diff --git a/client-sniffer/build.gradle b/client-sniffer/build.gradle
index af46a5a452c..5b224168492 100644
--- a/client-sniffer/build.gradle
+++ b/client-sniffer/build.gradle
@@ -37,9 +37,10 @@ dependencies {
   testCompile "com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting:randomizedtesting-runner:${versions.randomizedrunner}"
   testCompile "junit:junit:${versions.junit}"
   testCompile "org.hamcrest:hamcrest-all:${versions.hamcrest}"
-  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-test-framework:${versions.lucene}"
-  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-core:${versions.lucene}"
-  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-codecs:${versions.lucene}"
+  //we use the last lucene-test version that is compatible with java 1.7
+  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-test-framework:5.5.1"
+  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-core:5.5.1"
+  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-codecs:5.5.1"
   testCompile "org.elasticsearch:securemock:${versions.securemock}"
   testCompile "org.codehaus.mojo:animal-sniffer-annotations:1.15"
   signature "org.codehaus.mojo.signature:java17:1.0@signature"
diff --git a/client/build.gradle b/client/build.gradle
index c9c619f80ea..83c96d07d34 100644
--- a/client/build.gradle
+++ b/client/build.gradle
@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ dependencies {
   testCompile "com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting:randomizedtesting-runner:${versions.randomizedrunner}"
   testCompile "junit:junit:${versions.junit}"
   testCompile "org.hamcrest:hamcrest-all:${versions.hamcrest}"
-  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-test-framework:${versions.lucene}"
-  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-core:${versions.lucene}"
-  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-codecs:${versions.lucene}"
+  //we use the last lucene-test version that is compatible with java 1.7
+  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-test-framework:5.5.1"
+  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-core:5.5.1"
+  testCompile "org.apache.lucene:lucene-codecs:5.5.1"
   testCompile "org.elasticsearch:securemock:${versions.securemock}"
   testCompile "org.codehaus.mojo:animal-sniffer-annotations:1.15"
   signature "org.codehaus.mojo.signature:java17:1.0@signature"