diff --git a/qa/sql/build.gradle b/qa/sql/build.gradle
index 9f2db43f433..fdd1f86a148 100644
--- a/qa/sql/build.gradle
+++ b/qa/sql/build.gradle
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ subprojects {
     testRuntime("net.sourceforge.csvjdbc:csvjdbc:1.0.34") {
       transitive = false
     }
-    testRuntime("com.h2database:h2:1.4.194") {
+    testRuntime("com.h2database:h2:1.4.197") {
       transitive = false
     }
 
diff --git a/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/jdbc/JdbcAssert.java b/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/jdbc/JdbcAssert.java
index 3cfed3752e0..801f40639fa 100644
--- a/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/jdbc/JdbcAssert.java
+++ b/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/jdbc/JdbcAssert.java
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ public class JdbcAssert {
                     }
                     // then timestamp
                     else if (type == Types.TIMESTAMP || type == Types.TIMESTAMP_WITH_TIMEZONE) {
-                        assertEquals(msg, getTime(expected, column), getTime(actual, column));
+                        assertEquals(msg, expected.getTimestamp(column), actual.getTimestamp(column));
                     }
                     // and floats/doubles
                     else if (type == Types.DOUBLE) {
@@ -161,7 +161,4 @@ public class JdbcAssert {
         }
     }
 
-    private static Object getTime(ResultSet rs, int column) throws SQLException {
-        return rs.getTime(column, UTC_CALENDAR).getTime();
-    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/jdbc/LocalH2.java b/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/jdbc/LocalH2.java
index 796682976e7..89637c0d6eb 100644
--- a/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/jdbc/LocalH2.java
+++ b/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/jdbc/LocalH2.java
@@ -8,14 +8,11 @@ package org.elasticsearch.xpack.qa.sql.jdbc;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.CheckedSupplier;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.Loggers;
-import org.elasticsearch.xpack.sql.client.shared.SuppressForbidden;
 import org.junit.rules.ExternalResource;
 
 import java.sql.Connection;
 import java.sql.DriverManager;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
-import java.util.Calendar;
-import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
 public class LocalH2 extends ExternalResource implements CheckedSupplier<Connection, SQLException> {
@@ -43,7 +40,6 @@ public class LocalH2 extends ExternalResource implements CheckedSupplier<Connect
     private final String url;
     // H2 in-memory will keep the db alive as long as this connection is opened
     private Connection keepAlive;
-    Locale locale;
 
     /*
      * The syntax on the connection string is fairly particular:
@@ -61,14 +57,7 @@ public class LocalH2 extends ExternalResource implements CheckedSupplier<Connect
     }
 
     @Override
-    @SuppressForbidden(reason = "H2 gets really confused with non Gregorian calendars")
     protected void before() throws Throwable {
-        if ("japanese".equals(Calendar.getInstance().getCalendarType())) {
-            logger.info("Japanese calendar is detected. Overriding locale.");
-            locale = Locale.getDefault();
-            Locale.setDefault(locale.stripExtensions()); // removes the calendar setting
-            assert "gregory".equals(Calendar.getInstance().getCalendarType());
-        }
         keepAlive = get();
         keepAlive.createStatement().execute("RUNSCRIPT FROM 'classpath:/setup_test_emp.sql'");
     }
@@ -80,11 +69,6 @@ public class LocalH2 extends ExternalResource implements CheckedSupplier<Connect
         } catch (SQLException ex) {
             // close
         }
-        if (locale != null) {
-            logger.info("Restoring locale.");
-            Locale.setDefault(locale);
-            locale = null;
-        }
     }
 
     @Override