diff --git a/libraries/scripting/jvm-host/src/kotlin/script/experimental/jvmhost/impl/KJvmCompilerImpl.kt b/libraries/scripting/jvm-host/src/kotlin/script/experimental/jvmhost/impl/KJvmCompilerImpl.kt
index b401c578e76..035482ac22f 100644
--- a/libraries/scripting/jvm-host/src/kotlin/script/experimental/jvmhost/impl/KJvmCompilerImpl.kt
+++ b/libraries/scripting/jvm-host/src/kotlin/script/experimental/jvmhost/impl/KJvmCompilerImpl.kt
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.jvm.compiler.*
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.jvm.config.JvmClasspathRoot
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.jvm.config.addJvmClasspathRoots
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.jvm.config.jvmClasspathRoots
-import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.jvm.plugins.PluginCliParser
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.codegen.ClassBuilderFactories
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.codegen.CompilationErrorHandler
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.codegen.KotlinCodegenFacade
@@ -41,7 +40,6 @@ import org.jetbrains.kotlin.name.NameUtils
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.KtFile
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.KtScript
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.script.KotlinScriptDefinition
-import org.jetbrains.kotlin.scripting.compiler.plugin.ScriptingCompilerConfigurationComponentRegistrar
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.utils.addToStdlib.firstIsInstanceOrNull
 import java.util.*
 import kotlin.reflect.KClass
@@ -209,6 +207,9 @@ class KJvmCompilerImpl(val hostConfiguration: ScriptingHostConfiguration) : KJvm
 
             setupJvmSpecificArguments(baseArguments)
 
+            // default value differs from the argument'ss default (see #KT-29405 and #KT-29319)
+            put(JVMConfigurationKeys.JVM_TARGET, JvmTarget.JVM_1_8)
+
             val jdkHomeFromConfigurations = scriptCompilationConfiguration.getNoDefault(ScriptCompilationConfiguration.jvm.jdkHome)
                 ?: hostConfiguration[ScriptingHostConfiguration.jvm.jdkHome]
             if (jdkHomeFromConfigurations != null) {