4 files changed, 39 insertions, 18 deletions
diff --git a/src/partest/scala/tools/partest/DirectTest.scala b/src/partest/scala/tools/partest/DirectTest.scala
index e2dac2fd55..8fcaa6423c 100644
--- a/src/partest/scala/tools/partest/DirectTest.scala
+++ b/src/partest/scala/tools/partest/DirectTest.scala
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 package scala.tools.partest
 
 import scala.tools.nsc._
+import settings.ScalaVersion
 import io.Directory
 import util.{ SourceFile, BatchSourceFile, CommandLineParser }
 import reporters.{Reporter, ConsoleReporter}
@@ -101,4 +102,30 @@ abstract class DirectTest extends App {
   final def log(msg: => Any) {
     if (isDebug) Console.err println msg
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Run a test only if the current java version is at least the version specified.
+   */
+  def testUnderJavaAtLeast[A](version: String)(yesRun: =>A) = new TestUnderJavaAtLeast(version, { yesRun })
+
+  class TestUnderJavaAtLeast[A](version: String, yesRun: => A) {
+    val javaVersion = System.getProperty("java.specification.version")
+
+    // the "ScalaVersion" class parses Java specification versions just fine
+    val requiredJavaVersion = ScalaVersion(version)
+    val executingJavaVersion = ScalaVersion(javaVersion)
+    val shouldRun = executingJavaVersion >= requiredJavaVersion
+    val preamble = if (shouldRun) "Attempting" else "Doing fallback for"
+
+    def logInfo() = log(s"$preamble java $version specific test under java version $javaVersion")
+ 
+   /*
+    * If the current java version is at least 'version' then 'yesRun' is evaluated
+    * otherwise 'fallback' is 
+    */
+    def otherwise(fallback: =>A): A = {
+      logInfo()
+      if (shouldRun) yesRun else fallback
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/test/files/run/classfile-format-51.scala b/test/files/run/classfile-format-51.scala
index 9b1e612f4f..378caa7936 100644
--- a/test/files/run/classfile-format-51.scala
+++ b/test/files/run/classfile-format-51.scala
@@ -112,12 +112,12 @@ object Driver {
     System.setErr(System.out)
     try {
       // this test is only valid under JDK 1.7+
-      // cheat a little by using 'ScalaVersion' because it can parse java versions just as well
-      val requiredJavaVersion = ScalaVersion("1.7")
-      val executingJavaVersion = ScalaVersion(System.getProperty("java.specification.version"))
-      if (executingJavaVersion >= requiredJavaVersion) {
+      testUnderJavaAtLeast("1.7") {  
         generateClass()
         compile()
+        ()
+      } otherwise {
+        ()
       }
     } 
     finally
diff --git a/test/files/run/classfile-format-52.scala b/test/files/run/classfile-format-52.scala
index f0ad7c2ed6..7afa09ae0b 100644
--- a/test/files/run/classfile-format-52.scala
+++ b/test/files/run/classfile-format-52.scala
@@ -61,17 +61,14 @@ class Driver extends HasDefaultMethod {
     System.setErr(System.out)
     try {
       // this test is only valid under JDK 1.8+
-      // cheat a little by using 'ScalaVersion' because it can parse java versions just as well
-      val requiredJavaVersion = ScalaVersion("1.8")
-      val executingJavaVersion = ScalaVersion(System.getProperty("java.specification.version"))
-      if (executingJavaVersion >= requiredJavaVersion) {
+      testUnderJavaAtLeast("1.8") {
         generateInterface()
         compile()
         Class.forName("Driver").newInstance()
-      } else {
-        // under other versions just dump the expected results
+        ()   
+      } otherwise {
         println("hello from publicMethod")
-        println("hello from staticMethod")
+        println("hello from staticMethod")        
       }
     } 
     finally
diff --git a/test/files/run/t7398.scala b/test/files/run/t7398.scala
index e4090f7db3..dd59697b71 100644
--- a/test/files/run/t7398.scala
+++ b/test/files/run/t7398.scala
@@ -3,14 +3,11 @@ import scala.tools.partest._
 object Test extends CompilerTest {
   import global._
 
-  def javaVersion = scala.util.Properties.javaVersion
-  def isJavaEight = javaVersion startsWith "1.8"
   // This way we auto-pass on non-java8 since there's nothing to check
-  override lazy val units = {
-    val res: List[CompilationUnit]  = if (isJavaEight) javaCompilationUnits(global)(defaultMethodSource) else Nil
-    val word = if (isJavaEight) "Attempting" else "Skipping"
-    log(s"$word java8-specific test under java version $javaVersion")
-    res
+  override lazy val units: List[CompilationUnit]  = testUnderJavaAtLeast("1.8") {
+    javaCompilationUnits(global)(defaultMethodSource)
+  } otherwise {
+    Nil
   }
 
   private def defaultMethodSource = """