diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index aacd11a1b9457..deaffdfdafacf 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ tasks.register("verifyVersions") {
  * after the backport of the backcompat code is complete.
  */
 
-boolean bwc_tests_enabled = false
+boolean bwc_tests_enabled = true
 // place a PR link here when committing bwc changes:
-String bwc_tests_disabled_issue = "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/79003"
+String bwc_tests_disabled_issue = ""
 /*
  * FIPS 140-2 behavior was fixed in 7.11.0. Before that there is no way to run elasticsearch in a
  * JVM that is properly configured to be in fips mode with BCFIPS. For now we need to disable
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/transform/transforms/TransformConfig.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/transform/transforms/TransformConfig.java
index e5a47b1e697d6..60068cc50ea12 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/transform/transforms/TransformConfig.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/transform/transforms/TransformConfig.java
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ public TransformConfig(final StreamInput in) throws IOException {
         } else {
             settings = new SettingsConfig();
         }
-        if (in.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_8_0_0)) {
+        if (in.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_16_0)) {
             metadata = in.readMap();
         } else {
             metadata = null;
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ public void writeTo(final StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
         if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_8_0)) {
             settings.writeTo(out);
         }
-        if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_8_0_0)) {
+        if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_16_0)) {
             out.writeMap(metadata);
         }
         if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_12_0)) {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/transform/transforms/TransformConfigUpdate.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/transform/transforms/TransformConfigUpdate.java
index bce4cf7207ba0..cb221e15b0fa6 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/transform/transforms/TransformConfigUpdate.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/transform/transforms/TransformConfigUpdate.java
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ public TransformConfigUpdate(final StreamInput in) throws IOException {
         } else {
             settings = null;
         }
-        if (in.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_8_0_0)) {
+        if (in.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_16_0)) {
             metadata = in.readMap();
         } else {
             metadata = null;
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ public void writeTo(final StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
         if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_8_0)) {
             out.writeOptionalWriteable(settings);
         }
-        if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_8_0_0)) {
+        if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_16_0)) {
             out.writeMap(metadata);
         }
         if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_12_0)) {