diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.release b/Jenkinsfile.release
index 03eb0b9..5934ad1 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.release
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.release
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 def version = '${version}'
 def nextVersion = '${nextVersion}'
 def branch = '${branch}'
+def jdkDistro = '${jdkDistro}'
 
 def changeVersion(def newVersion) {
     // TODO any other versions we need to account for?
@@ -23,22 +24,28 @@
 }
 
 node ('ubuntu16.04-basebuild-1c-2g') {
-    
+
     sh 'echo Releasing ' + app + ' repository on ' + branch + ' branch'
     sh 'echo Releasing version ' + version + ' and starting ' + nextVersion + '-SNAPSHOT'
-    
+
+    // Set the JDK version
+    sh 'echo Using JDK distribution: ' + jdkDistro
+    sh 'sudo update-java-alternatives --set ' +jdkDistro
+    sh 'echo Java Version:'
+    sh 'java -version'
+
     def userId = wrap([$class: 'BuildUser']) {
        return env.BUILD_USER_ID
     }
 
     stage ('Configure system') {
         echo "Release build triggered by " + userId
-        
+
         sh 'ssh-keyscan -H -t rsa -p 29418 gerrit.opencord.org >> ~/.ssh/known_hosts'
-        
+
         sh 'git config --global user.name "Jenkins"'
         sh 'git config --global user.email "do-not-reply@opencord.org"'
-        
+
         // GPG key used to sign maven artifacts
         withCredentials([file(credentialsId: 'gpg-creds-maven', variable: 'GPUPG')]) {
             sh 'tar -xvf $GPUPG -C ~'
@@ -47,31 +54,31 @@
 
     stage ('Check out code') {
         cleanWs()
-        
+
         sshagent (credentials: ['gerrit-jenkins-user']) {
             git branch: branch, url: 'ssh://jenkins@gerrit.opencord.org:29418/' + app, credentialsId: 'gerrit-jenkins-user'
 
             sh 'gitdir=$(git rev-parse --git-dir); scp -p -P 29418 jenkins@gerrit.opencord.org:hooks/commit-msg ${gitdir}/hooks/'
         }
     }
-        
+
     stage ('Move to release version') {
         changeVersion(version)
         sh 'git add -A && git commit -m "Release version ' + version + '"'
     }
-    
+
     stage ('Verify code') {
         def found = sh script:'egrep -R SNAPSHOT .', returnStatus:true
-        
+
         if (found == 0) {
             timeout(time: 1, unit: 'HOURS') {
-                metadata = input id: 'manual-verify', 
+                metadata = input id: 'manual-verify',
                 message: 'Found references to SNAPSHOT in the code. Are you sure you want to release?',
                         submitter: userId
             }
         }
     }
-    
+
     // This step is basically to test that everything still builds once the version has
     // been bumped up before we start pushing things publicly
     stage ('Build and Test') {
@@ -84,14 +91,14 @@
             sh 'git push origin HEAD:refs/for/' + branch
         }
     }
-    
+
     stage ('Wait for merge') {
         timeout(time: 1, unit: 'HOURS') {
-            metadata = input id: 'release-build', 
+            metadata = input id: 'release-build',
             message: 'Go to Gerrit and merge the release patch',
                     submitter: userId
         }
-        
+
     }
 
     stage ('Release artifacts') {
@@ -102,7 +109,7 @@
 
     stage ('Wait for release on Sonatype') {
         timeout(time: 1, unit: 'HOURS') {
-            metadata = input id: 'release-build', 
+            metadata = input id: 'release-build',
             message: 'Go to http://oss.sonatype.org and release the artifacts',
                     submitter: userId
         }
@@ -114,7 +121,7 @@
             sh 'git push origin ' + version
         }
     }
-    
+
     stage ('Move to next SNAPSHOT version') {
         def snapshot = nextVersion + '-SNAPSHOT'
         changeVersion(snapshot)
@@ -127,6 +134,6 @@
     stage ('Finish') {
         sh 'echo "Release done! Go to Gerrit and merge snapshot version bump"'
     }
-    
+
 }