diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/SourceCodeProcessor.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/SourceCodeProcessor.java
index f52b0f2a2ac..7d1838c2977 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/SourceCodeProcessor.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/SourceCodeProcessor.java
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ private void determineLanguage(RuleContext ctx) {
             ctx.setLanguageVersion(forceLanguage);
         } else {
             // otherwise determine by file extension
-            LanguageVersion languageVersion = configuration.getLanguageVersionOfFile(ctx.getSourceCodeFile().toString());
+            LanguageVersion languageVersion = configuration.getLanguageVersionOfFile(ctx.getSourceCodeFilename());
             ctx.setLanguageVersion(languageVersion);
         }
     }
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/LanguageVersionDiscoverer.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/LanguageVersionDiscoverer.java
index 27c72898e1e..4e22b03a4f1 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/LanguageVersionDiscoverer.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/LanguageVersionDiscoverer.java
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 package net.sourceforge.pmd.lang;
 
 import java.io.File;
-import java.io.IOException;
-import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -14,7 +12,6 @@
 
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation.InternalApi;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.internal.util.AssertionUtil;
 
 /**
@@ -27,8 +24,6 @@ public class LanguageVersionDiscoverer {
 
     private LanguageVersion forcedVersion;
 
-    private Map<String, LanguageVersion> forcedVersionByFile = new HashMap<>();
-
     public LanguageVersionDiscoverer() {
         this(null);
     }
@@ -102,13 +97,10 @@ public LanguageVersion getDefaultLanguageVersionForFile(File sourceFile) {
      *         file.
      */
     public LanguageVersion getDefaultLanguageVersionForFile(String fileName) {
-        LanguageVersion languageVersion = forcedVersionByFile.get(fileName);
-
-        if (languageVersion == null) {
-            List<Language> languages = getLanguagesForFile(fileName);
-            if (!languages.isEmpty()) {
-                languageVersion = getDefaultLanguageVersion(languages.get(0));
-            }
+        List<Language> languages = getLanguagesForFile(fileName);
+        LanguageVersion languageVersion = null;
+        if (!languages.isEmpty()) {
+            languageVersion = getDefaultLanguageVersion(languages.get(0));
         }
         return languageVersion;
     }
@@ -150,16 +142,4 @@ private String getExtension(String fileName) {
     }
 
 
-
-    @InternalApi
-    @Deprecated
-    public void recordLanguageVersionForFile(Path file, LanguageVersion languageVersion) {
-        String fileName;
-        try {
-            fileName = file.toRealPath().toString();
-        } catch (IOException e) {
-            fileName = file.toAbsolutePath().toString();
-        }
-        forcedVersionByFile.put(fileName, languageVersion);
-    }
 }
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/FileCollector.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/FileCollector.java
index 51d84106c4a..8db97175c36 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/FileCollector.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/FileCollector.java
@@ -155,10 +155,8 @@ public boolean addFile(Path file, Language language) {
             reporter.error("Not a regular file {0}", file);
             return false;
         }
-        LanguageVersion languageVersion = discoverer.getDefaultLanguageVersion(language);
-        NioTextFile nioTextFile = new NioTextFile(file, charset, languageVersion, getDisplayName(file));
+        NioTextFile nioTextFile = new NioTextFile(file, charset, discoverer.getDefaultLanguageVersion(language), getDisplayName(file));
         addFileImpl(nioTextFile);
-        discoverer.recordLanguageVersionForFile(file, languageVersion);
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/NioTextFile.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/NioTextFile.java
index c7d77e1de88..8fc154967a1 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/NioTextFile.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/NioTextFile.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageVersion;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.IOUtil;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.DataSource;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.FileDataSource;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.internal.FileDataSourceWithLanguage;
 
 /**
  * A {@link TextFile} backed by a file in some {@link FileSystem}.
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public String readContents() throws IOException {
 
     @Override
     public DataSource toDataSourceCompat() {
-        return new FileDataSource(path.toFile());
+        return new FileDataSourceWithLanguage(path.toFile(), languageVersion);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/StringTextFile.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/StringTextFile.java
index 598823e555c..db2f537eeeb 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/StringTextFile.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/StringTextFile.java
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.internal.util.AssertionUtil;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageVersion;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.DataSource;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.ReaderDataSource;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.internal.ReaderDataSourceWithLanguage;
 
 /**
  * Read-only view on a string.
@@ -64,9 +64,10 @@ public String readContents() {
 
     @Override
     public DataSource toDataSourceCompat() {
-        return new ReaderDataSource(
+        return new ReaderDataSourceWithLanguage(
             new StringReader(content),
-            pathId
+            pathId,
+            languageVersion
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/processor/PmdRunnable.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/processor/PmdRunnable.java
index da91fbd95a6..e4b1d75de62 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/processor/PmdRunnable.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/processor/PmdRunnable.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.benchmark.TimeTracker;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.renderers.Renderer;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.DataSource;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.internal.LanguageAwareDataSource;
 
 /**
  *
@@ -82,6 +83,9 @@ public Report call() {
 
         try (InputStream stream = new BufferedInputStream(dataSource.getInputStream())) {
             tc.ruleContext.setLanguageVersion(null);
+            if (dataSource instanceof LanguageAwareDataSource) {
+                tc.ruleContext.setLanguageVersion(((LanguageAwareDataSource) dataSource).getLanguageVersion());
+            }
             sourceCodeProcessor.processSourceCode(stream, tc.ruleSets, tc.ruleContext);
         } catch (PMDException pmde) {
             addError(report, pmde, "Error while processing file: " + fileName);
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/FileDataSourceWithLanguage.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/FileDataSourceWithLanguage.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7ca0e1c8a46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/FileDataSourceWithLanguage.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.internal;
+
+import java.io.File;
+
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation.InternalApi;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageVersion;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.FileDataSource;
+
+@InternalApi
+public class FileDataSourceWithLanguage extends FileDataSource implements LanguageAwareDataSource {
+    private final LanguageVersion languageVersion;
+
+    public FileDataSourceWithLanguage(File file, LanguageVersion languageVersion) {
+        super(file);
+        this.languageVersion = languageVersion;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public LanguageVersion getLanguageVersion() {
+        return languageVersion;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/LanguageAwareDataSource.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/LanguageAwareDataSource.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..69dbf67059d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/LanguageAwareDataSource.java
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.internal;
+
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation.InternalApi;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageVersion;
+
+@InternalApi
+public interface LanguageAwareDataSource {
+    LanguageVersion getLanguageVersion();
+}
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/ReaderDataSourceWithLanguage.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/ReaderDataSourceWithLanguage.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e96429e65d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/datasource/internal/ReaderDataSourceWithLanguage.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.internal;
+
+import java.io.Reader;
+
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation.InternalApi;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageVersion;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.datasource.ReaderDataSource;
+
+@InternalApi
+public class ReaderDataSourceWithLanguage extends ReaderDataSource implements LanguageAwareDataSource {
+    private final LanguageVersion languageVersion;
+
+    public ReaderDataSourceWithLanguage(Reader reader, String dataSourceName, LanguageVersion languageVersion) {
+        super(reader, dataSourceName);
+        this.languageVersion = languageVersion;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public LanguageVersion getLanguageVersion() {
+        return languageVersion;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/PmdAnalysisTest.java b/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/PmdAnalysisTest.java
index 797f4e0569d..a1f2f0f1569 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/PmdAnalysisTest.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/PmdAnalysisTest.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.Dummy2LanguageModule;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.Language;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.Node;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.document.SimpleTestTextFile;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.AbstractRule;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.renderers.Renderer;
 
@@ -90,6 +91,28 @@ public void testFileWithSpecificLanguage() {
             pmd.addRuleSet(ruleset);
             pmd.files().addFile(Paths.get("src", "test", "resources", "sample-source", "dummy", "foo.txt"), language);
             Report report = pmd.performAnalysisAndCollectReport();
+            for (Report.ProcessingError error : report.getProcessingErrors()) {
+                System.out.println("error = " + error.getMsg() + ": " + error.getDetail());
+            }
+            Assert.assertEquals(0, report.getProcessingErrors().size());
+            Assert.assertEquals(1, report.getViolations().size());
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testTextFileWithSpecificLanguage() {
+        final Language language = Dummy2LanguageModule.getInstance();
+        PMDConfiguration config = new PMDConfiguration();
+        config.setIgnoreIncrementalAnalysis(true);
+        RuleSet ruleset = RuleSet.forSingleRule(new TestRule());
+
+        try (PmdAnalysis pmd = PmdAnalysis.create(config)) {
+            pmd.addRuleSet(ruleset);
+            pmd.files().addFile(new SimpleTestTextFile("test content foo", "foo.txt", "foo.txt", language.getDefaultVersion()));
+            Report report = pmd.performAnalysisAndCollectReport();
+            for (Report.ProcessingError error : report.getProcessingErrors()) {
+                System.out.println("error = " + error.getMsg() + ": " + error.getDetail());
+            }
             Assert.assertEquals(0, report.getProcessingErrors().size());
             Assert.assertEquals(1, report.getViolations().size());
         }
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/SimpleTestTextFile.java b/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/SimpleTestTextFile.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6f663471427
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/document/SimpleTestTextFile.java
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/*
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.document;
+
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageVersion;
+
+/**
+ * Makes {@link StringTextFile} publicly available for unit tests.
+ */
+public class SimpleTestTextFile extends StringTextFile {
+
+    public SimpleTestTextFile(String content, String pathId, String displayName, LanguageVersion languageVersion) {
+        super(content, pathId, displayName, languageVersion);
+    }
+}