diff --git a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodProjectManager.kt b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodProjectManager.kt
index bff55823fdbc3f..738f599a8beb6f 100644
--- a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodProjectManager.kt
+++ b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodProjectManager.kt
@@ -12,15 +12,19 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.project.ModuleListener
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project
 import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.ProjectJdkTable
 import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.Sdk
+import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.SdkType
+import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.impl.JavaHomeFinder
+import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.impl.SdkConfigurationUtil
 import com.intellij.openapi.roots.ModuleRootModificationUtil
 import com.intellij.openapi.roots.ProjectRootManager
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.registry.Registry
 import com.intellij.util.application
 import kotlinx.coroutines.GlobalScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.future.await
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture
 
-
+@Suppress("UnstableApiUsage", "OPT_IN_USAGE")
 class GitpodProjectManager(
         private val project: Project
 ) {
@@ -33,15 +37,30 @@ class GitpodProjectManager(
      * It is a workaround for https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/GTW-88
      */
     private fun configureSdks() {
-        if (application.isHeadlessEnvironment) {
+        if (application.isHeadlessEnvironment || Registry.get("gitpod.autoJdk.disabled").asBoolean()) {
             return
         }
         val pendingSdk = CompletableFuture<Sdk>()
         application.invokeLaterOnWriteThread {
             application.runWriteAction {
                 try {
-                    ProjectJdkTable.getInstance().preconfigure()
-                    pendingSdk.complete(ProjectJdkTable.getInstance().allJdks.firstOrNull())
+                    val jdkTable = ProjectJdkTable.getInstance()
+                    jdkTable.preconfigure()
+                    val preconfiguredJdk = ProjectRootManager.getInstance(project).projectSdk
+                    val preferredJdkHomePath = JavaHomeFinder.getFinder().findExistingJdks().firstOrNull()
+                    pendingSdk.complete(
+                            when {
+                                preconfiguredJdk != null -> preconfiguredJdk
+                                preferredJdkHomePath != null ->
+                                    jdkTable.allJdks.find { sdk -> sdk.homePath == preferredJdkHomePath }
+                                            ?: SdkConfigurationUtil.createAndAddSDK(
+                                                    preferredJdkHomePath,
+                                                    SdkType.findByName(jdkTable.defaultSdkType.name)!!
+                                            )
+
+                                else -> jdkTable.allJdks.firstOrNull()
+                            }
+                    )
                 } catch (t: Throwable) {
                     pendingSdk.completeExceptionally(t)
                 }
@@ -78,4 +97,4 @@ class GitpodProjectManager(
             }
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/resources/META-INF/plugin.xml b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/resources/META-INF/plugin.xml
index 4b521062dfb338..89315499d0c00c 100644
--- a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/resources/META-INF/plugin.xml
+++ b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/src/main/resources/META-INF/plugin.xml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
         <gateway.customization.name implementation="io.gitpod.jetbrains.remote.GitpodGatewayClientCustomizationProvider"/>
         <gateway.customization.performance id="gitpodMetricsControl" order="before cpuControl" implementation="io.gitpod.jetbrains.remote.GitpodMetricControlProvider"/>
         <gateway.customization.metrics id="gitpodMetricsProvider" implementation="io.gitpod.jetbrains.remote.GitpodMetricProvider" />
+        <registryKey key="gitpod.autoJdk.disabled" defaultValue="false" description="Disable auto-detection of JDK for the project and its modules" restartRequired="true"/>
     </extensions>
 
 </idea-plugin>