diff --git a/api/logic/java/JavaVersion.cpp b/api/logic/java/JavaVersion.cpp
index 8c1bb430..27050da3 100644
--- a/api/logic/java/JavaVersion.cpp
+++ b/api/logic/java/JavaVersion.cpp
@@ -60,9 +60,18 @@ bool JavaVersion::operator<(const JavaVersion &rhs)
 {
 	if(m_parseable && rhs.m_parseable)
 	{
-		if(m_major < rhs.m_major)
+		auto major = m_major;
+		auto rmajor = rhs.m_major;
+
+		// HACK: discourage using java 9
+		if(major > 8)
+			major = -major;
+		if(rmajor > 8)
+			rmajor = -rmajor;
+
+		if(major < rmajor)
 			return true;
-		if(m_major > rhs.m_major)
+		if(major > rmajor)
 			return false;
 		if(m_minor < rhs.m_minor)
 			return true;