diff --git a/Documentation/dev-bazel.txt b/Documentation/dev-bazel.txt
index 1a4a75d28623..158e528e99ab 100644
--- a/Documentation/dev-bazel.txt
+++ b/Documentation/dev-bazel.txt
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ provide the path to JDK home:
   $ bazel build \
     --define=ABSOLUTE_JAVABASE=<path-to-java-12> \
     --host_javabase=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:absolute_javabase \
-    --host_java_toolchain=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:toolchain_vanilla \
-    --java_toolchain=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:toolchain_vanilla \
+    --host_java_toolchain=//tools:toolchain_vanilla \
+    --java_toolchain=//tools:toolchain_vanilla \
     :release
 ```
 
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ bazel test runs the test using the target javabase:
     --define=ABSOLUTE_JAVABASE=<path-to-java-12> \
     --javabase=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:absolute_javabase \
     --host_javabase=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:absolute_javabase \
-    --host_java_toolchain=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:toolchain_vanilla \
-    --java_toolchain=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:toolchain_vanilla \
+    --host_java_toolchain=//tools:toolchain_vanilla \
+    --java_toolchain=//tools:toolchain_vanilla \
     //...
 ```
 
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ $ cat << EOF > ~/.bazelrc
 > build --define=ABSOLUTE_JAVABASE=<path-to-java-12>
 > build --javabase=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:absolute_javabase
 > build --host_javabase=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:absolute_javabase
-> build --host_java_toolchain=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:toolchain_vanilla
-> build --java_toolchain=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:toolchain_vanilla
+> build --host_java_toolchain=//tools:toolchain_vanilla
+> build --java_toolchain=//tools:toolchain_vanilla
 > EOF
 ```
 
diff --git a/tools/BUILD b/tools/BUILD
index 5531c3ef7809..208a7fcbc0bd 100644
--- a/tools/BUILD
+++ b/tools/BUILD
@@ -15,6 +15,19 @@ py_binary(
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
+# TODO(davido): Remove this workaround and switch to using toolchain_vanilla
+# from this Bazel package again: @bazel_tools//tools/jdk:toolchain_vanilla,
+# when this issue is fixed: https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/9415.
+default_java_toolchain(
+    name = "toolchain_vanilla",
+    forcibly_disable_header_compilation = True,
+    javabuilder = ["@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:vanillajavabuilder"],
+    jvm_opts = [],
+    source_version = "",
+    target_version = "",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
+
 default_java_toolchain(
     name = "error_prone_warnings_toolchain",
     bootclasspath = ["@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:platformclasspath.jar"],