diff --git a/buildSrc/build.gradle.kts b/buildSrc/build.gradle.kts
index 68751fe39..aa81eb7c3 100644
--- a/buildSrc/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/buildSrc/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,9 +1,19 @@
+import java.util.Properties
+
 plugins {
     `kotlin-dsl`
     alias(libs.plugins.kotlinx.serialization)
 }
 
+val properties = Properties()
+project.file("../gradle.properties").inputStream().use { properties.load(it) }
+
+val jdkLevel = properties.getProperty("jdk.level") as String
 kotlin {
+    jvmToolchain {
+        languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(jdkLevel)
+    }
+
     sourceSets {
         all {
             languageSettings {
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/jewel.gradle.kts b/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/jewel.gradle.kts
index 96c548f3a..702d39555 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/jewel.gradle.kts
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/jewel.gradle.kts
@@ -19,13 +19,6 @@ version = when {
 }
 
 val jdkLevel = project.property("jdk.level") as String
-java {
-    toolchain {
-        languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(jdkLevel)
-    }
-
-}
-
 kotlin {
     jvmToolchain {
         languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(jdkLevel)
@@ -87,14 +80,3 @@ configurations.named("sarif") {
         artifact(sarifReport) { builtBy(tasks.lintKotlinMain) }
     }
 }
-
-fun Task.removeAssembleDependency() {
-    setDependsOn(
-        dependsOn.filter {
-            when {
-                it is Task && it.name == "assemble" -> false
-                else -> true
-            }
-        }
-    )
-}
diff --git a/samples/standalone/build.gradle.kts b/samples/standalone/build.gradle.kts
index 4fa8e48bf..d19b9e8be 100644
--- a/samples/standalone/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/samples/standalone/build.gradle.kts
@@ -21,14 +21,10 @@ dependencies {
     implementation(libs.intellijPlatform.icons)
 }
 
-java {
-    toolchain {
-        vendor = JvmVendorSpec.JETBRAINS
-    }
-}
-
+val jdkLevel = project.property("jdk.level") as String
 kotlin {
     jvmToolchain {
+        languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(jdkLevel)
         vendor = JvmVendorSpec.JETBRAINS
     }
 }
@@ -56,7 +52,6 @@ compose.desktop {
     }
 }
 
-val jdkLevel = project.property("jdk.level") as String
 tasks {
     withType<JavaExec> {
         // afterEvaluate is needed because the Compose Gradle Plugin