diff --git a/ultimate/ultimate-runner/build.gradle.kts b/ultimate/ultimate-runner/build.gradle.kts
index 7c770608702..0336eabc159 100644
--- a/ultimate/ultimate-runner/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/ultimate/ultimate-runner/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
+import org.jetbrains.intellij.IntelliJPluginExtension
+import org.jetbrains.intellij.tasks.PrepareSandboxTask
+import org.jetbrains.intellij.tasks.RunIdeTask
+
 apply { plugin("kotlin") }
 
-dependencies {
+configureIntellijPlugin {
+    version = (rootProject.extra["versions.intellij"] as String).replaceFirst("IC-", "IU-")
+}
 
-    compile(ideaUltimateSdkDeps("*.jar"))
+dependencies {
     compileOnly(project(":idea"))
     compileOnly(project(":idea:idea-maven"))
     compileOnly(project(":idea:idea-gradle"))
@@ -11,38 +17,51 @@ dependencies {
     runtimeOnly(files(toolsJar()))
 }
 
+afterEvaluate {
+    dependencies {
+        compileOnly(intellij())
+    }
+}
 
-val runUltimate by task<JavaExec> {
-    dependsOn(":dist", ":prepare:idea-plugin:idea-plugin", ":ideaPlugin", ":ultimate:idea-ultimate-plugin")
-
-    classpath = the<JavaPluginConvention>().sourceSets["main"].runtimeClasspath
-
-    main = "com.intellij.idea.Main"
-
-    workingDir = File(projectDir.parentFile, "ideaSDK", "bin")
-
+afterEvaluate {
     val ideaUltimatePluginDir: File by rootProject.extra
+    val ideaUltimateSandboxDir: File by rootProject.extra
 
-    jvmArgs(
-            "-Xmx1250m",
-            "-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize=240m",
-            "-XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError",
-            "-ea",
-            "-Didea.is.internal=true",
-            "-Didea.debug.mode=true",
-            "-Didea.system.path=../system-idea",
-            "-Didea.config.path=../config-idea",
-            "-Dapple.laf.useScreenMenuBar=true",
-            "-Dapple.awt.graphics.UseQuartz=true",
-            "-Dsun.io.useCanonCaches=false",
-            "-Dplugin.path=${ideaUltimatePluginDir.absolutePath}",
-            "-Dkotlin.internal.mode.enabled=true",
-            "-Didea.additional.classpath=../idea-kotlin-runtime/kotlin-runtime.jar,../idea-kotlin-runtime/kotlin-reflect.jar"
-    )
+    tasks.findByName("runIde")?.let { tasks.remove(it) }
+    tasks.findByName("prepareSandbox")?.let { tasks.remove(it) }
 
-    if (project.hasProperty("noPCE")) {
-        jvmArgs("-Didea.ProcessCanceledException=disabled")
+    val prepareSandbox by task<PrepareSandboxTask> {
+        configDirectory = File(ideaUltimateSandboxDir, "config")
+        // the rest are just some "fake" values, to keeping PrepareSandboxTask happy
+        setPluginName("Kotlin")
+        dependsOn(":dist", ":prepare:idea-plugin:idea-plugin", ":ideaPlugin", ":ultimate:idea-ultimate-plugin")
+        setPluginJar(File(ideaUltimatePluginDir, "lib/kotlin-script-runtime.jar")) // any small jar will do
+        destinationDir = File(buildDir, "sandbox-fake")
     }
 
-    args()
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+    task<RunIdeTask>("runUltimate") {
+        dependsOn(":dist", ":prepare:idea-plugin:idea-plugin", ":ideaPlugin", ":ultimate:idea-ultimate-plugin")
+        dependsOn(prepareSandbox)
+        group = "intellij"
+        description = "Runs Intellij IDEA Ultimate with installed plugin."
+        setIdeaDirectory(the<IntelliJPluginExtension>().ideaDependency.classes)
+        setConfigDirectory(File(ideaUltimateSandboxDir, "config"))
+        setSystemDirectory(ideaUltimateSandboxDir)
+        setPluginsDirectory(ideaUltimatePluginDir.parent)
+        jvmArgs(
+                "-Xmx1250m",
+                "-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize=240m",
+                "-XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError",
+                "-ea",
+                "-Didea.is.internal=true",
+                "-Didea.debug.mode=true",
+                "-Dapple.laf.useScreenMenuBar=true",
+                "-Dapple.awt.graphics.UseQuartz=true",
+                "-Dsun.io.useCanonCaches=false",
+                "-Dkotlin.internal.mode.enabled=true"
+        )
+        if (project.hasProperty("noPCE")) {
+            jvmArgs("-Didea.ProcessCanceledException=disabled")
+        }
+    }
+}