diff --git a/manifest/manifest.go b/manifest/manifest.go
index 984e0dc..12e4521 100644
--- a/manifest/manifest.go
+++ b/manifest/manifest.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 const DownloadedManifestPrefix = "downloaded-manifest"
 
 type Manifest struct {
+	JVMVersion        int              `json:"jvm_version,omitzero"`
 	Modules           []ManifestModule `json:"modules"`
 	Includes          []string         `json:"includes,omitempty"`
 	DefaultApply      ManifestApply    `json:"default_apply,omitempty"`
diff --git a/project/project.go b/project/project.go
index c07a25c..cf2f9f4 100644
--- a/project/project.go
+++ b/project/project.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type Project struct {
 	Server            Module
 	Modules           []Module
 	AssemblyPlatforms []string
+	JVMVersion        int
 }
 
 type Apply struct {
@@ -276,6 +277,7 @@ func New(config config.Config, manifestFiles []string, options ...projectOption)
 		Server:            server,
 		Modules:           projectModules,
 		AssemblyPlatforms: readManifest.AssemblyPlatforms,
+		JVMVersion:        readManifest.JVMVersion,
 	}
 
 	return project
diff --git a/xmltemplate/xmltemplate.go b/xmltemplate/xmltemplate.go
index 6f95012..ba4a2d2 100644
--- a/xmltemplate/xmltemplate.go
+++ b/xmltemplate/xmltemplate.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ type TemplateInventory struct {
 	Dependencies      []p.Module
 	Assemblies        map[string][]Assembly
 	AssemblyPlatforms []string
+	JVMVersion        int
 }
 
 type Assembly struct {
@@ -75,12 +76,14 @@ func WriteXmlFile(config config.Config, project p.Project, templateFile string,
 		Dependencies:      p.MavenDependencies(project),
 		Assemblies:        mavenAssemblies(project),
 		AssemblyPlatforms: project.AssemblyPlatforms,
+		JVMVersion:        project.JVMVersion,
 	}
 
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 
 	if err := tmpl.Execute(&buf, &inventory); err != nil {
-		logger.Fatal("Unable to execute template: %v", err)
+		logger.Error("Unable to execute template: %v", err)
+		logger.Fatal("Please make sure you are running the latest version. Use the `self-update` command to update the CLI.")
 	}
 
 	if err := os.WriteFile(outputFile, buf.Bytes(), 0644); err != nil {