diff --git a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Go_VR_Samza.yml b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Go_VR_Samza.yml
index 244474047d601..3eaea7f899dab 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Go_VR_Samza.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Go_VR_Samza.yml
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ jobs:
           comment_phrase: ${{ matrix.job_phrase }}
           github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           github_job: ${{ matrix.job_name }} (${{ matrix.job_phrase }})
+      - name: Setup environment
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-environment-action
+        # TODO(https://github.com/apache/beam/issues/32208) move to Java11 after bump to Samza 1.8
+        with:
+          java-version: 8
       - name: run Go Samza ValidatesRunner script
         env:
           CLOUDSDK_CONFIG: ${{ env.KUBELET_GCLOUD_CONFIG_PATH}}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Java_PVR_Samza.yml b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Java_PVR_Samza.yml
index 54e96bc00bb22..7cc48ebd4b0e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Java_PVR_Samza.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Java_PVR_Samza.yml
@@ -74,12 +74,20 @@ jobs:
           github_job: ${{ matrix.job_name }} (${{ matrix.job_phrase }})
       - name: Setup environment
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-environment-action
+        # TODO(https://github.com/apache/beam/issues/32208) move to Java11 after bump to Samza 1.8
+        with:
+          java-version: |
+            8
+            11
       - name: run PostCommit Java Samza script
         env:
           CLOUDSDK_CONFIG: ${{ env.KUBELET_GCLOUD_CONFIG_PATH}}
         uses: ./.github/actions/gradle-command-self-hosted-action
         with:
             gradle-command: :runners:samza:job-server:validatesPortableRunner
+            arguments: |
+              -PtestJavaVersion=8 \
+              -Pjava8Home=$JAVA_HOME_8_X64 \
       - name: Archive JUnit Test Results
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: ${{ !success() }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Java_ValidatesRunner_Samza.yml b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Java_ValidatesRunner_Samza.yml
index 39fbf104e325c..794308d3a85e3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Java_ValidatesRunner_Samza.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Java_ValidatesRunner_Samza.yml
@@ -72,12 +72,18 @@ jobs:
           github_job: ${{ matrix.job_name }} (${{ matrix.job_phrase }})
       - name: Setup environment
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-environment-action
+        # TODO(https://github.com/apache/beam/issues/32208) move to Java11 after bump to Samza 1.8
         with:
-          java-version: default
+          java-version: |
+            8
+            11
       - name: run validatesRunner script
         uses: ./.github/actions/gradle-command-self-hosted-action
         with:
           gradle-command: :runners:samza:validatesRunner
+          arguments: |
+            -PtestJavaVersion=8 \
+            -Pjava8Home=$JAVA_HOME_8_X64 \
       - name: Archive JUnit Test Results
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: ${{ !success() }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Python_ValidatesRunner_Samza.yml b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Python_ValidatesRunner_Samza.yml
index d134413a9c992..6c89b110ec7a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Python_ValidatesRunner_Samza.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_Python_ValidatesRunner_Samza.yml
@@ -74,8 +74,9 @@ jobs:
           github_job: ${{ matrix.job_name }} (${{ matrix.job_phrase }} ${{ matrix.python_version }})
       - name: Setup environment
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-environment-action
+        # TODO(https://github.com/apache/beam/issues/32208) move to Java11 after bump to Samza 1.8
         with:
-          java-version: default
+          java-version: 8
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python_version }}
       - name: Set PY_VER_CLEAN
         id: set_py_ver_clean
diff --git a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_XVR_Samza.yml b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_XVR_Samza.yml
index 656659f3b1c8c..2d854a3678e77 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_XVR_Samza.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beam_PostCommit_XVR_Samza.yml
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ jobs:
           github_job: ${{ matrix.job_name }} (${{ matrix.job_phrase }} ${{ matrix.python_version }})
       - name: Setup environment
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-environment-action
+        # TODO(https://github.com/apache/beam/issues/32208) move to Java11 after bump to Samza 1.8
         with:
+          java-version: 8
           python-version: |
             3.8
             ${{ matrix.python_version }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_HCatalog_IO_Direct.yml b/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_HCatalog_IO_Direct.yml
index 66ca5c0650e26..6d45ba82aa490 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_HCatalog_IO_Direct.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_HCatalog_IO_Direct.yml
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ jobs:
             -PdisableCheckStyle=true \
             -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 \
             -PtestJavaVersion=8 \
-            -Pjava17Home=$JAVA_HOME_8_X64 \
+            -Pjava8Home=$JAVA_HOME_8_X64 \
       - name: Archive JUnit Test Results
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: ${{ !success() }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_IOs_Direct.yml b/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_IOs_Direct.yml
index b084c48de0491..4e19a56dde0c7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_IOs_Direct.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_IOs_Direct.yml
@@ -86,9 +86,10 @@ jobs:
           github_job: ${{ matrix.job_name }} (${{ matrix.job_phrase }})
       - name: Setup environment
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-environment-action
-        java-version: |
-          8
-          11
+        with:
+          java-version: |
+            8
+            11
       - name: run Java IOs PreCommit script
         uses: ./.github/actions/gradle-command-self-hosted-action
         with:
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ jobs:
             -PdisableCheckStyle=true \
             -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 \
             -PtestJavaVersion=8 \
-            -Pjava17Home=$JAVA_HOME_8_X64 \
+            -Pjava8Home=$JAVA_HOME_8_X64 \
       - name: Archive JUnit Test Results
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: ${{ !success() }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_Spark3_Versions.yml b/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_Spark3_Versions.yml
index 418ca71b81abd..18f5a6c0c86e2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_Spark3_Versions.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beam_PreCommit_Java_Spark3_Versions.yml
@@ -88,12 +88,18 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup environment
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-environment-action
         with:
-          java-version: default
+          java-version: |
+            8
+            11
+      # TODO(https://github.com/apache/beam/issues/32207) Run test with Java11
       - name: run sparkVersionsTest script
         uses: ./.github/actions/gradle-command-self-hosted-action
         with:
           gradle-command: :runners:spark:3:sparkVersionsTest
-          arguments: -PdisableSpotlessCheck=true
+          arguments: |
+            -PdisableSpotlessCheck=true \
+            -PtestJavaVersion=8 \
+            -Pjava8Home=$JAVA_HOME_8_X64 \
       - name: Archive JUnit Test Results
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: ${{ !success() }}
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/apache/beam/gradle/BeamModulePlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/apache/beam/gradle/BeamModulePlugin.groovy
index d36432c1d4d8a..eabe316959125 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/apache/beam/gradle/BeamModulePlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/apache/beam/gradle/BeamModulePlugin.groovy
@@ -2581,7 +2581,9 @@ class BeamModulePlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
         // see https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/BEAM-6698
         maxHeapSize = '4g'
         if (config.environment == PortableValidatesRunnerConfiguration.Environment.DOCKER) {
-          dependsOn ':sdks:java:container:java8:docker'
+          def ver = project.findProperty('testJavaVersion')
+          def javaContainerSuffix = ver ? "java$ver" : getSupportedJavaVersion()
+          dependsOn ":sdks:java:container:${javaContainerSuffix}:docker"
         }
       }
     }