diff --git a/java/compiler/tests/com/intellij/compiler/BaseCompilerTestCase.java b/java/compiler/tests/com/intellij/compiler/BaseCompilerTestCase.java
index 78b96b1d322e..387c58636c99 100644
--- a/java/compiler/tests/com/intellij/compiler/BaseCompilerTestCase.java
+++ b/java/compiler/tests/com/intellij/compiler/BaseCompilerTestCase.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.vfs.newvfs.NewVirtualFile;
 import com.intellij.packaging.artifacts.Artifact;
 import com.intellij.packaging.artifacts.ArtifactManager;
 import com.intellij.packaging.impl.compiler.ArtifactCompileScope;
+import com.intellij.pom.java.LanguageLevel;
 import com.intellij.testFramework.*;
 import com.intellij.util.concurrency.Semaphore;
 import com.intellij.util.io.TestFileSystemBuilder;
@@ -69,6 +70,12 @@ public abstract class BaseCompilerTestCase extends ModuleTestCase {
     BuildManager.getInstance().clearState(myProject);
   }
 
+  @NotNull
+  @Override
+  protected LanguageLevel getProjectLanguageLevel() {
+    return LanguageLevel.JDK_1_8;
+  }
+
   @Override
   protected Sdk getTestProjectJdk() {
     return JavaAwareProjectJdkTableImpl.getInstanceEx().getInternalJdk();
diff --git a/java/testFramework/src/com/intellij/testFramework/IdeaTestCase.java b/java/testFramework/src/com/intellij/testFramework/IdeaTestCase.java
index 4286bc54a9c2..66fce26a6805 100644
--- a/java/testFramework/src/com/intellij/testFramework/IdeaTestCase.java
+++ b/java/testFramework/src/com/intellij/testFramework/IdeaTestCase.java
@@ -23,10 +23,15 @@ public abstract class IdeaTestCase extends PlatformTestCase {
   @Override
   protected void setUp() throws Exception {
     super.setUp();
-    LanguageLevelProjectExtension.getInstance(getProject()).setLanguageLevel(LanguageLevel.JDK_1_6);
+    LanguageLevelProjectExtension.getInstance(getProject()).setLanguageLevel(getProjectLanguageLevel());
     myJavaFacade = JavaPsiFacadeEx.getInstanceEx(myProject);
   }
 
+  @NotNull
+  protected LanguageLevel getProjectLanguageLevel() {
+    return LanguageLevel.JDK_1_6;
+  }
+
   @Override
   protected void tearDown() throws Exception {
     myJavaFacade = null;