diff --git a/initializr-generator-spring/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/spring/code/kotlin/KotlinGradleBuildCustomizer.java b/initializr-generator-spring/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/spring/code/kotlin/KotlinGradleBuildCustomizer.java
index 010759a3..19b567c9 100644
--- a/initializr-generator-spring/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/spring/code/kotlin/KotlinGradleBuildCustomizer.java
+++ b/initializr-generator-spring/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/spring/code/kotlin/KotlinGradleBuildCustomizer.java
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ class KotlinGradleBuildCustomizer implements BuildCustomizer<GradleBuild> {
 	public void customize(GradleBuild build) {
 		build.addPlugin("org.jetbrains.kotlin.jvm", this.settings.getVersion());
 		build.addPlugin("org.jetbrains.kotlin.plugin.spring", this.settings.getVersion());
-		build.addImportedType("org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile");
-		build.customizeTasksWithType("KotlinCompile", this::customizeKotlinOptions);
+		build.customizeTasksWithType("org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile",
+				this::customizeKotlinOptions);
 	}
 
 	private void customizeKotlinOptions(TaskCustomization compile) {
diff --git a/initializr-generator/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuild.java b/initializr-generator/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuild.java
index eb2c1bfd..6fad200f 100644
--- a/initializr-generator/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuild.java
+++ b/initializr-generator/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuild.java
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ import java.util.function.Consumer;
 import io.spring.initializr.generator.buildsystem.Build;
 import io.spring.initializr.generator.buildsystem.BuildItemResolver;
 
+import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
+import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
+
 /**
  * Gradle build configuration for a project.
  *
@@ -127,17 +130,24 @@ public class GradleBuild extends Build {
 		return Collections.unmodifiableMap(this.configurationCustomizations);
 	}
 
-	public void addImportedType(String type) {
-		this.importedTypes.add(type);
-	}
-
 	public Set<String> getImportedTypes() {
 		return Collections.unmodifiableSet(this.importedTypes);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Customize tasks matching a given type.
+	 * @param typeName the name of type. Can use the short form for well-known types such
+	 * as {@code JavaCompile}, use a fully qualified name if an import is required
+	 * @param customizer a callback to customize tasks matching that type
+	 */
 	public void customizeTasksWithType(String typeName,
 			Consumer<TaskCustomization> customizer) {
-		customizer.accept(this.tasksWithTypeCustomizations.computeIfAbsent(typeName,
+		String packageName = ClassUtils.getPackageName(typeName);
+		if (!StringUtils.isEmpty(packageName)) {
+			this.importedTypes.add(typeName);
+		}
+		String shortName = ClassUtils.getShortName(typeName);
+		customizer.accept(this.tasksWithTypeCustomizations.computeIfAbsent(shortName,
 				(name) -> new TaskCustomization()));
 	}
 
diff --git a/initializr-generator/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuildWriter.java b/initializr-generator/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuildWriter.java
index 23779f5e..647c46d4 100644
--- a/initializr-generator/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuildWriter.java
+++ b/initializr-generator/src/main/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuildWriter.java
@@ -291,7 +291,6 @@ public class GradleBuildWriter {
 			GradleBuild build) {
 		Map<String, GradleBuild.TaskCustomization> tasksWithTypeCustomizations = build
 				.getTasksWithTypeCustomizations();
-
 		tasksWithTypeCustomizations.forEach((typeName, customization) -> {
 			writer.println();
 			writer.println("tasks.withType(" + typeName + ") {");
diff --git a/initializr-generator/src/test/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuildWriterTests.java b/initializr-generator/src/test/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuildWriterTests.java
index b4d02366..7ce940d0 100644
--- a/initializr-generator/src/test/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuildWriterTests.java
+++ b/initializr-generator/src/test/java/io/spring/initializr/generator/buildsystem/gradle/GradleBuildWriterTests.java
@@ -34,24 +34,10 @@ import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
  *
  * @author Andy Wilkinson
  * @author Jean-Baptiste Nizet
+ * @author Stephane Nicoll
  */
 class GradleBuildWriterTests {
 
-	@Test
-	void gradleBuildWithImports() throws IOException {
-		GradleBuild build = new GradleBuild();
-		build.addImportedType(
-				"org.springframework.boot.gradle.tasks.buildinfo.BuildInfo");
-		build.addImportedType("org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile");
-		// same import added twice on purpose
-		build.addImportedType("org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile");
-
-		List<String> lines = generateBuild(build);
-		assertThat(lines.subList(0, 3)).containsExactly(
-				"import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile",
-				"import org.springframework.boot.gradle.tasks.buildinfo.BuildInfo", "");
-	}
-
 	@Test
 	void gradleBuildWithCoordinates() throws IOException {
 		GradleBuild build = new GradleBuild();
@@ -159,16 +145,30 @@ class GradleBuildWriterTests {
 	void gradleBuildWithTaskWithTypesCustomizedWithNestedAssignments()
 			throws IOException {
 		GradleBuild build = new GradleBuild();
-		build.customizeTasksWithType("KotlinCompile", (task) -> {
-			task.nested("kotlinOptions", (kotlinOptions) -> {
-				kotlinOptions.set("freeCompilerArgs", "['-Xjsr305=strict']");
-				kotlinOptions.set("jvmTarget", "'1.8'");
-			});
-		});
+		build.customizeTasksWithType("org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile",
+				(task) -> task.nested("kotlinOptions", (kotlinOptions) -> kotlinOptions
+						.set("freeCompilerArgs", "['-Xjsr305=strict']")));
+		build.customizeTasksWithType("org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile",
+				(task) -> task.nested("kotlinOptions",
+						(kotlinOptions) -> kotlinOptions.set("jvmTarget", "'1.8'")));
 		List<String> lines = generateBuild(build);
-		assertThat(lines).containsSequence("tasks.withType(KotlinCompile) {",
-				"    kotlinOptions {", "        freeCompilerArgs = ['-Xjsr305=strict']",
-				"        jvmTarget = '1.8'", "    }", "}");
+		assertThat(lines)
+				.containsOnlyOnce(
+						"import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile")
+				.containsSequence("tasks.withType(KotlinCompile) {",
+						"    kotlinOptions {",
+						"        freeCompilerArgs = ['-Xjsr305=strict']",
+						"        jvmTarget = '1.8'", "    }", "}");
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void gradleBuildWithTaskWithTypesAndShortTypes() throws IOException {
+		GradleBuild build = new GradleBuild();
+		build.customizeTasksWithType("JavaCompile",
+				(javaCompile) -> javaCompile.set("options.fork", "true"));
+		assertThat(generateBuild(build)).doesNotContain("import JavaCompile")
+				.containsSequence("tasks.withType(JavaCompile) {",
+						"    options.fork = true", "}");
 	}
 
 	@Test