diff --git a/build-logic/project-plugins/src/main/kotlin/com.hedera.hashgraph.java.gradle.kts b/build-logic/project-plugins/src/main/kotlin/com.hedera.hashgraph.java.gradle.kts
index 70eca7642b48..46fc6d6623f2 100644
--- a/build-logic/project-plugins/src/main/kotlin/com.hedera.hashgraph.java.gradle.kts
+++ b/build-logic/project-plugins/src/main/kotlin/com.hedera.hashgraph.java.gradle.kts
@@ -38,9 +38,26 @@ plugins {
 version =
     providers.fileContents(rootProject.layout.projectDirectory.versionTxt()).asText.get().trim()
 
+// Fail the build if Gradle is started with an old version of Java
+val MIN_JAVA_VERSION = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
+val CUR_JAVA_VERSION = JavaVersion.current()
+
+if (CUR_JAVA_VERSION.ordinal < MIN_JAVA_VERSION.ordinal) {
+    throw StopExecutionException(
+        "ERROR: Gradle is started with Java " +
+            CUR_JAVA_VERSION +
+            ". This project requires running Gradle with Java " +
+            MIN_JAVA_VERSION +
+            " or above." +
+            " Please check your JAVA_HOME and/or PATH and configure the default JDK to use Java version " +
+            MIN_JAVA_VERSION +
+            " or above."
+    )
+}
+
 java {
-    sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
-    targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
+    sourceCompatibility = MIN_JAVA_VERSION
+    targetCompatibility = MIN_JAVA_VERSION
 
     toolchain {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(21)