diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3f2d4ba..23ff5d3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 - Easier dependency handling in `kscience` block
+- Customizable base jdk version
 
 ### Changed
 - MPP does not use JVM and JS(IR) targets anymore. They could be turned manually via `js()`, `jvm()` or `fullStack()`
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceExtension.kt b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceExtension.kt
index 6ae3c2d..e0aa6bf 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceExtension.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceExtension.kt
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package space.kscience.gradle
 import org.gradle.api.Project
 import org.gradle.api.file.DuplicatesStrategy
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.ApplicationPlugin
+import org.gradle.api.provider.Property
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.Copy
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.testing.Test
+import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaLanguageVersion
 import org.gradle.kotlin.dsl.*
 import org.gradle.language.jvm.tasks.ProcessResources
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.KotlinJsProjectExtension
@@ -44,8 +46,17 @@ public val Project.isInDevelopment: Boolean
             || version.toString().endsWith("SNAPSHOT")
 
 
+
+private const val defaultJdkVersion = 11
+
 public open class KScienceExtension(public val project: Project) {
 
+    public val jdkVersionProperty: Property<Int> = project.objects.property<Int>().apply {
+        set(defaultJdkVersion)
+    }
+
+    public var jdkVersion: Int by jdkVersionProperty
+
     /**
      * Use coroutines-core with default version or [version]
      */
@@ -337,7 +348,7 @@ public open class KScienceMppExtension(project: Project) : KScienceExtension(pro
                     }
                 }
                 jvmToolchain {
-                    languageVersion.set(KScienceVersions.JVM_TARGET)
+                    languageVersion.set(jdkVersionProperty.map { JavaLanguageVersion.of(it) })
                 }
             }
             project.tasks.withType<Test> {
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceJVMPlugin.kt b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceJVMPlugin.kt
index 063685a..168297b 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceJVMPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceJVMPlugin.kt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package space.kscience.gradle
 import org.gradle.api.Plugin
 import org.gradle.api.Project
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.testing.Test
+import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaLanguageVersion
 import org.gradle.kotlin.dsl.apply
 import org.gradle.kotlin.dsl.configure
 import org.gradle.kotlin.dsl.get
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ public open class KScienceJVMPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
         } else {
             logger.info("Kotlin JVM plugin is already present")
         }
-        registerKScienceExtension(::KScienceExtension)
+        val extension = registerKScienceExtension(::KScienceExtension)
 
         //logger.info("Applying KScience configuration for JVM project")
         configure<KotlinJvmProjectExtension> {
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ public open class KScienceJVMPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
 
             if (explicitApi == null) explicitApiWarning()
             jvmToolchain {
-                languageVersion.set(KScienceVersions.JVM_TARGET)
+                languageVersion.set(extension.jdkVersionProperty.map { JavaLanguageVersion.of(it) })
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceVersions.kt b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceVersions.kt
index a70d28f..c9009d3 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceVersions.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceVersions.kt
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package space.kscience.gradle
 
 
-import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaLanguageVersion
 import org.tomlj.Toml
 
 /**
@@ -24,8 +23,6 @@ public object KScienceVersions {
     public val jsBom: String get() = toml.getString("versions.jsBom")!!
     internal val junit: String get() = toml.getString("versions.junit")!!
 
-    public val JVM_TARGET: JavaLanguageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(11)
-
     public object Serialization {
         public val xmlVersion: String get() = toml.getString("versions.xmlutil")!!
         public val yamlKtVersion: String get() = toml.getString("versions.yamlkt")!!