diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index d9ed0061a4..4574e507a3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -299,10 +299,10 @@ jobs:
             distribution: 'temurin'
           - version: 17
             distribution: 'temurin'
-          - version: 22-ea
-            distribution: 'temurin'
           - version: 21
             distribution: 'temurin'
+          - version: 22-ea
+            distribution: 'temurin'
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: ./.github/workflows/maven-goal
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ jobs:
           test-java-distribution: ${{ matrix.distribution }}
           command: ./mvnw install -DskipTests=true -Dmaven.javadoc.skip=true
       - name: Run tests for ${{ matrix.version }}:${{ matrix.distribution }}
-        run: ./mvnw test -Dtest_java_binary=${{ env.TEST_JAVA_BINARY }}
+        run: ./mvnw test -Delastic.jdkCompatibilityTest=true -Dtest_java_binary=${{ env.TEST_JAVA_BINARY }}
       - name: Store test results
         if: success() || failure()
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
diff --git a/apm-agent-core/src/test/java/co/elastic/apm/agent/util/JdkVersionTest.java b/apm-agent-core/src/test/java/co/elastic/apm/agent/util/JdkVersionTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..324ddf7014
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apm-agent-core/src/test/java/co/elastic/apm/agent/util/JdkVersionTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+ * license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+ * the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+ * not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+package co.elastic.apm.agent.util;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.condition.EnabledIfSystemProperty;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.Arguments;
+
+import java.time.LocalDate;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatThrownBy;
+
+public class JdkVersionTest {
+
+    private static List<Arguments> releaseSchedule() {
+        // from https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/java-se-support-roadmap.html
+        return List.of(
+            Arguments.of(22, LocalDate.parse("2024-04-01")),
+            Arguments.of(23, LocalDate.parse("2024-10-01")),
+            Arguments.of(24, LocalDate.parse("2025-04-01")),
+            Arguments.of(25, LocalDate.parse("2025-10-01"))
+        );
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @EnabledIfSystemProperty(named = "elastic.jdkCompatibilityTest", matches = "true")
+    void jdkReleaseScheduleReminder() {
+        // not using @MethodSource and directly the arguments stream to ensure at least one is in the future
+        jdkReleaseScheduleReminder(releaseSchedule(), LocalDate.now());
+    }
+
+    void jdkReleaseScheduleReminder(List<Arguments> args, LocalDate now) {
+
+        assertThat(args).isNotEmpty();
+
+        args.forEach(a -> jdkReleaseScheduleReminder((int) a.get()[0], (LocalDate) a.get()[1], now));
+    }
+
+    void jdkReleaseScheduleReminder(int version, LocalDate gaDate, LocalDate now) {
+        if (now.isBefore(gaDate)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        assertThat(false)
+            .describedAs(
+                "This test fails to remind you that JDK %d is about or already released,\n\n" +
+                    "please update the following:\n" +
+                    "\n" +
+                    "- .github/workflows/main.yml in 'jdk-compatibility-tests' : replace early-access with released GA version and add the new early-access version\n" +
+                    "- in this test: remove released version in the release schedule\n" +
+                    "- in this test: update release schedule if needed\n"
+                , version)
+            .isTrue();
+
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void selfTest() {
+        // verify that the test will fail in the future when we need to get reminded to update
+
+        LocalDate now = LocalDate.now();
+
+        assertThatThrownBy(() -> jdkReleaseScheduleReminder(List.of(), now))
+            .isInstanceOf(AssertionError.class);
+
+        assertThatThrownBy(() ->
+            jdkReleaseScheduleReminder(List.of(Arguments.of(42, now)), now))
+            .isInstanceOf(AssertionError.class);
+
+        // should not trigger until the release day
+        jdkReleaseScheduleReminder(List.of(Arguments.of(42, now.plusDays(1))), now);
+
+    }
+}