diff --git a/core/main.mk b/core/main.mk
index b628c8f..7791c3e 100644
--- a/core/main.mk
+++ b/core/main.mk
@@ -139,11 +139,19 @@
 java_version_str := $(shell unset _JAVA_OPTIONS && java -version 2>&1)
 javac_version_str := $(shell unset _JAVA_OPTIONS && javac -version 2>&1)
 
-# Check for the correct version of java.
+# Check for the correct version of java, should be 1.7 by
+# default, and 1.8 if EXPERIMENTAL_USE_JAVA8 is set
+ifneq ($(EXPERIMENTAL_USE_JAVA8),)
+required_version := "1.8.x"
+required_javac_version := "1.8"
+java_version := $(shell echo '$(java_version_str)' | grep 'openjdk .*[ "]1\.8[\. "$$]')
+javac_version := $(shell echo '$(javac_version_str)' | grep '[ "]1\.8[\. "$$]')
+else # default
 required_version := "1.7.x"
 required_javac_version := "1.7"
 java_version := $(shell echo '$(java_version_str)' | grep '^java .*[ "]1\.7[\. "$$]')
 javac_version := $(shell echo '$(javac_version_str)' | grep '[ "]1\.7[\. "$$]')
+endif # if EXPERIMENTAL_USE_JAVA8
 
 ifeq ($(strip $(java_version)),)
 $(info ************************************************************)