diff --git a/apache-rat-gradle/src/gradle/src/main/groovy/org/apache/rat/gradle/RatTask.groovy b/apache-rat-gradle/src/gradle/src/main/groovy/org/apache/rat/gradle/RatTask.groovy
index cf35f3eeb..96105b8d9 100644
--- a/apache-rat-gradle/src/gradle/src/main/groovy/org/apache/rat/gradle/RatTask.groovy
+++ b/apache-rat-gradle/src/gradle/src/main/groovy/org/apache/rat/gradle/RatTask.groovy
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ class RatTask extends DefaultTask {
     boolean failOnError = true
     boolean verbose = false
 
+    boolean xmlOutput = true
+    boolean htmlOutput = true
+    boolean plainOutput = false
+
     @Input
     String inputDir = '.'
 
@@ -50,16 +54,59 @@ class RatTask extends DefaultTask {
         if( !reportDir.exists() ) {
             reportDir.mkdirs()
         }
-        def xmlReport = generateXmlReport()
-        def errorCount = countUnaprovedUnknownLicenses( xmlReport )
-        def htmlReport = generateHtmlReport( xmlReport )
+        def mainReport = null
+        def errorCount = -1
+        if( plainOutput ) {
+            mainReport = generatePlainReport()
+            errorCount = countUnaprovedUnknownLicensesFromPlain( mainReport )
+        }
+        def xmlReport = null
+        if( xmlOutput || htmlOutput ) {
+            xmlReport = generateXmlReport()
+            mainReport = mainReport ?: xmlReport
+            errorCount = countUnaprovedUnknownLicenses( xmlReport )
+        }
+        if( xmlReport != null && htmlOutput ) {
+            mainReport = generateHtmlReport( xmlReport )
+        }
+        if( xmlReport && !xmlOutput ) {
+            xmlReport.delete()
+        }
         if( failOnError && errorCount > 0 ) {
             throw new GradleException(
-                "Found $errorCount files with unapproved/unknown licenses. See ${htmlReport.toURI()}"
+                "Found $errorCount files with unapproved/unknown licenses. See ${mainReport.toURI()}"
             )
         }
     }
 
+    def generatePlainReport() {
+        def plainReport = new File( reportDir, 'rat-report.txt' )
+        def antBuilder = services.get( IsolatedAntBuilder )
+        def ratClasspath = project.configurations.rat
+        antBuilder.withClasspath( ratClasspath ).execute {
+            ant.taskdef( resource: 'org/apache/rat/anttasks/antlib.xml' )
+            ant.report( format: 'plain', reportFile: plainReport.absolutePath ) {
+                fileset( dir: inputDir ) {
+                    patternset {
+                        excludes.each { exclude( name: it ) }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        project.logger.info "Rat TXT report: ${plainReport.toURI()}"
+        return plainReport
+    }
+
+    def countUnaprovedUnknownLicensesFromPlain( plainReport ) {
+        def errorCount = 0
+        plainReport.readLines().each { line ->
+            if( line.endsWith( 'Unknown Licenses' ) ) {
+                errorCount = line.substring( 0, line.indexOf( ' ' ) ).toInteger()
+            }
+        }
+        return errorCount
+    }
+
     def generateXmlReport() {
         def xmlReport = new File( reportDir , 'rat-report.xml' )
         def antBuilder = services.get( IsolatedAntBuilder )
diff --git a/apache-rat-gradle/src/gradle/src/test/groovy/org/apache/rat/gradle/RatIntegrationSpec.groovy b/apache-rat-gradle/src/gradle/src/test/groovy/org/apache/rat/gradle/RatIntegrationSpec.groovy
index 15ae854b8..8d1873e4c 100644
--- a/apache-rat-gradle/src/gradle/src/test/groovy/org/apache/rat/gradle/RatIntegrationSpec.groovy
+++ b/apache-rat-gradle/src/gradle/src/test/groovy/org/apache/rat/gradle/RatIntegrationSpec.groovy
@@ -132,4 +132,94 @@ class RatIntegrationSpec extends IntegrationSpec {
         fileExists( 'build/reports/rat-custom/index.html' )
     }
 
+    def 'success on only plain text report'() {
+        setup:
+        fork = true
+        def inputDir = buildFile.parentFile.absolutePath.replaceAll('\\\\', '/')
+        buildFile << """
+            apply plugin: 'java'
+            apply plugin: 'org.apache.rat'
+            rat {
+                verbose = true
+                inputDir = '$inputDir'
+                plainOutput = true
+                xmlOutput = false
+                htmlOutput = false
+                excludes = [
+                    'build.gradle', 'settings.gradle', 'build/**', '.gradle/**', '.gradle-test-kit/**',
+                    'no-license-file.txt'
+                ]
+            }
+        """.stripIndent()
+        createFile( 'no-license-file.txt' ).text = 'Nothing here.'
+
+        when:
+        ExecutionResult result = runTasksSuccessfully( 'check' )
+
+        then:
+        wasExecuted( 'rat' )
+        fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/rat-report.txt' )
+        !fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/rat-report.xml' )
+        !fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/index.html' )
+    }
+
+    def 'fail the build when finding a file with unapproved/unknown license on plain text report only'() {
+        setup:
+        fork = true
+        def inputDir = buildFile.parentFile.absolutePath.replaceAll('\\\\', '/')
+        buildFile << """
+            apply plugin: 'org.apache.rat'
+            rat {
+                verbose = true
+                inputDir = '$inputDir'
+                plainOutput = true
+                xmlOutput = false
+                htmlOutput = false
+                excludes = [
+                    'build.gradle', 'settings.gradle', 'build/**', '.gradle/**', '.gradle-test-kit/**'
+                ]
+            }
+        """.stripIndent()
+        createFile( 'no-license-file.txt' ).text = 'Nothing here.'
+
+        when:
+        ExecutionResult result = runTasksWithFailure( 'rat' )
+
+        then:
+        wasExecuted( 'rat' )
+        fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/rat-report.txt' )
+        !fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/rat-report.xml' )
+        !fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/index.html' )
+    }
+
+    def 'success on plain text and html report'() {
+        setup:
+        fork = true
+        def inputDir = buildFile.parentFile.absolutePath.replaceAll('\\\\', '/')
+        buildFile << """
+            apply plugin: 'java'
+            apply plugin: 'org.apache.rat'
+            rat {
+                verbose = true
+                inputDir = '$inputDir'
+                plainOutput = true
+                xmlOutput = false
+                htmlOutput = true
+                excludes = [
+                    'build.gradle', 'settings.gradle', 'build/**', '.gradle/**', '.gradle-test-kit/**',
+                    'no-license-file.txt'
+                ]
+            }
+        """.stripIndent()
+        createFile( 'no-license-file.txt' ).text = 'Nothing here.'
+
+        when:
+        ExecutionResult result = runTasksSuccessfully( 'check' )
+
+        then:
+        wasExecuted( 'rat' )
+        fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/rat-report.txt' )
+        !fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/rat-report.xml' )
+        fileExists( 'build/reports/rat/index.html' )
+    }
 }
diff --git a/apache-rat-gradle/src/site/apt/index.apt b/apache-rat-gradle/src/site/apt/index.apt
index 4722cade7..2de3a488a 100644
--- a/apache-rat-gradle/src/site/apt/index.apt
+++ b/apache-rat-gradle/src/site/apt/index.apt
@@ -66,6 +66,17 @@ rat {
     // Fail the build on rat errors, defaults to true
     failOnError = false
 
+    // Enable XML RAT output, defaults to true
+    xmlOutput = true
+
+    // Enable HTML RAT output, defaults to true
+    htmlOutput = true
+
+    // Enable plain text RAT output, defaults to false
+    // Please note that if xml or html output is enabled too,
+    // then two RAT runs will be needed to produce all reports.
+    plainOutput = false
+
 }
 -------