diff --git a/appengine/helloworld-new-plugins/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml b/appengine/helloworld-new-plugins/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
index 2c99a4eb070..6bf31fe0daa 100644
--- a/appengine/helloworld-new-plugins/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
+++ b/appengine/helloworld-new-plugins/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
@@ -14,5 +14,6 @@
 <!-- [START config] -->
 <appengine-web-app xmlns="http://appengine.google.com/ns/1.0">
   <threadsafe>true</threadsafe>
+  <runtime>java8</runtime>
 </appengine-web-app>
 <!-- [END config] -->