diff --git a/runtime/gc_glue_java/configure_includes/configure_common.mk.ftl b/runtime/gc_glue_java/configure_includes/configure_common.mk.ftl
index a7db6319d73..0eb5417b853 100644
--- a/runtime/gc_glue_java/configure_includes/configure_common.mk.ftl
+++ b/runtime/gc_glue_java/configure_includes/configure_common.mk.ftl
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ CONFIGURE_ARGS += 'exe_output_dir=$$(top_srcdir)/..'
 # J9 needs include to compile Windows .rc files generated by UMA, because the .rc file references include/j9cfg.h
 CONFIGURE_ARGS += 'GLOBAL_INCLUDES=$$(top_srcdir)/../include'
 
+# OMR source files include j9cfg.h and so compiles must define JAVA_SPEC_VERSION.
+CONFIGURE_ARGS += 'GLOBAL_CFLAGS=-DJAVA_SPEC_VERSION=$(VERSION_MAJOR)'
+CONFIGURE_ARGS += 'GLOBAL_CPPFLAGS=-DJAVA_SPEC_VERSION=$(VERSION_MAJOR)'
+CONFIGURE_ARGS += 'GLOBAL_CXXFLAGS=-DJAVA_SPEC_VERSION=$(VERSION_MAJOR)'
+
 # This flag indicates that the J9 VMFarm build runs configure on a machine
 # that is not capable of compiling the source code.
 ifeq (yes,$(CALLED_BY_SOURCE_ZIP))