diff --git a/qa/backwards-5.0/build.gradle b/qa/backwards-5.0/build.gradle
index bb5d69d32bb..797e1109ae7 100644
--- a/qa/backwards-5.0/build.gradle
+++ b/qa/backwards-5.0/build.gradle
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ integTest {
   cluster {
     numNodes = 2
     numBwcNodes = 1
-    bwcVersion = "5.1.0-SNAPSHOT"
+    bwcVersion = "6.0.0-alpha1-SNAPSHOT"
     setting 'logger.org.elasticsearch', 'DEBUG'
   }
 }
diff --git a/qa/rolling-upgrade/build.gradle b/qa/rolling-upgrade/build.gradle
index d88ef4b74e4..d631e17155d 100644
--- a/qa/rolling-upgrade/build.gradle
+++ b/qa/rolling-upgrade/build.gradle
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ task oldClusterTest(type: RestIntegTestTask) {
   mustRunAfter(precommit)
   cluster {
     distribution = 'zip'
-    bwcVersion = '5.1.0-SNAPSHOT' // TODO: either randomize, or make this settable with sysprop
+    bwcVersion = '6.0.0-alpha1-SNAPSHOT' // TODO: either randomize, or make this settable with sysprop
     numBwcNodes = 1
     numNodes = 2
     clusterName = 'rolling-upgrade'