--- a/Wrapping/Java/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Wrapping/Java/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -201,10 +201,10 @@ set(VTK_JAVA_TARGET_VERSION "<DEFAULT>" CACHE STRING "javac target version")
 mark_as_advanced(VTK_JAVA_TARGET_VERSION)
 
 if (VTK_JAVA_SOURCE_VERSION STREQUAL "<DEFAULT>")
-  set(VTK_JAVA_SOURCE_VERSION "1.7")
+  set(VTK_JAVA_SOURCE_VERSION "1.8")
 endif ()
 if (VTK_JAVA_TARGET_VERSION STREQUAL "<DEFAULT>")
-  set(VTK_JAVA_TARGET_VERSION "1.7")
+  set(VTK_JAVA_TARGET_VERSION "1.8")
 endif ()
 
 set(CMAKE_LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_JARDIR}")
