diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 3d9b9698a58b3..1719f70367bbc 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@ task verifyVersions {
  * after the backport of the backcompat code is complete.
  */
 
-boolean bwc_tests_enabled = false
-final String bwc_tests_disabled_issue = "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/45780" /* place a PR link here when committing bwc changes */
+boolean bwc_tests_enabled = true
+final String bwc_tests_disabled_issue = "" /* place a PR link here when committing bwc changes */
 if (bwc_tests_enabled == false) {
   if (bwc_tests_disabled_issue.isEmpty()) {
     throw new GradleException("bwc_tests_disabled_issue must be set when bwc_tests_enabled == false")
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/repositories/cleanup/TransportCleanupRepositoryAction.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/repositories/cleanup/TransportCleanupRepositoryAction.java
index f234a9e064ae5..4e51334360080 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/repositories/cleanup/TransportCleanupRepositoryAction.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/repositories/cleanup/TransportCleanupRepositoryAction.java
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public final class TransportCleanupRepositoryAction extends TransportMasterNodeA
 
     private static final Logger logger = LogManager.getLogger(TransportCleanupRepositoryAction.class);
 
-    private static final Version MIN_VERSION = Version.V_8_0_0;
+    private static final Version MIN_VERSION = Version.V_7_4_0;
 
     private final RepositoriesService repositoriesService;
 
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/RepositoryCleanupInProgress.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/RepositoryCleanupInProgress.java
index 9dfd5284fd8c7..a8cb897f0d369 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/RepositoryCleanupInProgress.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/RepositoryCleanupInProgress.java
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public String toString() {
 
     @Override
     public Version getMinimalSupportedVersion() {
-        return Version.V_8_0_0;
+        return Version.V_7_4_0;
     }
 
     public static final class Entry implements Writeable {