diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index fbd64c6..ff71b27 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@
 
    <target name="compile" depends="init, resources"
            description="Compile java sources for the framework, demos, and tests">
-      <javac classpathref="javac.classpath" destdir="${bin.dir}" debug="true" source="1.5" target="1.5" includeAntRuntime="no">
+      <javac classpathref="javac.classpath" destdir="${bin.dir}" debug="true" source="1.8" target="1.8" includeAntRuntime="no">
          <compilerarg value="-Xlint"/>
          <src path="${java.src.core}" />
          <!-- the next 3 are interdependent -->
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@
          <src path="${java.src.drag}"/>
          <src path="${java.src.perspective}"/>
       </javac>
-      <javac classpathref="javac.classpath.demo" srcdir="${java.src.demo}" destdir="${bin.dir.demo}" debug="true" source="1.5" target="1.5" includeAntRuntime="no"/>
-      <javac classpathref="javac.classpath.test" srcdir="${java.src.test}" destdir="${bin.dir.test}" debug="true" source="1.5" target="1.5"  includeAntRuntime="no"/>
+      <javac classpathref="javac.classpath.demo" srcdir="${java.src.demo}" destdir="${bin.dir.demo}" debug="true" source="1.8" target="1.8" includeAntRuntime="no"/>
+      <javac classpathref="javac.classpath.test" srcdir="${java.src.test}" destdir="${bin.dir.test}" debug="true" source="1.8" target="1.8"  includeAntRuntime="no"/>
    </target>