diff --git a/poi-examples/build.gradle b/poi-examples/build.gradle
index 43d79bf494..ed6ae97c92 100644
--- a/poi-examples/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-examples/build.gradle
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ final List MODULE_COMPILE_PATH = sourceSets.main.compileClasspath.findAll{ it.pa
 
 task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileJava', ':poi-ooxml:jar', ':poi-scratchpad:jar'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
diff --git a/poi-excelant/build.gradle b/poi-excelant/build.gradle
index f54dbab7bb..d61d41267b 100644
--- a/poi-excelant/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-excelant/build.gradle
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ final String OOXML_LITE_INCLUDES = "^(com/microsoft/schemas|org/(etsi|openxmlfor
 
 task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileJava', ':poi-ooxml:jar', ':poi-scratchpad:jar'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@ task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
 
 task compileTest9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileTestJava', ':poi-ooxml:jar', ':poi-scratchpad:jar'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
@@ -140,7 +138,6 @@ artifacts {
 
 test {
     dependsOn { testJar }
-    onlyIf { jdkVersion > 8 } // unfortunately, Java 8 builds on https://ci-builds.apache.org/ are hanging
 
     doFirst {
         jvmArgs += [
diff --git a/poi-integration/build.gradle b/poi-integration/build.gradle
index cf81d90f47..49cbc94b45 100644
--- a/poi-integration/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-integration/build.gradle
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ final String OOXML_LITE_INCLUDES = "^(com/microsoft/schemas|org/(etsi|openxmlfor
 
 task compileTest9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileTestJava', ':poi-ooxml:testJar', ':poi-scratchpad:testJar', ':poi-examples:jar'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
diff --git a/poi-ooxml-full/build.gradle b/poi-ooxml-full/build.gradle
index 46d69591ea..430153689d 100644
--- a/poi-ooxml-full/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-ooxml-full/build.gradle
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ compileJava {
 
 task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileJava'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
diff --git a/poi-ooxml-lite-agent/build.gradle b/poi-ooxml-lite-agent/build.gradle
index 3d4ff54c94..00f9b4f514 100644
--- a/poi-ooxml-lite-agent/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-ooxml-lite-agent/build.gradle
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ java {
 
 task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileJava'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
diff --git a/poi-ooxml-lite/build.gradle b/poi-ooxml-lite/build.gradle
index 2073737342..e9e046f2c5 100644
--- a/poi-ooxml-lite/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-ooxml-lite/build.gradle
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ processResources.dependsOn 'compileOoxmlLite'
 sourcesJar.dependsOn 'compileOoxmlLite'
 
 task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile, dependsOn: 'compileJava') {
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
     }
diff --git a/poi-ooxml/build.gradle b/poi-ooxml/build.gradle
index 14c024cbf4..bb54b14bbb 100644
--- a/poi-ooxml/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-ooxml/build.gradle
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@ compileJava {
 
 task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileJava', ':poi:jar'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
@@ -170,7 +169,6 @@ task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
 
 task compileTest9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileTestJava', ':poi:testJar'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
@@ -266,8 +264,6 @@ artifacts {
 }
 
 test {
-    onlyIf { jdkVersion > 8 } // unfortunately, Java 8 builds on https://ci-builds.apache.org/ are hanging
-
     // for some reason catching the OOM does not work when run from Gradle
     exclude '**/MemoryUsage.class'
 
diff --git a/poi-scratchpad/build.gradle b/poi-scratchpad/build.gradle
index 027aa88051..7f08037587 100644
--- a/poi-scratchpad/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-scratchpad/build.gradle
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ final List TEST_MODULE_PATH = sourceSets.test.runtimeClasspath.findAll{ it.path
 
 task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileJava', ':poi:jar'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
@@ -73,7 +72,6 @@ task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
 
 task compileTest9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileTestJava', ':poi:jar'
-    onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
     javaCompiler = javaToolchains.compilerFor {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(Math.max(11, jdkVersion))
diff --git a/poi/build.gradle b/poi/build.gradle
index 211ac58ddd..bf54b17b0a 100644
--- a/poi/build.gradle
+++ b/poi/build.gradle
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ task compileJava9(type: JavaCompile) {
         '--module-path', sourceSets.main.compileClasspath.asPath
     ]
 }
-compileJava9.onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
 task compileTest9(type: JavaCompile) {
     dependsOn 'compileTestJava'
@@ -115,7 +114,6 @@ task compileTest9(type: JavaCompile) {
     ]
     classpath = files()
 }
-compileTest9.onlyIf {jdkVersion > 8}
 
 jar {
     dependsOn compileJava9