diff --git a/compiler/incremental-compilation-impl/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/incremental/CompilerRunnerUtils.kt b/compiler/incremental-compilation-impl/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/incremental/CompilerRunnerUtils.kt
index 9c39916f9ac..787c858bde5 100644
--- a/compiler/incremental-compilation-impl/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/incremental/CompilerRunnerUtils.kt
+++ b/compiler/incremental-compilation-impl/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/incremental/CompilerRunnerUtils.kt
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ fun makeJvmIncrementally(
     val buildReporter = BuildReporter(icReporter = reporter, buildMetricsReporter = DoNothingBuildMetricsReporter)
 
     withIncrementalCompilation(args) {
-        val useK2 = args.useK2 || LanguageVersion.fromVersionString(args.languageVersion)?.usesK2 == true
+        val languageVersion = LanguageVersion.fromVersionString(args.languageVersion) ?: LanguageVersion.LATEST_STABLE
+        val useK2 = languageVersion.usesK2
         val compiler =
             if (useK2 && args.useFirIC && args.useFirLT /* TODO by @Ilya.Chernikov: move LT check into runner */)
                 IncrementalFirJvmCompilerRunner(
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-maven-plugin-test/src/test/java/org.jetbrains.kotlin.maven/IncrementalCompilationIT.java b/libraries/tools/kotlin-maven-plugin-test/src/test/java/org.jetbrains.kotlin.maven/IncrementalCompilationIT.java
index 20e6c1b5c90..318636eaa7d 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-maven-plugin-test/src/test/java/org.jetbrains.kotlin.maven/IncrementalCompilationIT.java
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-maven-plugin-test/src/test/java/org.jetbrains.kotlin.maven/IncrementalCompilationIT.java
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public class IncrementalCompilationIT extends MavenITBase {
 
         project.exec("package")
                .failed()
-               .contains("Cannot access 'A': it is private in file");
+               .contains("Cannot access 'class A : Any': it is private in file");
 
         MavenTestUtils.replaceFirstInFile(aKt, replacement, original);
         project.exec("package")