diff --git a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/K2JVMCompilerArguments.java b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/K2JVMCompilerArguments.java
index 509156005b0..7a8dfb1c856 100644
--- a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/K2JVMCompilerArguments.java
+++ b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/K2JVMCompilerArguments.java
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ public class K2JVMCompilerArguments extends CommonCompilerArguments {
     @Argument(value = "module-name", description = "Module name")
     public String moduleName;
 
+    @Argument(value = "jvm-target", description = "Compile code to specified JVM target: 1.6 or 1.8. Default one is 1.6.")
+    @ValueDescription("<1.6|1.8>")
+    public String jvmTarget;
+
     // Advanced options
     @Argument(value = "Xno-call-assertions", description = "Don't generate not-null assertion after each invocation of method returning not-null")
     public boolean noCallAssertions;
diff --git a/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/jvm/K2JVMCompiler.kt b/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/jvm/K2JVMCompiler.kt
index 659d1b35292..efe3ad7074b 100644
--- a/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/jvm/K2JVMCompiler.kt
+++ b/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/jvm/K2JVMCompiler.kt
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ class K2JVMCompiler : CLICompiler<K2JVMCompilerArguments>() {
         if (friendPaths != null) {
             configuration.put(JVMConfigurationKeys.FRIEND_PATHS, friendPaths)
         }
+        if ("1.8".equals(arguments.jvmTarget)) {
+            configuration.put(JVMConfigurationKeys.JVM_8_TARGET, true)
+        }
 
         putAdvancedOptions(configuration, arguments)
 
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/help.out b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/help.out
index 189753914cf..bf02da0247a 100644
--- a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/help.out
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/help.out
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ where possible options include:
   -script                    Evaluate the script file
   -kotlin-home <path>        Path to Kotlin compiler home directory, used for runtime libraries discovery
   -module-name               Module name
+  -jvm-target <1.6|1.8>      Compile code to specified JVM target: 1.6 or 1.8. Default one is 1.6.
   -language-version <version> Provide source compatibility with specified language version
   -nowarn                    Generate no warnings
   -verbose                   Enable verbose logging output
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/wrongArgument.out b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/wrongArgument.out
index cfb330128ca..d3a735e2d9a 100644
--- a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/wrongArgument.out
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/wrongArgument.out
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ where possible options include:
   -script                    Evaluate the script file
   -kotlin-home <path>        Path to Kotlin compiler home directory, used for runtime libraries discovery
   -module-name               Module name
+  -jvm-target <1.6|1.8>      Compile code to specified JVM target: 1.6 or 1.8. Default one is 1.6.
   -language-version <version> Provide source compatibility with specified language version
   -nowarn                    Generate no warnings
   -verbose                   Enable verbose logging output