diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 542f779d0..08593c273 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ under the License.
     <maven4x.site.path>plugins-archives/${project.artifactId}-LATEST-4.x</maven4x.site.path>
     <!-- 4.x publish -->
     <maven.site.path>${maven4x.site.path}</maven.site.path>
+
+    <maven.compiler.source />
+    <maven.compiler.target />
+    <maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
+    <minimalJavaBuildVersion>${maven.compiler.release}</minimalJavaBuildVersion>
+
   </properties>
 
   <dependencies>
@@ -213,6 +219,33 @@ under the License.
             </excludes>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+          <artifactId>maven-pmd-plugin</artifactId>
+          <configuration>
+            <targetJdk>${maven.compiler.release}</targetJdk>
+          </configuration>
+        </plugin>
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+          <artifactId>maven-enforcer-plugin</artifactId>
+          <executions>
+            <execution>
+              <id>enforce-bytecode-version</id>
+              <goals>
+                <goal>enforce</goal>
+              </goals>
+              <configuration>
+                <rules>
+                  <enforceBytecodeVersion>
+                    <maxJdkVersion>${maven.compiler.release}</maxJdkVersion>
+                  </enforceBytecodeVersion>
+                </rules>
+                <fail>true</fail>
+              </configuration>
+            </execution>
+          </executions>
+        </plugin>
       </plugins>
     </pluginManagement>
   </build>
diff --git a/src/it/MCOMPILER-366/pom.xml b/src/it/MCOMPILER-366/pom.xml
index 38aa9099d..572b31320 100644
--- a/src/it/MCOMPILER-366/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/MCOMPILER-366/pom.xml
@@ -53,9 +53,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/MCOMPILER-481-requires-static-included/pom.xml b/src/it/MCOMPILER-481-requires-static-included/pom.xml
index a635f28af..a548f87da 100644
--- a/src/it/MCOMPILER-481-requires-static-included/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/MCOMPILER-481-requires-static-included/pom.xml
@@ -41,9 +41,6 @@ under the License.
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>11</release>
             <!-- Older release required by the surefire plugin tested below. -->
           </configuration>
diff --git a/src/it/automodules-application/pom.xml b/src/it/automodules-application/pom.xml
index 6be0179d2..c434d8c97 100644
--- a/src/it/automodules-application/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/automodules-application/pom.xml
@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/automodules-library/pom.xml b/src/it/automodules-library/pom.xml
index 6be0179d2..c434d8c97 100644
--- a/src/it/automodules-library/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/automodules-library/pom.xml
@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/automodules-manifest/pom.xml b/src/it/automodules-manifest/pom.xml
index 9cd552f09..4ad32ff24 100644
--- a/src/it/automodules-manifest/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/automodules-manifest/pom.xml
@@ -44,9 +44,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/automodules-transitive-module/pom.xml b/src/it/automodules-transitive-module/pom.xml
index 6be0179d2..c434d8c97 100644
--- a/src/it/automodules-transitive-module/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/automodules-transitive-module/pom.xml
@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/jdk9-exportsto/pom.xml b/src/it/jdk9-exportsto/pom.xml
index b71f7ed46..2c1dde397 100644
--- a/src/it/jdk9-exportsto/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/jdk9-exportsto/pom.xml
@@ -42,9 +42,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/jpms_add-exports/pom.xml b/src/it/jpms_add-exports/pom.xml
index 645623cae..c3b02fa13 100644
--- a/src/it/jpms_add-exports/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/jpms_add-exports/pom.xml
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
             <compilerArgs>
               <arg>--add-exports</arg>
diff --git a/src/it/jpms_compile-main-empty-test-bar/pom.xml b/src/it/jpms_compile-main-empty-test-bar/pom.xml
index 097a82dd4..794a26fec 100644
--- a/src/it/jpms_compile-main-empty-test-bar/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/jpms_compile-main-empty-test-bar/pom.xml
@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/jpms_compile-main-foo-test-bar/pom.xml b/src/it/jpms_compile-main-foo-test-bar/pom.xml
index 64f194480..05f143c49 100644
--- a/src/it/jpms_compile-main-foo-test-bar/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/jpms_compile-main-foo-test-bar/pom.xml
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/jpms_compile-main-foo-test-foo/pom.xml b/src/it/jpms_compile-main-foo-test-foo/pom.xml
index 64f194480..05f143c49 100644
--- a/src/it/jpms_compile-main-foo-test-foo/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/jpms_compile-main-foo-test-foo/pom.xml
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/jpms_patch-module/pom.xml b/src/it/jpms_patch-module/pom.xml
index f6a6e9653..5b5e6d918 100644
--- a/src/it/jpms_patch-module/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/jpms_patch-module/pom.xml
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>17</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/src/it/multirelease-patterns/multimodule/pom.xml b/src/it/multirelease-patterns/multimodule/pom.xml
index b0170277d..4fa63698d 100644
--- a/src/it/multirelease-patterns/multimodule/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/multirelease-patterns/multimodule/pom.xml
@@ -38,11 +38,6 @@
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
-          <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
-          </configuration>
         </plugin>
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
diff --git a/src/it/multirelease-patterns/multiproject/pom.xml b/src/it/multirelease-patterns/multiproject/pom.xml
index 00c834bb2..4c56d2500 100644
--- a/src/it/multirelease-patterns/multiproject/pom.xml
+++ b/src/it/multirelease-patterns/multiproject/pom.xml
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>@project.version@</version>
           <configuration>
-            <!-- TODO: remove source and target after we identified where Maven inherits those values. -->
-            <source />
-            <target />
             <release>16</release>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>