"));
+        message = assertThrows(XmlPullParserException.class, parser::nextToken).getMessage();
+        assertNotNull(message);
+        assertTrue(message.contains("processing instruction can not have PITarget with reserved xml name"), message);
     }
 }