diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index b731b1137d..2b12470686 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: cache SBT
         uses: coursier/cache-action@v6
-      - name: Java 11 setup
+      - name: Java 17 setup
         uses: actions/setup-java@v3
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 11
+          java-version: 17
       - uses: olafurpg/setup-gpg@v3
       - name: Publish ${{ github.ref }}
         run: sbt ci-release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 8d3210d119..b04a809c73 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ jobs:
         with:
           distribution: temurin
           java-version: ${{matrix.java}}
-      - if: ${{ matrix.java == 17 }}
-        run: scripts/set_java_17_opts.sh
       - if: ${{ !matrix.coverage }}
         run: sbt "++${{matrix.scala}} test"
       - if: ${{ matrix.coverage }}
diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index 81ada0c4a9..ceb1a91db5 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ val commonSettings = Def
     // this setting is not derived in sbt-tpolecat
     // https://github.com/typelevel/sbt-tpolecat/issues/36
     inTask(doc)(TpolecatPlugin.projectSettings),
+    scalacOptions ++= Seq("-release", "8"),
     javacOptions ++= Seq("-source", "1.8", "-target", "1.8", "-Xlint:unchecked"),
     Compile / doc / javacOptions := Seq("-source", "1.8"),
     excludeDependencies ++= Seq(
@@ -453,16 +454,20 @@ def splitTests(tests: Seq[TestDefinition], filter: Seq[String], forkOptions: For
   }
 }
 
-lazy val java17Settings = Seq(Test / javaOptions ++= (sys.props("java.version") match {
+lazy val java17Settings = sys.props("java.version") match {
   case v if v.startsWith("17.") =>
+    println("Setting java 17 opts")
     Seq(
-      "--add-opens",
-      "java.base/java.util=ALL-UNNAMED",
-      "--add-opens",
-      "java.base/java.lang.invoke=ALL-UNNAMED"
+      Test / fork := true,
+      Test / javaOptions ++= Seq(
+        "--add-opens",
+        "java.base/java.util=ALL-UNNAMED",
+        "--add-opens",
+        "java.base/java.lang.invoke=ALL-UNNAMED"
+      )
     )
-  case _ => Seq.empty
-}))
+  case _ => Seq()
+}
 
 lazy val root: Project = Project("scio", file("."))
   .settings(commonSettings)
diff --git a/scripts/set_java_17_opts.sh b/scripts/set_java_17_opts.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index b1d7518252..0000000000
--- a/scripts/set_java_17_opts.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-set -e
-
-cat <<EOF >>.jvmopts
---add-opens=java.base/java.util=ALL-UNNAMED
---add-opens=java.base/java.lang.invoke=ALL-UNNAMED
-EOF