diff --git a/pmd-core/pom.xml b/pmd-core/pom.xml
index f4b069eee1a..19bb360b4e2 100644
--- a/pmd-core/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-core/pom.xml
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
                         <configuration>
                             <target>
                                 <ant antfile="src/main/ant/alljavacc.xml">
-                                    <property name="target" value="${project.build.directory}/generated-sources/javacc" />
-                                    <property name="javacc.jar" value="${settings.localRepository}/net/java/dev/javacc/javacc/${javacc.version}/javacc-${javacc.version}.jar" />
+                                    <property name="target" value="${project.build.directory}/generated-sources/javacc"/>
+                                    <property name="javacc.jar" value="${settings.localRepository}/net/java/dev/javacc/javacc/${javacc.version}/javacc-${javacc.version}.jar"/>
                                 </ant>
                             </target>
                         </configuration>
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.google.code.gson</groupId>
             <artifactId>gson</artifactId>
-            <version>2.5</version>
+            <version>2.8.9</version>
         </dependency>