diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/build/toolchain/ToolchainExtension.java b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/build/toolchain/ToolchainExtension.java
index eb1a7d1b48..efa3731a43 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/build/toolchain/ToolchainExtension.java
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/build/toolchain/ToolchainExtension.java
@@ -16,9 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.boot.build.toolchain;
 
-import java.util.Optional;
-
 import org.gradle.api.Project;
+import org.gradle.api.provider.Property;
 import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaLanguageVersion;
 
 /**
@@ -28,41 +27,22 @@ import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaLanguageVersion;
  */
 public class ToolchainExtension {
 
-	private final Project project;
+	private final Property<JavaLanguageVersion> maximumCompatibleJavaVersion;
 
-	private int maximumCompatibleJavaVersion;
+	private final JavaLanguageVersion javaVersion;
 
 	public ToolchainExtension(Project project) {
-		this.project = project;
-	}
-
-	public void setMaximumCompatibleJavaVersion(int maximumVersion) {
-		this.maximumCompatibleJavaVersion = maximumVersion;
-	}
-
-	public Optional<JavaLanguageVersion> getToolchainVersion() {
-		String toolchainVersion = (String) this.project.findProperty("toolchainVersion");
-		if (toolchainVersion == null) {
-			return Optional.empty();
-		}
-		int version = Integer.parseInt(toolchainVersion);
-		return getJavaLanguageVersion(version);
+		this.maximumCompatibleJavaVersion = project.getObjects().property(JavaLanguageVersion.class);
+		String toolchainVersion = (String) project.findProperty("toolchainVersion");
+		this.javaVersion = (toolchainVersion != null) ? JavaLanguageVersion.of(toolchainVersion) : null;
 	}
 
-	public boolean isJavaVersionSupported() {
-		Optional<JavaLanguageVersion> maximumVersion = getJavaLanguageVersion(this.maximumCompatibleJavaVersion);
-		if (!maximumVersion.isPresent()) {
-			return true;
-		}
-		Optional<JavaLanguageVersion> toolchainVersion = getToolchainVersion();
-		return toolchainVersion.isPresent() && maximumVersion.get().canCompileOrRun(toolchainVersion.get());
+	public Property<JavaLanguageVersion> getMaximumCompatibleJavaVersion() {
+		return this.maximumCompatibleJavaVersion;
 	}
 
-	private Optional<JavaLanguageVersion> getJavaLanguageVersion(int version) {
-		if (version >= 8) {
-			return Optional.of(JavaLanguageVersion.of(version));
-		}
-		return Optional.empty();
+	JavaLanguageVersion getJavaVersion() {
+		return this.javaVersion;
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/build/toolchain/ToolchainPlugin.java b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/build/toolchain/ToolchainPlugin.java
index aedacfaf11..093d5f3c65 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/build/toolchain/ToolchainPlugin.java
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/build/toolchain/ToolchainPlugin.java
@@ -18,16 +18,14 @@ package org.springframework.boot.build.toolchain;
 
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Optional;
 
-import org.gradle.api.Action;
 import org.gradle.api.Plugin;
 import org.gradle.api.Project;
+import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPluginExtension;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.compile.JavaCompile;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.javadoc.Javadoc;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.testing.Test;
 import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaLanguageVersion;
-import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaToolchainService;
 import org.gradle.jvm.toolchain.JavaToolchainSpec;
 
 /**
@@ -44,19 +42,28 @@ public class ToolchainPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
 
 	private void configureToolchain(Project project) {
 		ToolchainExtension toolchain = project.getExtensions().create("toolchain", ToolchainExtension.class, project);
-		project.afterEvaluate((evaluated) -> {
-			Optional<JavaLanguageVersion> toolchainVersion = toolchain.getToolchainVersion();
-			if (toolchainVersion.isPresent()) {
-				if (!toolchain.isJavaVersionSupported()) {
-					disableToolchainTasks(project);
-				}
-				else {
-					configureJavaCompileToolchain(project, toolchain);
-					configureJavadocToolchain(project, toolchain);
-					configureTestToolchain(project, toolchain);
-				}
-			}
-		});
+		JavaLanguageVersion toolchainVersion = toolchain.getJavaVersion();
+		if (toolchainVersion != null) {
+			project.afterEvaluate((evaluated) -> configure(evaluated, toolchain));
+		}
+	}
+
+	private void configure(Project project, ToolchainExtension toolchain) {
+		if (!isJavaVersionSupported(toolchain, toolchain.getJavaVersion())) {
+			disableToolchainTasks(project);
+		}
+		else {
+			JavaToolchainSpec toolchainSpec = project.getExtensions().getByType(JavaPluginExtension.class)
+					.getToolchain();
+			toolchainSpec.getLanguageVersion().set(toolchain.getJavaVersion());
+			configureJavaCompileToolchain(project, toolchain);
+			configureTestToolchain(project, toolchain);
+		}
+	}
+
+	public boolean isJavaVersionSupported(ToolchainExtension toolchain, JavaLanguageVersion toolchainVersion) {
+		return toolchain.getMaximumCompatibleJavaVersion().map((version) -> version.canCompileOrRun(toolchainVersion))
+				.getOrElse(true);
 	}
 
 	private void disableToolchainTasks(Project project) {
@@ -67,50 +74,20 @@ public class ToolchainPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
 
 	private void configureJavaCompileToolchain(Project project, ToolchainExtension toolchain) {
 		project.getTasks().withType(JavaCompile.class, (compile) -> {
-			withOptionalJavaToolchain(toolchain).ifPresent((action) -> {
-				JavaToolchainService service = getJavaToolchainService(project);
-				compile.getJavaCompiler().set(service.compilerFor(action));
-				compile.getOptions().setFork(true);
-				// See https://github.com/gradle/gradle/issues/15538
-				List<String> forkArgs = Arrays.asList("--add-opens",
-						"jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.code=ALL-UNNAMED");
-				compile.getOptions().getForkOptions().getJvmArgs().addAll(forkArgs);
-			});
-		});
-	}
-
-	private void configureJavadocToolchain(Project project, ToolchainExtension toolchain) {
-		project.getTasks().withType(Javadoc.class, (javadoc) -> {
-			withOptionalJavaToolchain(toolchain).ifPresent((action) -> {
-				JavaToolchainService service = getJavaToolchainService(project);
-				javadoc.getJavadocTool().set(service.javadocToolFor(action));
-			});
+			compile.getOptions().setFork(true);
+			// See https://github.com/gradle/gradle/issues/15538
+			List<String> forkArgs = Arrays.asList("--add-opens", "jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.code=ALL-UNNAMED");
+			compile.getOptions().getForkOptions().getJvmArgs().addAll(forkArgs);
 		});
 	}
 
 	private void configureTestToolchain(Project project, ToolchainExtension toolchain) {
 		project.getTasks().withType(Test.class, (test) -> {
-			withOptionalJavaToolchain(toolchain).ifPresent((action) -> {
-				JavaToolchainService service = getJavaToolchainService(project);
-				test.getJavaLauncher().set(service.launcherFor(action));
-				// See https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-ldap/issues/570
-				List<String> arguments = Arrays.asList("--add-exports=java.naming/com.sun.jndi.ldap=ALL-UNNAMED",
-						"--illegal-access=warn");
-				test.jvmArgs(arguments);
-			});
+			// See https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-ldap/issues/570
+			List<String> arguments = Arrays.asList("--add-exports=java.naming/com.sun.jndi.ldap=ALL-UNNAMED",
+					"--illegal-access=warn");
+			test.jvmArgs(arguments);
 		});
 	}
 
-	private JavaToolchainService getJavaToolchainService(Project project) {
-		return project.getExtensions().getByType(JavaToolchainService.class);
-	}
-
-	private Optional<Action<JavaToolchainSpec>> withOptionalJavaToolchain(ToolchainExtension toolchain) {
-		return toolchain.getToolchainVersion().map((toolchainVersion) -> {
-			Action<JavaToolchainSpec> action = (javaToolchainSpec) -> javaToolchainSpec.getLanguageVersion()
-					.convention(toolchainVersion);
-			return Optional.of(action);
-		}).orElse(Optional.empty());
-	}
-
 }
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-cli/build.gradle b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-cli/build.gradle
index f0a3b1f261..e15ff8b238 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-cli/build.gradle
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-cli/build.gradle
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ plugins {
 description = "Spring Boot CLI"
 
 toolchain {
-	maximumCompatibleJavaVersion = 15
+	maximumCompatibleJavaVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(15)
 }
 
 configurations {
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-gradle-plugin/build.gradle b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-gradle-plugin/build.gradle
index 184dcacbc1..eaa866b8d2 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-gradle-plugin/build.gradle
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-gradle-plugin/build.gradle
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ plugins {
 description = "Spring Boot Gradle Plugin"
 
 toolchain {
-	maximumCompatibleJavaVersion = 15
+	maximumCompatibleJavaVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(15)
 }
 
 configurations {