diff --git a/client-sniffer/build.gradle b/client-sniffer/build.gradle
index a29f07f1c42..af46a5a452c 100644
--- a/client-sniffer/build.gradle
+++ b/client-sniffer/build.gradle
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ compileTestJava.options.compilerArgs << '-target' << '1.7' << '-source' << '1.7'
 forbiddenApisMain {
   //client does not depend on core, so only jdk signatures should be checked
   signaturesURLs = [PrecommitTasks.getResource('/forbidden/jdk-signatures.txt')]
+  targetCompatibility = 1.7
 }
 
 forbiddenApisTest {
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ forbiddenApisTest {
   bundledSignatures += 'jdk-internal'
   //client does not depend on core, so only jdk signatures should be checked
   signaturesURLs = [PrecommitTasks.getResource('/forbidden/jdk-signatures.txt')]
+  targetCompatibility = 1.7
 }
 
 //JarHell is part of es core, which we don't want to pull in
diff --git a/client/build.gradle b/client/build.gradle
index 7a685fabfaf..c9c619f80ea 100644
--- a/client/build.gradle
+++ b/client/build.gradle
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ compileTestJava.options.compilerArgs << '-target' << '1.7' << '-source' << '1.7'
 forbiddenApisMain {
   //client does not depend on core, so only jdk signatures should be checked
   signaturesURLs = [PrecommitTasks.getResource('/forbidden/jdk-signatures.txt')]
+  targetCompatibility = 1.7
 }
 
 forbiddenApisTest {
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ forbiddenApisTest {
   bundledSignatures += 'jdk-internal'
   //client does not depend on core, so only jdk signatures should be checked
   signaturesURLs = [PrecommitTasks.getResource('/forbidden/jdk-signatures.txt')]
+  targetCompatibility = 1.7
 }
 
 //JarHell is part of es core, which we don't want to pull in