diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 1d52f0fc3..b8fbd33c3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        java-version: [ 8, 11, 15 ]
+        java-version: [ 8, 11, 16 ]
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-java@v2
         with:
           distribution: 'adopt'
-          java-version: 15
+          java-version: 16
       - run: mvn -B verify --no-transfer-progress
 
       - uses: codecov/codecov-action@v1
diff --git a/system.properties b/system.properties
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce8a6559f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/system.properties
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+java.runtime.version=16