diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-pull.yml b/.github/workflows/build-pull.yml
index 41689dadc..33a00638b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-pull.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-pull.yml
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         java: [
-          { 'version': '8', 'source': 'releases' },
-          { 'version': '11', 'source': 'releases' },
-          { 'version': '15', 'source': 'releases' },
-          { 'version': '16', 'source': 'nightly' }
+          { 'version': '8', 'source': 'releases', opts: '' },
+          { 'version': '11', 'source': 'releases', opts: '' },
+          { 'version': '15', 'source': 'releases', opts: '' },
+          { 'version': '16', 'source': 'nightly', 'opts': '--illegal-access=permit'  }  # required for kotlin on java 16
         ]
     name: Build with Java ${{ matrix.java.version }}
     steps:
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ jobs:
           version: ${{ matrix.java.version }}
           source: ${{ matrix.java.source }}
       - name: Build with Maven
+        env:
+          MAVEN_OPTS: ${{ matrix.java.opts }}
         run: mvn -B clean verify -Pcoverage
       - name: Codecov
         uses: codecov/codecov-action@v1.0.13