diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index bb2d1b96..16b9e43f 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ under the License.
     <jetty.version>9.4.55.v20240627</jetty.version>
     <version.plexus-utils>4.0.2</version.plexus-utils>
     <!-- for ITs -->
-    <compilerPluginVersion>3.11.0</compilerPluginVersion>
+    <compilerPluginVersion>3.13.0</compilerPluginVersion>
     <sourcePluginVersion>3.3.0</sourcePluginVersion>
     <enforcerPluginVersion>3.4.1</enforcerPluginVersion>
     <pluginPluginVersion>3.15.0</pluginPluginVersion>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/javadoc/AbstractJavadocMojo.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/javadoc/AbstractJavadocMojo.java
index c5d9ce29..c0efb571 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/javadoc/AbstractJavadocMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/javadoc/AbstractJavadocMojo.java
@@ -4625,7 +4625,7 @@ private void addJavadocOptions(
             addArgIf(arguments, quiet, "-quiet", SINCE_JAVADOC_1_5);
         }
 
-        if (release != null) {
+        if (javadocRuntimeVersion.isAtLeast("9") && release != null) {
             arguments.add("--release");
             arguments.add(release);
         } else {