diff --git a/build-conventions/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/conventions/precommit/LicenseHeadersTask.java b/build-conventions/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/conventions/precommit/LicenseHeadersTask.java
index 4f07187f7fc38..45b6b1d142963 100644
--- a/build-conventions/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/conventions/precommit/LicenseHeadersTask.java
+++ b/build-conventions/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/conventions/precommit/LicenseHeadersTask.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 import org.w3c.dom.Element;
 import org.w3c.dom.NodeList;
 import org.xml.sax.SAXException;
-
+import org.gradle.api.model.ObjectFactory;
 import javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory;
 import javax.xml.parsers.ParserConfigurationException;
 import java.io.BufferedWriter;
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+import javax.inject.Inject;
+import java.io.Serializable;
 
 /**
  * Checks files for license headers..
@@ -95,10 +97,6 @@ public List<String> getExcludes() {
         return excludes;
     }
 
-    public Map<String, String> getAdditionalLicenses() {
-        return additionalLicenses;
-    }
-
     public void setExcludes(List<String> excludes) {
         this.excludes = excludes;
     }
@@ -106,6 +104,11 @@ public void setExcludes(List<String> excludes) {
     @OutputFile
     private File reportFile = new File(getProject().getBuildDir(), "reports/licenseHeaders/rat.xml");
 
+    private static List<License> conventionalLicenses = Arrays.asList(
+            // Dual SSPLv1 and Elastic
+            new License("DUAL", "SSPL+Elastic License", "the Elastic License 2.0 or the Server")
+    );
+
     /**
      * Allowed license families for this project.
      */
@@ -118,13 +121,17 @@ public void setExcludes(List<String> excludes) {
      */
     @Input
     private List<String> excludes = new ArrayList<String>();
+
+    private ListProperty<License> additionalLicenses;
+
     /**
      * Additional license families that may be found. The key is the license category name (5 characters),
      * followed by the family name and the value list of patterns to search for.
      */
     @Input
-    protected Map<String, String> additionalLicenses = new HashMap<String, String>();
-
+    public ListProperty<License> getAdditionalLicenses() {
+        return additionalLicenses;
+    }
     /**
      * Add a new license type.
      * <p>
@@ -139,7 +146,12 @@ public void additionalLicense(final String categoryName, String familyName, Stri
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("License category name must be exactly 5 characters, got " + categoryName);
         }
 
-        additionalLicenses.put(categoryName + familyName, pattern);
+        additionalLicenses.add(new License(categoryName, familyName, pattern));
+    }
+
+    @Inject
+    public LicenseHeadersTask(ObjectFactory objectFactory) {
+        additionalLicenses = objectFactory.listProperty(License.class).convention(conventionalLicenses);
     }
 
     @TaskAction
@@ -160,14 +172,10 @@ public void runRat() {
         matchers.add(subStringMatcher("GEN  ", "Generated", "ANTLR GENERATED CODE"));
         // Vendored Code
         matchers.add(subStringMatcher("VEN  ", "Vendored", "@notice"));
-        // Dual SSPLv1 and Elastic
-        matchers.add(subStringMatcher("DUAL", "SSPL+Elastic License", "the Elastic License 2.0 or the Server"));
 
-        for (Map.Entry<String, String> additional : additionalLicenses.entrySet()) {
-            String category = additional.getKey().substring(0, 5);
-            String family = additional.getKey().substring(5);
-            matchers.add(subStringMatcher(category, family, additional.getValue()));
-        }
+        additionalLicenses.get().forEach(l ->
+            matchers.add(subStringMatcher(l.licenseFamilyCategory, l.licenseFamilyName, l.substringPattern))
+        );
 
         reportConfiguration.setHeaderMatcher(new HeaderMatcherMultiplexer(matchers.toArray(IHeaderMatcher[]::new)));
         reportConfiguration.setApprovedLicenseNames(approvedLicenses.stream().map(license -> {
@@ -190,7 +198,6 @@ private IHeaderMatcher subStringMatcher(String licenseFamilyCategory, String lic
         SubstringLicenseMatcher substringLicenseMatcher = new SubstringLicenseMatcher();
         substringLicenseMatcher.setLicenseFamilyCategory(licenseFamilyCategory);
         substringLicenseMatcher.setLicenseFamilyName(licenseFamilyName);
-
         SubstringLicenseMatcher.Pattern pattern = new SubstringLicenseMatcher.Pattern();
         pattern.setSubstring(substringPattern);
         substringLicenseMatcher.addConfiguredPattern(pattern);
@@ -249,4 +256,16 @@ private static List<Element> elementList(NodeList resourcesNodes) {
         }
         return nodeList;
     }
+
+    static class License implements Serializable {
+        private String licenseFamilyCategory;
+        private String licenseFamilyName;
+        private String substringPattern;
+
+        public License(String licenseFamilyCategory, String licenseFamilyName, String substringPattern) {
+            this.licenseFamilyCategory = licenseFamilyCategory;
+            this.licenseFamilyName = licenseFamilyName;
+            this.substringPattern = substringPattern;
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/precommit/LicenseHeadersPrecommitPluginFuncTest.groovy b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/precommit/LicenseHeadersPrecommitPluginFuncTest.groovy
index 0481d3315d010..67d2b96fb7b8f 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/precommit/LicenseHeadersPrecommitPluginFuncTest.groovy
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/precommit/LicenseHeadersPrecommitPluginFuncTest.groovy
@@ -59,6 +59,45 @@ class LicenseHeadersPrecommitPluginFuncTest extends AbstractGradleFuncTest {
         result.task(":licenseHeaders").outcome == TaskOutcome.SUCCESS
     }
 
+    def "supports sspl by convention"() {
+        given:
+        buildFile << """
+        plugins {
+            id 'java'
+            id 'elasticsearch.internal-licenseheaders'
+        }
+        """
+        dualLicensedFile()
+
+        when:
+        def result = gradleRunner("licenseHeaders").build()
+
+        then:
+        result.task(":licenseHeaders").outcome == TaskOutcome.SUCCESS
+    }
+
+    def "sspl default additional license can be overridden"() {
+        given:
+        buildFile << """
+        plugins {
+            id 'java'
+            id 'elasticsearch.internal-licenseheaders'
+        }
+
+        tasks.named("licenseHeaders").configure {
+            additionalLicense 'ELAST', 'Elastic License 2.0', '2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License'
+        }
+        """
+        elasticLicensed()
+        dualLicensedFile()
+
+        when:
+        def result = gradleRunner("licenseHeaders").buildAndFail()
+
+        then:
+        result.task(":licenseHeaders").outcome == TaskOutcome.FAILED
+    }
+
     private File unapprovedSourceFile(String filePath = "src/main/java/org/acme/UnapprovedLicensed.java") {
         File sourceFile = file(filePath);
         sourceFile << """
@@ -115,6 +154,21 @@ class LicenseHeadersPrecommitPluginFuncTest extends AbstractGradleFuncTest {
  """
     }
 
+    private File elasticLicensed() {
+        file("src/main/java/org/acme/ElasticLicensed.java") << """
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+ package org.acme;
+ public class ElasticLicensed {
+ }
+ """
+    }
+
     private String packageString(File sourceFile) {
         String normalizedPath = normalized(sourceFile.getPath())
         (normalizedPath.substring(normalizedPath.indexOf("src/main/java")) - "src/main/java/" - ("/" + sourceFile.getName())).replaceAll("/", ".")