diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-release.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-release.yml
index 96286e3..606c680 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-release.yml
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: corretto
-          java-version: 17
+          java-version: 21 # This will always be a long-term support (LTS) release
           cache: sbt # the issue described in https://github.com/actions/setup-java/pull/564 doesn't affect this step (no version.sbt)
       - name: Release
         env: