diff --git a/buildSrc/build.gradle b/buildSrc/build.gradle
index 1943bbd9c1986..132e75bf4e81f 100644
--- a/buildSrc/build.gradle
+++ b/buildSrc/build.gradle
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ dependencies {
   api 'com.netflix.nebula:gradle-info-plugin:7.1.3'
   api 'org.apache.rat:apache-rat:0.11'
   api "org.elasticsearch:jna:5.5.0"
-  api 'com.github.jengelman.gradle.plugins:shadow:5.1.0'
+  api 'com.github.jengelman.gradle.plugins:shadow:6.0.0'
   api 'de.thetaphi:forbiddenapis:3.0'
   api 'com.avast.gradle:gradle-docker-compose-plugin:0.12.1'
   api 'org.apache.maven:maven-model:3.6.2'
diff --git a/distribution/bwc/build.gradle b/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
index 52ff834963f74..eb9ac6cfd3d4f 100644
--- a/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
+++ b/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ BuildParams.bwcVersions.forPreviousUnreleased { BwcVersions.UnreleasedVersionInf
       createBuildBwcTask(projectName, "${baseDir}/${projectName}", projectArtifact)
     }
 
+    // Create build tasks for the JDBC driver used for compatibility testing
+    String jdbcProjectDir = 'x-pack/plugin/sql/jdbc'
+    File jdbcProjectArtifact = file("${checkoutDir}/${jdbcProjectDir}/build/distributions/x-pack-sql-jdbc-${bwcVersion}-SNAPSHOT.jar")
+    createBuildBwcTask('jdbc', jdbcProjectDir, jdbcProjectArtifact)
+
     createRunBwcGradleTask("resolveAllBwcDependencies") {
       args 'resolveAllDependencies'
     }
diff --git a/gradle/bwc-test.gradle b/gradle/bwc-test.gradle
index a6de8906ce30b..1b546d5231346 100644
--- a/gradle/bwc-test.gradle
+++ b/gradle/bwc-test.gradle
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ tasks.named("check").configure {
   dependsOn(bwcTestSnapshots)
 }
 
-test.enabled = false
+tasks.findByName("test")?.enabled = false
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/sql/jdbc/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/sql/jdbc/build.gradle
index 3677cd7d5bd0c..19c1adf4ee43c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/sql/jdbc/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/sql/jdbc/build.gradle
@@ -35,10 +35,19 @@ tasks.named("dependencyLicenses").configure {
 }
 
 shadowJar {
-  relocate 'com.fasterxml', 'org.elasticsearch.fasterxml'
+  relocate 'com.fasterxml', 'shadow.fasterxml'
+  relocate('org.elasticsearch', 'shadow.org.elasticsearch') {
+    // Don't relocate the JDBC driver classes themselves as that's (mostly) public API
+    exclude 'org.elasticsearch.xpack.sql.jdbc.*'
+  }
 }
 
 thirdPartyAudit.ignoreMissingClasses(
   'com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper',
   'com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.cfg.MapperBuilder'
 )
+
+tasks.named("test").configure {
+  // reset the unit test classpath as using the shadow jar won't work due to relocated packages
+  classpath = sourceSets.test.runtimeClasspath
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/build.gradle
index 9808d8ad5365a..ce231ff1a398d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/build.gradle
@@ -1,61 +1,103 @@
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.BwcVersions.UnreleasedVersionInfo
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.Version
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.VersionProperties
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.info.BuildParams
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.test.RestIntegTestTask
+
 description = 'Integration tests for SQL JDBC driver'
-apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.build'
+apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.java'
 
 // Avoid circular dependency
-group = "org.elasticsearch.x-pack.qa.sql.jdbc"
+group = 'org.elasticsearch.x-pack.qa.sql.jdbc'
 
 dependencies {
-    api project(":test:framework")
+  api project(':test:framework')
+  implementation xpackProject('plugin:sql:sql-proto')
 
-    // JDBC testing dependencies
-    api project(path: xpackModule('sql:jdbc'))
+  // Actual tests will use the shadow jar
+  compileOnly(project(path: xpackModule('sql:jdbc'))) {
+    // Since dependencies will be relocated in the shadow jar, don't attempt to compile against them
+    transitive = false
+  }
 }
 
-/* disable unit tests because these are all integration tests used
- * other qa projects. */
+// disable unit tests because these are all integration tests used other qa projects
 test.enabled = false
 
-tasks.named("dependencyLicenses").configure { it.enabled = false }
-dependenciesInfo.enabled = false
+subprojects {
+  if (subprojects.isEmpty()) {
+    // leaf project
+    apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.standalone-rest-test'
+    apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/bwc-test.gradle"
+  } else {
+    apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.java'
+  }
 
-// the main files are actually test files, so use the appropriate forbidden api sigs
-tasks.named('forbiddenApisMain').configure {
-    replaceSignatureFiles 'es-all-signatures', 'es-test-signatures'
-}
+  repositories {
+    maven {
+      // Repository for downloading BWC compatible JDBC driver releases
+      url = 'https://artifacts.elastic.co/maven'
+    }
+  }
 
-// just a test fixture: we aren't using this jars in releases and H2GIS requires disabling a lot of checks
-thirdPartyAudit.enabled = false
+  configurations {
+    jdbcDriver
+  }
 
-subprojects {
-    if (subprojects.isEmpty()) {
-        // leaf project
-        apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.standalone-rest-test'
-    } else {
-        apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.build'
-    }
+  dependencies {
+    testImplementation(xpackProject('plugin:sql:qa:jdbc'))
 
-    dependencies {
-        /* Since we're a standalone rest test we actually get transitive
-         * dependencies but we don't really want them because they cause
-         * all kinds of trouble with the jar hell checks. So we suppress
-         * them explicitly for non-es projects. */
-        testImplementation(xpackProject('plugin:sql:qa:jdbc')) {
-            transitive = false
-        }
-        testImplementation project(":test:framework")
+    // We use the shadowjar for testing since that's the actual artifact we deliver to users
+    testCompileOnly project(path: xpackModule('sql:jdbc'), configuration: 'shadow')
+    jdbcDriver project(path: xpackModule('sql:jdbc'), configuration: 'shadow')
+  }
 
-        testRuntimeOnly project(path: xpackModule('sql:jdbc'))
+  if (project.name != 'security') {
+    // The security project just configures its subprojects
+    apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.testclusters'
+    apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.rest-test'
+
+    testClusters.all {
+      testDistribution = 'DEFAULT'
+      setting 'xpack.ml.enabled', 'false'
+      setting 'xpack.watcher.enabled', 'false'
+    }
+
+    integTest {
+      runner {
+        classpath += configurations.jdbcDriver
+        systemProperty 'jdbc.driver.version', VersionProperties.elasticsearch
+      }
     }
 
-    if (project.name != 'security') {
-        // The security project just configures its subprojects
-        apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.testclusters'
-        apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.rest-test'
+    // Configure compatibility testing tasks
+    for (Version bwcVersion : BuildParams.bwcVersions.indexCompatible) {
+      // Compatibility testing for JDBC driver started with version 7.9.0
+      if (bwcVersion.onOrAfter(Version.fromString("7.9.0")) && (bwcVersion.equals(VersionProperties.elasticsearchVersion) == false)) {
+        String baseName = "v${bwcVersion}"
+        UnreleasedVersionInfo unreleasedVersion = BuildParams.bwcVersions.unreleasedInfo(bwcVersion)
+        Configuration driverConfiguration = configurations.create("jdbcDriver${baseName}")
+        Object driverDependency = null
+
+        if (unreleasedVersion) {
+          // For unreleased snapshot versions, build them from source
+          driverDependency = files(project(unreleasedVersion.gradleProjectPath).tasks.named('buildBwcJdbc'))
+        } else {
+          // For released versions, download it
+          driverDependency = "org.elasticsearch.plugin:x-pack-sql-jdbc:${bwcVersion}"
+        }
+
+        dependencies {
+          "jdbcDriver${baseName}"(driverDependency)
+        }
 
-        testClusters.integTest {
-            testDistribution = 'DEFAULT'
-            setting 'xpack.ml.enabled', 'false'
-            setting 'xpack.watcher.enabled', 'false'
+        tasks.create(bwcTaskName(bwcVersion), RestIntegTestTask) {
+          runner {
+            classpath += driverConfiguration
+            systemProperty 'jdbc.driver.version', bwcVersion.toString()
+          }
         }
+      }
     }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/multi-node/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/multi-node/build.gradle
index 4929fdffaee5f..24d23b31f7c96 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/multi-node/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/multi-node/build.gradle
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 description = 'Run SQL JDBC tests against multiple nodes'
 
-testClusters.integTest {
-    numberOfNodes = 2
-    setting 'xpack.security.enabled', 'false'
-    setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
+testClusters.all {
+  numberOfNodes = 2
+  setting 'xpack.security.enabled', 'false'
+  setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/no-sql/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/no-sql/build.gradle
index a8c24dc974f9b..08a706b85e1f4 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/no-sql/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/no-sql/build.gradle
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-testClusters.integTest {
-    setting 'xpack.security.enabled', 'false'
-    setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
+testClusters.all {
+  setting 'xpack.security.enabled', 'false'
+  setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/build.gradle
index 16230b2434def..ddd688727964c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/build.gradle
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.RestTestRunnerTask
+
 dependencies {
-    testImplementation project(':x-pack:plugin:core')
+  testImplementation project(':x-pack:plugin:core')
 }
 
 Project mainProject = project
@@ -7,55 +9,53 @@ Project mainProject = project
 configurations.create('testArtifacts')
 
 TaskProvider testJar = tasks.register("testJar", Jar) {
-    appendix 'test'
-    from sourceSets.test.output
+  appendix 'test'
+  from sourceSets.test.output
 }
 
 artifacts {
-    testArtifacts testJar
+  testArtifacts testJar
 }
 
-// Tests are pushed down to subprojects and will be checked there.
-testingConventions.enabled = false
-
 subprojects {
-    // Use tests from the root security qa project in subprojects
-    configurations.create('testArtifacts')
-
-    dependencies {
-        testImplementation project(":x-pack:plugin:core")
-        testArtifacts project(path: mainProject.path, configuration: 'testArtifacts')
-    }
-
-    testClusters.integTest {
-        testDistribution = 'DEFAULT'
-        // Setup auditing so we can use it in some tests
-        setting 'xpack.security.audit.enabled', 'true'
-        setting 'xpack.security.enabled', 'true'
-        setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
-        // Setup roles used by tests
-        extraConfigFile 'roles.yml', mainProject.file('roles.yml')
-        /* Setup the one admin user that we run the tests as.
-         * Tests use "run as" to get different users. */
-        user username: "test_admin", password: "x-pack-test-password"
-    }
-
-    File testArtifactsDir = project.file("$buildDir/testArtifacts")
-    TaskProvider copyTestClasses = tasks.register("copyTestClasses", Copy) {
-        dependsOn configurations.testArtifacts
-        from { zipTree(configurations.testArtifacts.singleFile) }
-        into testArtifactsDir
-    }
-
-    integTest.runner {
-        dependsOn copyTestClasses
-        testClassesDirs += project.files(testArtifactsDir)
-        classpath += configurations.testArtifacts
-        nonInputProperties.systemProperty 'tests.audit.logfile',
-                "${-> testClusters.integTest.singleNode().getAuditLog()}"
-        nonInputProperties.systemProperty 'tests.audit.yesterday.logfile',
-                "${-> testClusters.integTest.singleNode().getAuditLog().getParentFile()}/integTest_audit-${new Date().format('yyyy-MM-dd')}.json"
-    }
-
-    testingConventions.enabled = false
+  // Use tests from the root security qa project in subprojects
+  configurations.create('testArtifacts')
+
+  dependencies {
+    testImplementation project(":x-pack:plugin:core")
+    testArtifacts project(path: mainProject.path, configuration: 'testArtifacts')
+  }
+
+  testClusters.all {
+    testDistribution = 'DEFAULT'
+    // Setup auditing so we can use it in some tests
+    setting 'xpack.security.audit.enabled', 'true'
+    setting 'xpack.security.enabled', 'true'
+    setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
+    // Setup roles used by tests
+    extraConfigFile 'roles.yml', mainProject.file('roles.yml')
+    /* Setup the one admin user that we run the tests as.
+     * Tests use "run as" to get different users. */
+    user username: "test_admin", password: "x-pack-test-password"
+  }
+
+  File testArtifactsDir = project.file("$buildDir/testArtifacts")
+  TaskProvider copyTestClasses = tasks.register("copyTestClasses", Copy) {
+    dependsOn configurations.testArtifacts
+    from { zipTree(configurations.testArtifacts.singleFile) }
+    into testArtifactsDir
+  }
+
+
+  tasks.withType(RestTestRunnerTask).configureEach {
+    dependsOn copyTestClasses
+    testClassesDirs += project.files(testArtifactsDir)
+    classpath += configurations.testArtifacts
+    nonInputProperties.systemProperty 'tests.audit.logfile',
+      "${-> testClusters.integTest.singleNode().getAuditLog()}"
+    nonInputProperties.systemProperty 'tests.audit.yesterday.logfile',
+      "${-> testClusters.integTest.singleNode().getAuditLog().getParentFile()}/integTest_audit-${new Date().format('yyyy-MM-dd')}.json"
+  }
+
+  testingConventions.enabled = false
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/with-ssl/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/with-ssl/build.gradle
index bf584e78c31fe..aa349e4e3c63a 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/with-ssl/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/with-ssl/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.test-with-ssl'
 
-testClusters.integTest {
+testClusters.all {
   // The setup that we actually want
   setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
   setting 'xpack.security.http.ssl.enabled', 'true'
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/without-ssl/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/without-ssl/build.gradle
index 9639b809f4671..a80b52bd77a80 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/without-ssl/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/security/without-ssl/build.gradle
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
-integTest.runner {
-    systemProperty 'tests.ssl.enabled', 'false'
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.RestTestRunnerTask
+
+tasks.withType(RestTestRunnerTask).configureEach {
+  systemProperty 'tests.ssl.enabled', 'false'
 }
 
-testClusters.integTest {
-    setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
+testClusters.all {
+  setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/single-node/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/single-node/build.gradle
index a8c24dc974f9b..4222575cd94a7 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/single-node/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/sql/qa/jdbc/single-node/build.gradle
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-testClusters.integTest {
+testClusters.all {
     setting 'xpack.security.enabled', 'false'
     setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
 }