diff --git a/.github/workflows/gradle-build.yml b/.github/workflows/gradle-build.yml
index caca9c43..bfd64892 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/gradle-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/gradle-build.yml
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ jobs:
     - name: Validate gradle wrapper
       uses: gradle/wrapper-validation-action@v1
     - name: Build
-      uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2.7.1
+      uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2.8.0
       with:
-        arguments: build -Porg.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m
+        arguments: build
 
   publish:
     needs: [ build ]
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
           distribution: 'temurin'
           cache: 'gradle'
       - name: Publish
-        uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2.7.1
+        uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2.8.0
         env:
           # variables used by build.gradle.kts for signing / publishing (without 'ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_' prefix)
           ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingKeyId: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_GPG_SECRET_KEY_ID }}
diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index 162640d8..d9f09201 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ subprojects {
     group = "one.tomorrow.transactional-outbox"
 
     java {
+        sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_17
+
         withJavadocJar()
         withSourcesJar()
     }
@@ -122,6 +124,8 @@ allprojects {
     }
 
     tasks.withType<Test> {
+        jvmArgs(listOf("-Xmx2048m", "--add-opens=java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED"))
+
         useJUnitPlatform()
 
         testLogging {
@@ -135,10 +139,8 @@ allprojects {
 
     tasks.withType<JacocoReport> {
         reports {
-            xml.apply {
-                isEnabled = true
-                destination = File("build/reports/jacoco.xml")
-            }
+            xml.required.set(true)
+            xml.outputLocation.set(File("build/reports/jacoco.xml"))
             executionData(tasks.withType<Test>())
         }
     }
diff --git a/commons/build.gradle.kts b/commons/build.gradle.kts
index aa76c29c..085020a5 100644
--- a/commons/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/commons/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 
 // the version is set in parent/root build.gradle.kts
 
-java.sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
-
 dependencies {
     implementation("com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java:${rootProject.extra["protobufVersion"]}")
     implementation("org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients:3.3.1")
diff --git a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index ae04661e..db9a6b82 100644
--- a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.5.1-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.3-bin.zip
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 zipStorePath=wrapper/dists
diff --git a/outbox-kafka-spring-reactive/build.gradle.kts b/outbox-kafka-spring-reactive/build.gradle.kts
index 59b67b40..19eea3f5 100644
--- a/outbox-kafka-spring-reactive/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/outbox-kafka-spring-reactive/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
 
 // the version is set in parent/root build.gradle.kts
 
-java {
-    toolchain {
-        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(11))
-    }
-}
-
 dependencies {
     val springVersion = "5.3.23"
     val springDataVersion = "2.4.5"
diff --git a/outbox-kafka-spring-reactive/src/test/java/one/tomorrow/transactionaloutbox/reactive/repository/OutboxRepositoryIntegrationTest.java b/outbox-kafka-spring-reactive/src/test/java/one/tomorrow/transactionaloutbox/reactive/repository/OutboxRepositoryIntegrationTest.java
index d0f665ff..a8e965f1 100644
--- a/outbox-kafka-spring-reactive/src/test/java/one/tomorrow/transactionaloutbox/reactive/repository/OutboxRepositoryIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/outbox-kafka-spring-reactive/src/test/java/one/tomorrow/transactionaloutbox/reactive/repository/OutboxRepositoryIntegrationTest.java
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ void should_FindUnprocessedRecords() {
         // then
         assertThat(result.size(), is(1));
         OutboxRecord foundRecord = result.get(0);
-        assertThat(foundRecord, samePropertyValuesAs(record2, "headers")); // ignore headers, because Json doesn't implement equals
+        // ignore created, because for the found record it's truncated to micros
+        // ignore headers, because Json doesn't implement equals
+        assertThat(foundRecord, samePropertyValuesAs(record2, "created", "headers"));
         assertThat(foundRecord.getHeadersAsMap(), is(equalTo(record2.getHeadersAsMap())));
     }
 
diff --git a/outbox-kafka-spring/build.gradle.kts b/outbox-kafka-spring/build.gradle.kts
index b35b9317..bd0e90ae 100644
--- a/outbox-kafka-spring/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/outbox-kafka-spring/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
 
 // the version is set in parent/root build.gradle.kts
 
-java {
-    toolchain {
-        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(14))
-    }
-}
-
 dependencies {
     val springVersion = "5.3.23"
     val hibernateVersion = "5.6.14.Final"