diff --git a/doc/source/java-roles.rst b/doc/source/java-roles.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ee56cbbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/source/java-roles.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Java Roles
+==========
+
+.. zuul:autorole:: ensure-java
diff --git a/doc/source/roles.rst b/doc/source/roles.rst
index 5efe2388f..e6598fc57 100644
--- a/doc/source/roles.rst
+++ b/doc/source/roles.rst
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Roles
    deprecated-roles
    galaxy-roles
    go-roles
+   java-roles
    js-roles
    launchpad-roles
    puppet-roles
diff --git a/roles/ensure-java/README.rst b/roles/ensure-java/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..08eeb4328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/ensure-java/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+Ensure that Java is installed
+
+Installs the specified version of the JDK.
+
+**Role Variables**
+
+.. zuul:rolevar:: java_version
+   :default: 8
+
+   Version of Java to install.
diff --git a/roles/ensure-java/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/ensure-java/defaults/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9ed782db2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/ensure-java/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+java_version: 8
diff --git a/roles/ensure-java/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/ensure-java/tasks/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a0d436629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/ensure-java/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+- name: Install JDK
+  become: true
+  package:
+    name: openjdk-{{ java_version }}-jdk
+    state: present
diff --git a/test-playbooks/ensure-java.yaml b/test-playbooks/ensure-java.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd73370fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-playbooks/ensure-java.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+- hosts: all
+  roles:
+    - ensure-java
+  tasks:
+    - name: Print java version
+      command: java -fullversion
diff --git a/zuul-tests.d/java-jobs.yaml b/zuul-tests.d/java-jobs.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..411bb1b0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zuul-tests.d/java-jobs.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+- job:
+    name: zuul-jobs-test-ensure-java
+    description: Test the ensure-java role
+    files:
+      - roles/ensure-java/.*
+      - test-playbooks/ensure-java.yaml
+    run: test-playbooks/ensure-java.yaml
+
+- project:
+    check:
+      jobs: &id001
+        - zuul-jobs-test-ensure-java
+    gate:
+      jobs: *id001