diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/java/DefaultJavaToolChain.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/java/DefaultJavaToolChain.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a84847cb2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/java/DefaultJavaToolChain.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package org.apache.maven.toolchain.java;
+
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+import org.apache.maven.toolchain.model.ToolchainModel;
+import org.codehaus.plexus.logging.Logger;
+
+/**
+ * Provides backwards compatibility with Maven 3.2.3 and earlier. Clients that do not require compatibility with Maven
+ * 3.2.3 and earlier are encouraged to use {@link JavaToolchainImpl}.
+ * 
+ * @deprecated clients that do not require compatibility with Maven 3.2.3 and earlier should link to
+ *             {@link JavaToolchainImpl} instead.
+ */
+public class DefaultJavaToolChain
+    extends JavaToolchainImpl
+{
+    public static final String KEY_JAVAHOME = JavaToolchainImpl.KEY_JAVAHOME;
+
+    public DefaultJavaToolChain( ToolchainModel model, Logger logger )
+    {
+        super( model, logger );
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String getJavaHome()
+    {
+        return super.getJavaHome();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void setJavaHome( String javaHome )
+    {
+        super.setJavaHome( javaHome );
+    }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/java/JavaToolchainFactory.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/java/JavaToolchainFactory.java
index 017caa61a7..cd4aef01e1 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/java/JavaToolchainFactory.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/toolchain/java/JavaToolchainFactory.java
@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ public class JavaToolchainFactory
             return null;
         }
 
-        JavaToolchainImpl jtc = new JavaToolchainImpl( model, logger );
+        // use DefaultJavaToolChain for compatibility with maven 3.2.3 and earlier
+
+        @SuppressWarnings( "deprecation" )
+        JavaToolchainImpl jtc = new DefaultJavaToolChain( model, logger );
 
         // populate the provides section
         Properties provides = model.getProvides();