diff --git a/android/config.go b/android/config.go
index b14204288..15e2ad4ca 100644
--- a/android/config.go
+++ b/android/config.go
@@ -369,14 +369,14 @@ func NewConfig(srcDir, buildDir string) (Config, error) {
 }
 
 func (c *config) fromEnv() error {
-	switch c.Getenv("EXPERIMENTAL_USE_OPENJDK9") {
-	case "", "1.8":
-		// Nothing, we always use OpenJDK9
+	switch c.Getenv("EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9") {
+	case "":
+		// Nothing, this is the default
 	case "true":
-		// Use OpenJDK9 and target 1.9
+		// Use -source 9 -target 9
 		c.targetOpenJDK9 = true
 	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf(`Invalid value for EXPERIMENTAL_USE_OPENJDK9, should be "", "1.8", or "true"`)
+		return fmt.Errorf(`Invalid value for EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9, should be "" or "true"`)
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/java/java_test.go b/java/java_test.go
index 3d8baee7c..370e79645 100644
--- a/java/java_test.go
+++ b/java/java_test.go
@@ -1007,8 +1007,8 @@ func TestPatchModule(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	`
 
-	t.Run("1.8", func(t *testing.T) {
-		// Test default javac 1.8
+	t.Run("Java language level 8", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Test default javac -source 1.8 -target 1.8
 		ctx := testJava(t, bp)
 
 		checkPatchModuleFlag(t, ctx, "foo", "")
@@ -1016,9 +1016,9 @@ func TestPatchModule(t *testing.T) {
 		checkPatchModuleFlag(t, ctx, "baz", "")
 	})
 
-	t.Run("1.9", func(t *testing.T) {
-		// Test again with javac 1.9
-		config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_USE_OPENJDK9": "true"})
+	t.Run("Java language level 9", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Test again with javac -source 9 -target 9
+		config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9": "true"})
 		ctx := testContext(config, bp, nil)
 		run(t, ctx, config)
 
diff --git a/java/sdk_test.go b/java/sdk_test.go
index e446129a5..cc4da2eca 100644
--- a/java/sdk_test.go
+++ b/java/sdk_test.go
@@ -272,8 +272,8 @@ func TestClasspath(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 			}
 
-			t.Run("1.8", func(t *testing.T) {
-				// Test default javac 1.8
+			t.Run("Java language level 8", func(t *testing.T) {
+				// Test default javac -source 1.8 -target 1.8
 				config := testConfig(nil)
 				if testcase.unbundled {
 					config.TestProductVariables.Unbundled_build = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
@@ -299,9 +299,9 @@ func TestClasspath(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 			})
 
-			// Test again with javac 1.9
-			t.Run("1.9", func(t *testing.T) {
-				config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_USE_OPENJDK9": "true"})
+			// Test again with javac -source 9 -target 9
+			t.Run("Java language level 9", func(t *testing.T) {
+				config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9": "true"})
 				if testcase.unbundled {
 					config.TestProductVariables.Unbundled_build = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 				}