diff --git a/maestro-cli/build.gradle.kts b/maestro-cli/build.gradle.kts
index dbad198dc9..9a08005d65 100644
--- a/maestro-cli/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/maestro-cli/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import org.jreleaser.model.Active.ALWAYS
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompilationTask
 import org.jreleaser.model.Stereotype
 import java.util.Properties
 
@@ -65,6 +66,12 @@ java {
     targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
 }
 
+tasks.named("compileKotlin", KotlinCompilationTask::class.java) {
+    compilerOptions {
+        freeCompilerArgs.addAll("-Xjdk-release=1.8")
+    }
+}
+
 tasks.create("createProperties") {
     dependsOn("processResources")
 
diff --git a/maestro-utils/build.gradle b/maestro-utils/build.gradle
index d658e1bb8e..6edc60071b 100644
--- a/maestro-utils/build.gradle
+++ b/maestro-utils/build.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompilationTask
+
 plugins {
     id("maven-publish")
     alias(libs.plugins.kotlin.jvm)
@@ -17,6 +19,12 @@ java {
     targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
 }
 
+tasks.named("compileKotlin", KotlinCompilationTask) {
+    compilerOptions {
+        freeCompilerArgs.addAll("-Xjdk-release=1.8")
+    }
+}
+
 plugins.withId("com.vanniktech.maven.publish") {
     mavenPublish {
         sonatypeHost = "S01"