diff --git a/.github/workflows/smoke-affected.yml b/.github/workflows/smoke-affected.yml
index 1bc0aaac9..8c75695c5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/smoke-affected.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/smoke-affected.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ jobs:
         # os: [ubuntu-latest, macOS-latest, windows-latest]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
         node_version: ['18']
-        java: ['17']
+        java: ['21']
     runs-on: ${{matrix.os}}
     env:
       NX_RUN_GROUP: ${{ github.run_id }}-v${{matrix.java}}
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ jobs:
 
       - run: npm run nx run-many -- --target=smoke-affected
         env:
-          NX_MAVEN_CLI_OPTS: '--no-transfer-progress'
+          NX_MAVEN_CLI_OPTS: '--no-transfer-progress -Dmaven.plugin.validation=VERBOSE'
diff --git a/testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-boot-gradle.spec.ts b/testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-gradle.spec.ts
similarity index 97%
rename from testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-boot-gradle.spec.ts
rename to testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-gradle.spec.ts
index 45aa4974d..c8692d003 100644
--- a/testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-boot-gradle.spec.ts
+++ b/testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-gradle.spec.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe('@jnxplus/nx-gradle spring-boot smoke', () => {
     execSync('npm i --save-dev @jnxplus/nx-gradle', execSyncOptions());
 
     execSync(
-      'npx nx generate @jnxplus/nx-gradle:init --preset spring-boot',
+      'npx nx generate @jnxplus/nx-gradle:init --javaVersion 21 --preset spring-boot',
       execSyncOptions(),
     );
 
diff --git a/testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-boot-maven.spec.ts b/testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-maven.spec.ts
similarity index 97%
rename from testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-boot-maven.spec.ts
rename to testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-maven.spec.ts
index 57dcf633a..3ba381e70 100644
--- a/testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-boot-maven.spec.ts
+++ b/testing-projects/jnxplus-smoke-affected/tests/nx-maven.spec.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe('@jnxplus/nx-maven spring-boot smoke', () => {
     execSync('npm i --save-dev @jnxplus/nx-maven', execSyncOptions());
 
     execSync(
-      'npx nx generate @jnxplus/nx-maven:init --dependencyManagement spring-boot-parent-pom',
+      'npx nx generate @jnxplus/nx-maven:init --javaVersion 21 --dependencyManagement spring-boot-parent-pom',
       execSyncOptions(),
     );