diff --git a/avalon-framework.changes b/avalon-framework.changes
index db5dea6..1001289 100644
--- a/avalon-framework.changes
+++ b/avalon-framework.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Tue May 15 13:56:16 UTC 2018 - fstrba@suse.com
+
+- Build with source and target 8 to prepare for a possible removal
+  of 1.6 compatibility
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fri Sep 15 09:30:55 UTC 2017 - fstrba@suse.com
 
diff --git a/avalon-framework.spec b/avalon-framework.spec
index 4f8e175..e3e8064 100644
--- a/avalon-framework.spec
+++ b/avalon-framework.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # spec file for package avalon-framework
 #
-# Copyright (c) 2017 SUSE LINUX GmbH, Nuernberg, Germany.
+# Copyright (c) 2018 SUSE LINUX GmbH, Nuernberg, Germany.
 # Copyright (c) 2000-2007, JPackage Project
 #
 # All modifications and additions to the file contributed by third parties
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Patch1:         %{name}-target.patch
 BuildRequires:  ant
 BuildRequires:  avalon-logkit
 BuildRequires:  fdupes
-BuildRequires:  java-devel >= 1.6
+BuildRequires:  java-devel >= 1.8
 BuildRequires:  javapackages-tools
 BuildRequires:  junit
 BuildRequires:  log4j
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ sed -i 's/\r//' docs/api/package-list
 
 %build
 ant \
-	-Dant.build.javac.source=1.6 -Dant.build.javac.target=1.6 \
+	-Dant.build.javac.source=8 -Dant.build.javac.target=8 \
 	-Djunit.jar=$(build-classpath junit) \
 	-Dlogkit.jar=$(build-classpath avalon-logkit) \
 	-Dlog4j.jar=$(build-classpath log4j) \