diff --git a/changelog/@unreleased/pr-184.yml b/changelog/@unreleased/pr-184.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eb644985
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/@unreleased/pr-184.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+type: fix
+fix:
+  description: Use bin/javac to find JAVA_HOME instead of bin/java to avoid accidentally installing a JRE instead of a JDK.
+  links:
+  - https://github.com/palantir/gradle-jdks/pull/184
diff --git a/gradle-jdks/src/main/java/com/palantir/gradle/jdks/JdkManager.java b/gradle-jdks/src/main/java/com/palantir/gradle/jdks/JdkManager.java
index f984e443..0a26f702 100644
--- a/gradle-jdks/src/main/java/com/palantir/gradle/jdks/JdkManager.java
+++ b/gradle-jdks/src/main/java/com/palantir/gradle/jdks/JdkManager.java
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ private Path findJavaHome(Path temporaryJdkPath) {
             return files.filter(file -> Files.isRegularFile(file)
                             // macos JDKs have a `bin/java` symlink to `Contents/Home/bin/java`
                             && !Files.isSymbolicLink(file)
-                            && file.endsWith(Paths.get("bin", SystemTools.java())))
+                            && file.endsWith(Paths.get("bin", SystemTools.javac())))
                     .findFirst()
                     // JAVA_HOME/bin/java
                     .orElseThrow(() -> new RuntimeException("Failed to find java home in " + temporaryJdkPath))
diff --git a/gradle-jdks/src/main/java/com/palantir/gradle/jdks/SystemTools.java b/gradle-jdks/src/main/java/com/palantir/gradle/jdks/SystemTools.java
index 9bec56db..cc05bb01 100644
--- a/gradle-jdks/src/main/java/com/palantir/gradle/jdks/SystemTools.java
+++ b/gradle-jdks/src/main/java/com/palantir/gradle/jdks/SystemTools.java
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ static String java() {
         return "java";
     }
 
+    static String javac() {
+        if (Os.current() == Os.WINDOWS) {
+            return "javac.exe";
+        }
+        return "javac";
+    }
+
     static String keytool() {
         if (Os.current() == Os.WINDOWS) {
             return "keytool.exe";