diff --git a/tool/src/org/antlr/v4/codegen/JavaTarget.java b/tool/src/org/antlr/v4/codegen/JavaTarget.java
index 5d112c8d9..918ffc265 100644
--- a/tool/src/org/antlr/v4/codegen/JavaTarget.java
+++ b/tool/src/org/antlr/v4/codegen/JavaTarget.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 package org.antlr.v4.codegen;
 
+import org.antlr.v4.Tool;
 import org.antlr.v4.tool.ast.GrammarAST;
 import org.stringtemplate.v4.STGroup;
 import org.stringtemplate.v4.StringRenderer;
@@ -39,10 +40,6 @@ import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-/**
- *
- * @author Sam Harwell
- */
 public class JavaTarget extends Target {
 
 	protected static final String[] javaKeywords = {
@@ -63,7 +60,12 @@ public class JavaTarget extends Target {
 		super(gen, "Java");
 	}
 
-	public Set<String> getBadWords() {
+    @Override
+    public String getVersion() {
+        return Tool.VERSION; // Java and tool versions move in lock step
+    }
+
+    public Set<String> getBadWords() {
 		if (badWords.isEmpty()) {
 			addBadWords();
 		}
diff --git a/tool/src/org/antlr/v4/codegen/Target.java b/tool/src/org/antlr/v4/codegen/Target.java
index 177639c6a..69af70e8b 100644
--- a/tool/src/org/antlr/v4/codegen/Target.java
+++ b/tool/src/org/antlr/v4/codegen/Target.java
@@ -91,8 +91,10 @@ public abstract class Target {
     /** ANTLR tool should check output templates / target are compatible with tool code generation.
      *  For now, a simple string match used on x.y of x.y.z scheme. We use a method to avoid mismatches
      *  between a template called VERSION. This value is checked against Tool.VERSION during load of templates.
+     *
+     *  This additional method forces all targets 4.3 and beyond to add this method.
      */
-    public String getVersion() { return "4.3"; }
+    public abstract String getVersion();
 
     public STGroup getTemplates() {
         if (templates == null) {