diff --git a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodProjectManager.kt b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodProjectManager.kt
index bff55823fdbc3f..e0c2eccf2a5a20 100644
--- a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodProjectManager.kt
+++ b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodProjectManager.kt
@@ -12,15 +12,19 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.project.ModuleListener
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project
 import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.ProjectJdkTable
 import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.Sdk
+import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.SdkType
+import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.impl.JavaHomeFinder
+import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.impl.SdkConfigurationUtil
 import com.intellij.openapi.roots.ModuleRootModificationUtil
 import com.intellij.openapi.roots.ProjectRootManager
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.registry.Registry
 import com.intellij.util.application
 import kotlinx.coroutines.GlobalScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.future.await
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture
 
-
+@Suppress("UnstableApiUsage", "OPT_IN_USAGE")
 class GitpodProjectManager(
         private val project: Project
 ) {
@@ -33,15 +37,25 @@ class GitpodProjectManager(
      * It is a workaround for https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/GTW-88
      */
     private fun configureSdks() {
-        if (application.isHeadlessEnvironment) {
+        if (application.isHeadlessEnvironment || Registry.get("gitpod.autoJdk.disabled").asBoolean()) {
             return
         }
         val pendingSdk = CompletableFuture<Sdk>()
         application.invokeLaterOnWriteThread {
             application.runWriteAction {
                 try {
-                    ProjectJdkTable.getInstance().preconfigure()
-                    pendingSdk.complete(ProjectJdkTable.getInstance().allJdks.firstOrNull())
+                    val jdkTable = ProjectJdkTable.getInstance()
+                    jdkTable.preconfigure()
+                    val preferredJdkHomePath = JavaHomeFinder.getFinder().findExistingJdks().firstOrNull()
+                    if (preferredJdkHomePath != null) {
+                        val sdk = SdkConfigurationUtil.createAndAddSDK(
+                                preferredJdkHomePath,
+                                SdkType.findByName(jdkTable.defaultSdkType.name)!!
+                        )
+                        pendingSdk.complete(sdk)
+                    } else {
+                        pendingSdk.complete(jdkTable.allJdks.firstOrNull())
+                    }
                 } catch (t: Throwable) {
                     pendingSdk.completeExceptionally(t)
                 }
@@ -49,7 +63,7 @@ class GitpodProjectManager(
         }
         GlobalScope.launch {
             val sdk = pendingSdk.await() ?: return@launch
-            thisLogger().warn("gitpod: '${project.name}' project: SDK detected: $sdk")
+            thisLogger().warn("gitpod: '${project.name}' project: preferred SDK detected: $sdk")
             project.messageBus.connect().subscribe(ProjectTopics.MODULES, object : ModuleListener {
                 override fun moduleAdded(project: Project, module: Module) {
                     configureSdk(sdk)
@@ -65,7 +79,6 @@ class GitpodProjectManager(
                 val projectRootManager = ProjectRootManager.getInstance(project)
                 if (projectRootManager.projectSdk == null) {
                     projectRootManager.projectSdk = sdk
-                    thisLogger().warn("gitpod: '${project.name}' project: SDK was auto preconfigured: $sdk")
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -73,9 +86,8 @@ class GitpodProjectManager(
             ModuleRootModificationUtil.updateModel(module) { m ->
                 if (m.sdk == null) {
                     m.sdk = sdk
-                    thisLogger().warn("gitpod: '${module.name}' module: SDK was auto preconfigured: $sdk")
                 }
             }
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/resources/META-INF/plugin.xml b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/resources/META-INF/plugin.xml
index 4b521062dfb338..89315499d0c00c 100644
--- a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/resources/META-INF/plugin.xml
+++ b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/resources/META-INF/plugin.xml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
         <gateway.customization.name implementation="io.gitpod.jetbrains.remote.GitpodGatewayClientCustomizationProvider"/>
         <gateway.customization.performance id="gitpodMetricsControl" order="before cpuControl" implementation="io.gitpod.jetbrains.remote.GitpodMetricControlProvider"/>
         <gateway.customization.metrics id="gitpodMetricsProvider" implementation="io.gitpod.jetbrains.remote.GitpodMetricProvider" />
+        <registryKey key="gitpod.autoJdk.disabled" defaultValue="false" description="Disable auto-detection of JDK for the project and its modules" restartRequired="true"/>
     </extensions>
 
 </idea-plugin>