diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/java-ts-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/java-ts-mode.el
index d31d2d71c3..19b5fab20c 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/java-ts-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/java-ts-mode.el
@@ -145,6 +145,16 @@ java-ts-mode--operators
     "|=" "~" ">>" ">>>" "<<" "::" "?" "&=")
   "Java operators for tree-sitter font-locking.")
 
+(defun java-ts-mode--string-highlight-helper ()
+"Returns, for strings, a query based on what is supported by
+the available version of Tree-sitter for java."  
+  (condition-case nil
+      (progn (treesit-query-capture 'java '((text_block) @font-lock-string-face))
+	     `((string_literal) @font-lock-string-face
+	       (text_block) @font-lock-string-face))
+    (error
+     `((string_literal) @font-lock-string-face))))
+
 (defvar java-ts-mode--font-lock-settings
   (treesit-font-lock-rules
    :language 'java
@@ -182,8 +192,7 @@ java-ts-mode--font-lock-settings
    :language 'java
    :override t
    :feature 'string
-   `((string_literal) @font-lock-string-face
-     (text_block) @font-lock-string-face)
+   (java-ts-mode--string-highlight-helper)
    :language 'java
    :override t
    :feature 'literal