diff --git a/java_console/autotest/build.gradle b/java_console/autotest/build.gradle
index e5fb5d9591..1126924a4e 100644
--- a/java_console/autotest/build.gradle
+++ b/java_console/autotest/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 plugins {
     id 'java-library'
-    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version '6.1.0'
+    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version "${shadowVersion}"
 }
 
 apply from: '../../java_tools/dependencies.gradle'
diff --git a/java_console/ui/build.gradle b/java_console/ui/build.gradle
index 5fcaa2dded..ec04897ee4 100644
--- a/java_console/ui/build.gradle
+++ b/java_console/ui/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 plugins {
     id 'java'
-    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version '6.1.0'
+    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version "${shadowVersion}"
 }
 
 configurations {
diff --git a/java_tools/configuration_definition/build.gradle b/java_tools/configuration_definition/build.gradle
index dba61b70c5..e04e7bb7db 100644
--- a/java_tools/configuration_definition/build.gradle
+++ b/java_tools/configuration_definition/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 plugins {
     id 'java-library'
-    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version '6.1.0'
+    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version "${shadowVersion}"
     id 'antlr'
 }
 
diff --git a/java_tools/enum_to_string/build.gradle b/java_tools/enum_to_string/build.gradle
index 8301278d00..91b47abccf 100644
--- a/java_tools/enum_to_string/build.gradle
+++ b/java_tools/enum_to_string/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 plugins {
     id 'java-library'
-    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version '6.1.0'
+    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version "${shadowVersion}"
 }
 
 defaultTasks 'shadowJar'
diff --git a/java_tools/gradle.properties b/java_tools/gradle.properties
index 7aa50437c1..ac3a7b1862 100644
--- a/java_tools/gradle.properties
+++ b/java_tools/gradle.properties
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 # seems not to work sorry
-# org.gradle.unsafe.configuration-cache=true
\ No newline at end of file
+# org.gradle.unsafe.configuration-cache=true
+
+shadowVersion=6.1.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/java_tools/ts_plugin_launcher/build.gradle b/java_tools/ts_plugin_launcher/build.gradle
index 2c41261e0b..88a62d8fde 100644
--- a/java_tools/ts_plugin_launcher/build.gradle
+++ b/java_tools/ts_plugin_launcher/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 plugins {
   id 'java-library'
-  id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version '6.1.0'
+  id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version "${shadowVersion}"
 }
 
 defaultTasks 'shadowJar'