diff --git a/src/BUILD b/src/BUILD
index 8ee52eb9a55b7f..dfd06309177bc4 100644
--- a/src/BUILD
+++ b/src/BUILD
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # Packaging
 
+load("@bazel_skylib//:bzl_library.bzl", "bzl_library")
 load("@rules_python//python:defs.bzl", "py_binary", "py_library")
 load("//src:release_archive.bzl", "release_archive")
 load(":embedded_tools.bzl", "srcsfile")
@@ -600,3 +601,8 @@ filegroup(
         "@workspace_repo_cache//:files",
     ],
 )
+
+bzl_library(
+    name = "build_defs_bzl",
+    srcs = ["build_defs.bzl"],
+)
diff --git a/src/build_defs.bzl b/src/build_defs.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..b1d3206f14cdf0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/build_defs.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Copyright 2023 The Bazel Authors. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Utility for restricting java_library to Java 11 APIs."""
+
+load("@rules_java//java:defs.bzl", "java_library")
+
+# Drop in replacement for java_library that builds the library at Java language level 11.
+def java_11_library(**attrs):
+    javacopts = attrs.pop("javacopts", [])
+    java_library(
+        javacopts = javacopts + ["-source 11", "-target 11"],
+        **attrs
+    )
diff --git a/src/java_tools/singlejar/java/com/google/devtools/build/zip/BUILD b/src/java_tools/singlejar/java/com/google/devtools/build/zip/BUILD
index 3631e3792878d4..f368926f3e365e 100644
--- a/src/java_tools/singlejar/java/com/google/devtools/build/zip/BUILD
+++ b/src/java_tools/singlejar/java/com/google/devtools/build/zip/BUILD
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-load("@rules_java//java:defs.bzl", "java_library")
+load("//src:build_defs.bzl", "java_11_library")
 
 # Description:
 #   Zip provides a library for reading and writing zip files, allowing more
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ filegroup(
     srcs = glob(["*.java"]),
 )
 
-java_library(
+java_11_library(
     name = "zip",
     srcs = glob(["*.java"]),
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/util/BUILD b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/util/BUILD
index 279b3c8dc5b40a..996fcda87fd563 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/util/BUILD
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/util/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+load("//src:build_defs.bzl", "java_11_library")
 load("@rules_java//java:defs.bzl", "java_library")
 
 package(
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ java_library(
     ],
 )
 
-java_library(
+java_11_library(
     name = "os",
     srcs = ["OS.java"],
 )
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ java_library(
     ],
 )
 
-java_library(
+java_11_library(
     name = "pair",
     srcs = [
         "Pair.java",
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/windows/BUILD b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/windows/BUILD
index 88187f2f23cd65..3a7ab1ca7adf07 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/windows/BUILD
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/windows/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+load("//src:build_defs.bzl", "java_11_library")
 load("@rules_java//java:defs.bzl", "java_library")
 
 package(
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ filegroup(
     visibility = ["//src:__subpackages__"],
 )
 
-java_library(
+java_11_library(
     name = "file",
     srcs = ["WindowsFileOperations.java"],
     deps = ["//src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/jni"],
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/common/options/BUILD b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/common/options/BUILD
index b5120de838dc0c..4df7d7fbc94c3d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/common/options/BUILD
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/common/options/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+load("//src:build_defs.bzl", "java_11_library")
 load("@rules_java//java:defs.bzl", "java_library")
 
 # Description:
@@ -33,13 +34,13 @@ java_library(
     ],
 )
 
-java_library(
+java_11_library(
     name = "options",
     exported_plugins = ["//src/main/java/com/google/devtools/common/options/processor:options_preprocessor"],
     exports = [":options_internal"],
 )
 
-java_library(
+java_11_library(
     name = "options_internal",
     srcs = glob(
         ["*.java"],