diff --git a/.github/workflows/gradle.yml b/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
index ec1ad84b5..395c8dc41 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/gradle.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           gradle-version: ${{ matrix.gradle }}
       - name: Run Gradle
-        run: gradle -PtestJdk8=true build bitcoinj-wallettemplate:installDist bitcoinj-wallettemplate:jlink --init-script build-scan-agree.gradle --scan --info --stacktrace
+        run: gradle build bitcoinj-wallettemplate:installDist bitcoinj-wallettemplate:jlink --init-script build-scan-agree.gradle --scan --info --stacktrace
       - name: Upload Test Results and Reports
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: always()
diff --git a/base/build.gradle b/base/build.gradle
index 61c43c891..82de95eeb 100644
--- a/base/build.gradle
+++ b/base/build.gradle
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ dependencies {
 }
 
 tasks.withType(JavaCompile) {
-    options.compilerArgs.addAll(['--release', '8'])
+    options.compilerArgs.addAll(['--release', '9'])
     options.compilerArgs << '-Xlint:deprecation'
     options.encoding = 'UTF-8'
 }
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 030031b20..51c905fd1 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ buildscript {
 allprojects {
     repositories {
         mavenCentral()
+        maven {
+            url 'https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/55956336/packages/maven'        // secp256k1-jdk
+        }
     }
 
     group = 'org.bitcoinj'
diff --git a/core/build.gradle b/core/build.gradle
index e6c40464a..e92725a77 100644
--- a/core/build.gradle
+++ b/core/build.gradle
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@ version = '0.18-SNAPSHOT'
 
 dependencies {
     api project(':bitcoinj-base')
-    api 'org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15to18:1.80'
+    //api 'org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk15to18:1.80'
     api 'com.google.guava:guava:33.4.0-android'
     api 'com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite:4.29.3'
+    api 'org.bitcoinj.secp:secp-api:0.1'
+    implementation 'org.bitcoinj.secp:secp-bouncy:0.1'
     implementation 'org.slf4j:slf4j-api:2.0.16'
 
     testImplementation project(':bitcoinj-test-support')
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ if (GradleVersion.current() > gradleVersionTargetJVM) {
 }
 
 tasks.withType(JavaCompile) {
-    options.compilerArgs.addAll(['--release', '8'])
+    options.compilerArgs.addAll(['--release', '9'])
     options.compilerArgs << '-Xlint:deprecation'
     options.encoding = 'UTF-8'
 }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/bitcoinj/crypto/SecpJdkSmokeTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/bitcoinj/crypto/SecpJdkSmokeTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dc5da6da8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/bitcoinj/crypto/SecpJdkSmokeTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package org.bitcoinj.crypto;
+
+import org.bitcoinj.secp.api.P256K1KeyPair;
+import org.bitcoinj.secp.api.Secp256k1;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+
+/**
+ * A quick test to make sure we can load and execute the secp-api and secp-bouncy.
+ */
+public class SecpJdkSmokeTest {
+    @Test
+    public void smoke() {
+        try (Secp256k1 secp = Secp256k1.getByName("bouncy-castle")) {
+            P256K1KeyPair keypair = secp.ecKeyPairCreate();
+            assertNotNull(keypair);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test-support/build.gradle b/test-support/build.gradle
index 2149f62af..e023f27d2 100644
--- a/test-support/build.gradle
+++ b/test-support/build.gradle
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ dependencies {
 }
 
 tasks.withType(JavaCompile) {
-    options.compilerArgs.addAll(['--release', '8'])
+    options.compilerArgs.addAll(['--release', '9'])
     options.compilerArgs << '-Xlint:deprecation'
     options.encoding = 'UTF-8'
 }
diff --git a/wallettemplate/build.gradle b/wallettemplate/build.gradle
index 2872f4d03..f6a66e625 100644
--- a/wallettemplate/build.gradle
+++ b/wallettemplate/build.gradle
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ application {
 }
 
 jlink {
-    options = ['--add-modules', 'org.slf4j.jul']
+    options = ['--add-modules', 'org.slf4j.jul',  '--ignore-signing-information']
 }
 
 test {