diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 5fca66ca39..1fd0a9ce81 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - name: Copy launcher
       run: ./mill -i copyJvmLauncher artifacts/
       if: runner.os == 'Linux'
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - name: Generate native launcher
       run: ./mill -i show defaultNativeImage
     - name: Build OS packages
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - name: Generate native launcher
       run: ./mill -i show cli.nativeImageMostlyStatic
     - name: Build docker image
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - name: Generate native launcher
       run: ./mill -i show cli.nativeImageStatic
     - name: Copy artifacts
@@ -156,12 +156,12 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - name: Test documentation
       run: .github/scripts/check_docs.sh
 
     - name: Test gifs
-      run: gifs/generate_gifs.sh $(ls gifs/scenarios/) 
+      run: gifs/generate_gifs.sh $(ls gifs/scenarios/)
 
   checks:
     timeout-minutes: 15
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - name: Check native-image config format
       run: ./mill -i __.checkNativeImageConfFormat
     - name: Check Ammonite availability
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
         apps: scalafmt:3.0.0
     - run: scalafmt --check
 
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - name: Check that reference doc is up-to-date
       run: |
         ./mill -i generate-reference-doc.run --check || (
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - run: ./mill -i ci.copyVcRedist
     - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2.2.4
       with:
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - name: GPG setup
       run: .github/scripts/gpg-setup.sh
       env:
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - run: ./mill -i ci.setShouldPublish
     - uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
       if: env.SHOULD_PUBLISH == 'true'
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
       - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
         with:
-          jvm: 8
+          jvm: 11
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
         with:
           name: launchers
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - run: ./mill -i ci.setShouldPublish
     - uses: actions/setup-node@v2.4.1
       if: env.SHOULD_PUBLISH == 'true'
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: coursier/cache-action@v6.3
     - uses: coursier/setup-action@v1.1.2
       with:
-        jvm: 8
+        jvm: 11
     - uses: actions/setup-node@v2.4.1
       with:
         node-version: '12.x'
diff --git a/build.sc b/build.sc
index b81101a34f..ea92f3304c 100644
--- a/build.sc
+++ b/build.sc
@@ -435,7 +435,8 @@ class Runner(val crossScalaVersion: String) extends CrossSbtModule with ScalaCli
     super.scalacOptions() ++ {
       if (scalaVersion().startsWith("2.")) Seq("-Ywarn-unused")
       else Nil
-    }
+    } ++ Seq("-release", "8")
+
   }
   def mainClass = Some("scala.cli.runner.Runner")
   def ivyDeps =
@@ -474,7 +475,7 @@ class TestRunner(val crossScalaVersion: String) extends CrossSbtModule with Scal
     super.scalacOptions() ++ {
       if (scalaVersion().startsWith("2.")) Seq("-Ywarn-unused", "-deprecation")
       else Nil
-    }
+    } ++ Seq("-release", "8")
   }
   def ivyDeps = super.ivyDeps() ++ Agg(
     Deps.asm,
@@ -524,12 +525,13 @@ class BloopRifle(val crossScalaVersion: String) extends CrossSbtModule with Scal
 
 class TastyLib(val crossScalaVersion: String) extends CrossSbtModule with ScalaCliPublishModule
     with ScalaCliScalafixModule {
-  def scalacOptions = T {
+  def scalacOptions = T(
     super.scalacOptions() ++ {
       if (scalaVersion().startsWith("2.")) Seq("-Ywarn-unused")
       else Nil
-    }
-  }
+    } ++ Seq("-release", "8")
+  )
+
 }
 
 object `local-repo` extends LocalRepo {
diff --git a/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/NativePackagerTests.scala b/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/NativePackagerTests.scala
index 02f32b1393..34685c4f21 100644
--- a/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/NativePackagerTests.scala
+++ b/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/NativePackagerTests.scala
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class NativePackagerTests extends munit.FunSuite {
       // format: off
       val cmd = Seq[os.Shellable](
         TestUtil.cli,
-        "package", helloWorldFileName,
+        "package", "--jvm", "8", helloWorldFileName,
         "--docker",
         "--docker-image-repository", imageRepository,
         "--docker-image-tag", imageTag
diff --git a/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/RunTestDefinitions.scala b/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/RunTestDefinitions.scala
index f836580fd5..3090cc4c83 100644
--- a/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/RunTestDefinitions.scala
+++ b/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/RunTestDefinitions.scala
@@ -1141,4 +1141,15 @@ abstract class RunTestDefinitions(val scalaVersionOpt: Option[String])
     }
   }
 
+  test("Runs with JVM 8") {
+    val inputs = TestInputs(
+      Seq(
+        os.rel / "run.scala" -> """object Main extends App { println("hello")}"""
+      )
+    )
+    inputs.fromRoot { root =>
+      val p = os.proc(TestUtil.cli, "run.scala", "--jvm", "8").call(cwd = root)
+      expect(p.out.text().trim == "hello")
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/TestTestDefinitions.scala b/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/TestTestDefinitions.scala
index 2c9062ff52..c400bae010 100644
--- a/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/TestTestDefinitions.scala
+++ b/modules/integration/src/test/scala/scala/cli/integration/TestTestDefinitions.scala
@@ -509,5 +509,4 @@ abstract class TestTestDefinitions(val scalaVersionOpt: Option[String])
         expect(output.contains("Hello from native"))
     }
   }
-
 }
diff --git a/website/docs/commands/package.md b/website/docs/commands/package.md
index 46035ceb47..5eaa12a3fd 100644
--- a/website/docs/commands/package.md
+++ b/website/docs/commands/package.md
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ scala-cli package Hello.scala -o hello
 # Hello
 ```
 
-<!-- Expected 
+<!-- Expected
 Hello
 -->
 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ The docker image name parameter `--docker-image-repository` is mandatory.
 The following command generates a `hello-docker` image with the `latest` tag:
 
 ```bash
-scala-cli package --docker HelloDocker.scala --docker-image-repository hello-docker
+scala-cli package --jvm 8 --docker HelloDocker.scala --docker-image-repository hello-docker
 ```
 
 <!-- Expected:
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ scala-cli package --rpm --output 'path.rpm' Hello.scala
 ### macOS (PKG)
 
 PKG is the software package format for macOs.
-To build a PKG you will need to have [`pkgbuild`](https://www.unix.com/man-page/osx/1/pkgbuild/) installed. 
+To build a PKG you will need to have [`pkgbuild`](https://www.unix.com/man-page/osx/1/pkgbuild/) installed.
 
 Example:
 
diff --git a/website/docs/cookbooks/scala-docker.md b/website/docs/cookbooks/scala-docker.md
index 9d7988c3b7..667c670458 100644
--- a/website/docs/cookbooks/scala-docker.md
+++ b/website/docs/cookbooks/scala-docker.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Passing `--docker` to the `package` sub-command generates a Docker image. When c
 The following command generates a `hello-docker` image with the `latest` tag:
 
 ```bash
-scala-cli package --docker HelloDocker.scala --docker-image-repository hello-docker
+scala-cli package --jvm 8 --docker HelloDocker.scala --docker-image-repository hello-docker
 ```
 
 <!-- Expected:
@@ -51,12 +51,9 @@ Built docker image, run it with
 This command creates a Scala Native Docker image:
 
 ```bash ignore
-scala-cli package --native --docker HelloDocker.scala --docker-image-repository hello-docker
+scala-cli package --native --jvm 8 --docker HelloDocker.scala --docker-image-repository hello-docker
 ```
 
 :::note
 Packaging a Scala Native application to a Docker image is supported only on Linux.
 :::
-
-
-