diff --git a/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-11.yml b/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-11.yml
index 260721fdcf..bea9f2d558 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-11.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-11.yml
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ recipeList:
       groupId: org.apache.maven.plugins
       artifactId: maven-compiler-plugin
       newVersion: 3.6.2
+      addVersionIfMissing: true
   - org.openrewrite.github.SetupJavaUpgradeJavaVersion:
       minimumJavaMajorVersion: 11
   - org.openrewrite.maven.UpgradePluginVersion:
diff --git a/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-17.yml b/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-17.yml
index c4803782ef..45d5baa447 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-17.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-17.yml
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ recipeList:
       groupId: org.apache.maven.plugins
       artifactId: maven-compiler-plugin
       newVersion: 3.x
+      addVersionIfMissing: true
   - org.openrewrite.maven.UpgradePluginVersion:
       groupId: org.apache.maven.plugins
       artifactId: maven-war-plugin
diff --git a/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-25.yml b/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-25.yml
index c0cb0d3925..77b9c310a8 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-25.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/META-INF/rewrite/java-version-25.yml
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ recipeList:
       groupId: org.apache.maven.plugins
       artifactId: maven-compiler-plugin
       newVersion: 3.15.x
+      addVersionIfMissing: true
   - org.openrewrite.maven.UpgradePluginVersion:
       groupId: org.apache.maven.plugins
       artifactId: maven-surefire-plugin
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/openrewrite/java/migrate/Java8toJava11Test.java b/src/test/java/org/openrewrite/java/migrate/Java8toJava11Test.java
index db2594f6da..641e1d0fdd 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/openrewrite/java/migrate/Java8toJava11Test.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/openrewrite/java/migrate/Java8toJava11Test.java
@@ -70,6 +70,86 @@ void needToJaxb2MavenPlugin() {
         );
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void compilerPluginVersionAddedWhenMissing() {
+        rewriteRun(
+          version(
+            mavenProject("project",
+              //language=xml
+              pomXml(
+                """
+                  <project>
+                    <groupId>com.mycompany.app</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>my-app</artifactId>
+                    <version>1</version>
+                    <build>
+                      <plugins>
+                        <plugin>
+                          <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+                          <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+                          <configuration>
+                            <source>1.5</source>
+                            <target>1.5</target>
+                          </configuration>
+                        </plugin>
+                      </plugins>
+                    </build>
+                  </project>
+                  """,
+                spec -> spec.after(pomXml -> {
+                    assertThat(pomXml).contains("<version>3.");
+                    return pomXml;
+                })
+              )
+            ),
+            8)
+        );
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void compilerPluginVersionAddedAndReleaseSetForFullMigration() {
+        rewriteRun(
+          spec -> spec.recipe(Environment.builder()
+            .scanRuntimeClasspath("org.openrewrite.java.migrate")
+            .build()
+            .activateRecipes("org.openrewrite.java.migrate.Java8toJava11")),
+          version(
+            mavenProject("project",
+              //language=xml
+              pomXml(
+                """
+                  <project>
+                    <groupId>com.mycompany.app</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>my-app</artifactId>
+                    <version>1</version>
+                    <build>
+                      <plugins>
+                        <plugin>
+                          <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+                          <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+                          <configuration>
+                            <source>1.5</source>
+                            <target>1.5</target>
+                          </configuration>
+                        </plugin>
+                      </plugins>
+                    </build>
+                  </project>
+                  """,
+                spec -> spec.after(pomXml -> {
+                    assertThat(pomXml)
+                      .contains("<release>11</release>")
+                      .contains("<version>3.")
+                      .doesNotContain("<source>")
+                      .doesNotContain("<target>");
+                    return pomXml;
+                })
+              )
+            ),
+            8)
+        );
+    }
+
     @Test
     void noChangeOnCorrectJaxb2MavenPluginVersion() {
         rewriteRun(