diff --git a/.github/template-cleanup/gradle.properties b/.github/template-cleanup/gradle.properties
index 6f75d2f..a22b18c 100644
--- a/.github/template-cleanup/gradle.properties
+++ b/.github/template-cleanup/gradle.properties
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # -> https://plugins.jetbrains.com/docs/intellij/intellij-artifacts.html
 
 pluginGroup = %GROUP%
-pluginName_ = %NAME%
+pluginName = %NAME%
 pluginVersion = 0.0.1
 pluginSinceBuild = 202
 pluginUntilBuild = 203.*
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index bc788dc..e98c5be 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           PROPERTIES="$(./gradlew properties --console=plain -q)"
           VERSION="$(echo "$PROPERTIES" | grep "^version:" | cut -f2- -d ' ')"
-          NAME="$(echo "$PROPERTIES" | grep "^pluginName_:" | cut -f2- -d ' ')"
+          NAME="$(echo "$PROPERTIES" | grep "^pluginName:" | cut -f2- -d ' ')"
           CHANGELOG="$(./gradlew getChangelog --unreleased --no-header --console=plain -q)"
           CHANGELOG="${CHANGELOG//'%'/'%25'}"
           CHANGELOG="${CHANGELOG//$'\n'/'%0A'}"
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 75bcf08..b9012d4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 # IntelliJ Platform Plugin Template Changelog
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Added
+- `properties` shorthand function for accessing `gradle.properties` in a cleaner way
+
 ## [0.8.3]
 ### Changed
 - Dependencies - upgrade `org.jetbrains.intellij` to `0.7.2`
diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index e3799fe..d9195d5 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import org.jetbrains.changelog.closure
 import org.jetbrains.changelog.markdownToHTML
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile
 
+fun properties(key: String) = project.findProperty(key).toString()
+
 plugins {
     // Java support
     id("java")
@@ -18,23 +20,8 @@ plugins {
     id("org.jlleitschuh.gradle.ktlint") version "10.0.0"
 }
 
-// Import variables from gradle.properties file
-val pluginGroup: String by project
-// `pluginName_` variable ends with `_` because of the collision with Kotlin magic getter in the `intellij` closure.
-// Read more about the issue: https://github.com/JetBrains/intellij-platform-plugin-template/issues/29
-val pluginName_: String by project
-val pluginVersion: String by project
-val pluginSinceBuild: String by project
-val pluginUntilBuild: String by project
-val pluginVerifierIdeVersions: String by project
-
-val platformType: String by project
-val platformVersion: String by project
-val platformPlugins: String by project
-val platformDownloadSources: String by project
-
-group = pluginGroup
-version = pluginVersion
+group = properties("pluginGroup")
+version = properties("projectVersion")
 
 // Configure project's dependencies
 repositories {
@@ -48,20 +35,20 @@ dependencies {
 // Configure gradle-intellij-plugin plugin.
 // Read more: https://github.com/JetBrains/gradle-intellij-plugin
 intellij {
-    pluginName = pluginName_
-    version = platformVersion
-    type = platformType
-    downloadSources = platformDownloadSources.toBoolean()
+    pluginName = properties("pluginName")
+    version = properties("platformVersion")
+    type = properties("platformType")
+    downloadSources = properties("platformDownloadSources").toBoolean()
     updateSinceUntilBuild = true
 
     // Plugin Dependencies. Uses `platformPlugins` property from the gradle.properties file.
-    setPlugins(*platformPlugins.split(',').map(String::trim).filter(String::isNotEmpty).toTypedArray())
+    setPlugins(*properties("platformPlugins").split(',').map(String::trim).filter(String::isNotEmpty).toTypedArray())
 }
 
 // Configure gradle-changelog-plugin plugin.
 // Read more: https://github.com/JetBrains/gradle-changelog-plugin
 changelog {
-    version = pluginVersion
+    version = properties("pluginVersion")
     groups = emptyList()
 }
 
@@ -93,9 +80,9 @@ tasks {
     }
 
     patchPluginXml {
-        version(pluginVersion)
-        sinceBuild(pluginSinceBuild)
-        untilBuild(pluginUntilBuild)
+        version(properties("pluginVersion"))
+        sinceBuild(properties("pluginSinceBuild"))
+        untilBuild(properties("pluginUntilBuild"))
 
         // Extract the <!-- Plugin description --> section from README.md and provide for the plugin's manifest
         pluginDescription(
@@ -121,7 +108,7 @@ tasks {
     }
 
     runPluginVerifier {
-        ideVersions(pluginVerifierIdeVersions)
+        ideVersions(properties("pluginVerifierIdeVersions"))
     }
 
     publishPlugin {
@@ -130,6 +117,6 @@ tasks {
         // pluginVersion is based on the SemVer (https://semver.org) and supports pre-release labels, like 2.1.7-alpha.3
         // Specify pre-release label to publish the plugin in a custom Release Channel automatically. Read more:
         // https://plugins.jetbrains.com/docs/intellij/deployment.html#specifying-a-release-channel
-        channels(pluginVersion.split('-').getOrElse(1) { "default" }.split('.').first())
+        channels(properties("pluginVersion").split('-').getOrElse(1) { "default" }.split('.').first())
     }
 }
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index a90959e..832e312 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # -> https://plugins.jetbrains.com/docs/intellij/intellij-artifacts.html
 
 pluginGroup = org.jetbrains.plugins.template
-pluginName_ = IntelliJ Platform Plugin Template
+pluginName = IntelliJ Platform Plugin Template
 pluginVersion = 0.8.3
 pluginSinceBuild = 202
 pluginUntilBuild = 203.*