diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/ElasticsearchJavaBasePlugin.java b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/ElasticsearchJavaBasePlugin.java
index 4a695e93ebdfe..e224b16bf588e 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/ElasticsearchJavaBasePlugin.java
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/ElasticsearchJavaBasePlugin.java
@@ -26,14 +26,26 @@
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.compile.CompileOptions;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.compile.GroovyCompile;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.compile.JavaCompile;
+import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaLanguageVersion;
+import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaToolchainService;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
+import javax.inject.Inject;
+
 /**
  * A wrapper around Gradle's Java Base plugin that applies our
  * common configuration for production code.
  */
 public class ElasticsearchJavaBasePlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
+
+    private final JavaToolchainService javaToolchains;
+
+    @Inject
+    ElasticsearchJavaBasePlugin(JavaToolchainService javaToolchains) {
+        this.javaToolchains = javaToolchains;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void apply(Project project) {
         // make sure the global build info plugin is applied to the root project
@@ -103,7 +115,7 @@ private static void disableTransitiveDependenciesForSourceSet(Project project, S
     /**
      * Adds compiler settings to the project
      */
-    public static void configureCompile(Project project) {
+    public void configureCompile(Project project) {
         project.getExtensions().getExtraProperties().set("compactProfile", "full");
         JavaPluginExtension java = project.getExtensions().getByType(JavaPluginExtension.class);
         if (BuildParams.getJavaToolChainSpec().isPresent()) {
@@ -112,6 +124,10 @@ public static void configureCompile(Project project) {
         java.setSourceCompatibility(BuildParams.getMinimumRuntimeVersion());
         java.setTargetCompatibility(BuildParams.getMinimumRuntimeVersion());
         project.getTasks().withType(JavaCompile.class).configureEach(compileTask -> {
+            compileTask.getJavaCompiler().set(javaToolchains.compilerFor(spec -> {
+                spec.getLanguageVersion().set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(BuildParams.getMinimumRuntimeVersion().getMajorVersion()));
+            }));
+
             CompileOptions compileOptions = compileTask.getOptions();
             /*
              * -path because gradle will send in paths that don't always exist.
diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/MrjarPlugin.java b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/MrjarPlugin.java
index 8b21826447b46..e7bc7e5b6507c 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/MrjarPlugin.java
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/MrjarPlugin.java
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.util.GradleUtils;
 import org.gradle.api.Plugin;
 import org.gradle.api.Project;
-import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaLibraryPlugin;
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPlugin;
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPluginExtension;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.SourceSet;
@@ -50,7 +49,7 @@ public class MrjarPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
 
     @Override
     public void apply(Project project) {
-        project.getPluginManager().apply(JavaLibraryPlugin.class);
+        project.getPluginManager().apply(ElasticsearchJavaBasePlugin.class);
         var javaExtension = project.getExtensions().getByType(JavaPluginExtension.class);
 
         var srcDir = project.getProjectDir().toPath().resolve("src");