diff --git a/spring-boot-actuator/pom.xml b/spring-boot-actuator/pom.xml
index fffaee3a60f..6926f07707d 100644
--- a/spring-boot-actuator/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-boot-actuator/pom.xml
@@ -303,4 +303,20 @@
 			<scope>test</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
+
+	<build>
+		<pluginManagement>
+			<plugins>
+				<plugin>
+					<!-- specify the JRE level that is used on the classpath for compilation, to allow smooth import into Eclipse/STS IDE -->
+					<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+					<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+					<configuration>
+						<java.classpath.jre>1.8</java.classpath.jre>
+					</configuration>
+				</plugin>
+			</plugins>
+		</pluginManagement>
+	</build>
+
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-boot-autoconfigure/pom.xml b/spring-boot-autoconfigure/pom.xml
index a68effcaf09..b099112dfbf 100644
--- a/spring-boot-autoconfigure/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-boot-autoconfigure/pom.xml
@@ -573,4 +573,20 @@
 			<artifactId>snakeyaml</artifactId>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
+
+	<build>
+		<pluginManagement>
+			<plugins>
+				<plugin>
+					<!-- specify the JRE level that is used on the classpath for compilation, to allow smooth import into Eclipse/STS IDE -->
+					<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+					<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+					<configuration>
+						<java.classpath.jre>1.7</java.classpath.jre>
+					</configuration>
+				</plugin>
+			</plugins>
+		</pluginManagement>
+	</build>
+
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-boot-devtools/pom.xml b/spring-boot-devtools/pom.xml
index 58a07b2ba02..127428342e3 100644
--- a/spring-boot-devtools/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-boot-devtools/pom.xml
@@ -74,4 +74,20 @@
 			<scope>test</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
+
+	<build>
+		<pluginManagement>
+			<plugins>
+				<plugin>
+					<!-- specify the JRE level that is used on the classpath for compilation, to allow smooth import into Eclipse/STS IDE -->
+					<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+					<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+					<configuration>
+						<java.classpath.jre>1.7</java.classpath.jre>
+					</configuration>
+				</plugin>
+			</plugins>
+		</pluginManagement>
+	</build>
+
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader-tools/pom.xml b/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader-tools/pom.xml
index 107b06aedda..52b9510a09f 100644
--- a/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader-tools/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader-tools/pom.xml
@@ -137,5 +137,20 @@
 				</configuration>
 			</plugin>
 		</plugins>
+
+		<pluginManagement>
+			<plugins>
+				<plugin>
+					<!-- specify the JRE level that is used on the classpath for compilation, to allow smooth import into Eclipse/STS IDE -->
+					<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+					<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+					<configuration>
+						<java.classpath.jre>1.7</java.classpath.jre>
+					</configuration>
+				</plugin>
+			</plugins>
+		</pluginManagement>
+
 	</build>
+
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader/pom.xml b/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader/pom.xml
index c3a1067efa2..0bff30a0878 100644
--- a/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader/pom.xml
@@ -82,4 +82,20 @@
 			</build>
 		</profile>
 	</profiles>
+
+	<build>
+		<pluginManagement>
+			<plugins>
+				<plugin>
+					<!-- specify the JRE level that is used on the classpath for compilation, to allow smooth import into Eclipse/STS IDE -->
+					<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+					<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+					<configuration>
+						<java.classpath.jre>1.7</java.classpath.jre>
+					</configuration>
+				</plugin>
+			</plugins>
+		</pluginManagement>
+	</build>
+
 </project>
diff --git a/spring-boot/pom.xml b/spring-boot/pom.xml
index c7f6f5d7cdb..23bdaa09c88 100644
--- a/spring-boot/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-boot/pom.xml
@@ -266,5 +266,19 @@
 				</executions>
 			</plugin>
 		</plugins>
+
+		<pluginManagement>
+			<plugins>
+				<plugin>
+					<!-- specify the JRE level that is used on the classpath for compilation, to allow smooth import into Eclipse/STS IDE -->
+					<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+					<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+					<configuration>
+						<java.classpath.jre>1.7</java.classpath.jre>
+					</configuration>
+				</plugin>
+			</plugins>
+		</pluginManagement>
 	</build>
+
 </project>