diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c41be086..37b8b99c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ See `attributes/default.rb` for default values.
 - `node['java']['download_path']` - Location to download and extract the tarball
 - `node['java']['install_flavor']` - Flavor of JVM you would like installed (`oracle`, `oracle_rpm`, `openjdk`, `adoptopenjdk`, `ibm`, `windows`), default `openjdk` on Linux/Unix platforms, `windows` on Windows platforms.
 - `node['java']['install_type']` - Type of Java installation, defauls to jdk, needed for JCE to find the install path of jar's for JDK/JRE installation.
-- `node['java']['jdk_version']` - JDK version to install, defaults to `'6'`.
+- `node['java']['jdk_version']` - JDK version to install, defaults to `'8'`.
 - `node['java']['java_home']` - Default location of the "`$JAVA_HOME`". To configure this attribute for `ibm`, `ibm_tar`, and `oracle_rpm` install flavors, you must use an attribute precedence of `force_default` or higher in your attribute file.
 - `node['java']['set_etc_environment']` - Optionally sets JAVA_HOME in `/etc/environment` for Default `false`.
 - `node['java']['openjdk_packages']` - Array of OpenJDK package names to install in the `java::openjdk` recipe. This is set based on the platform.
diff --git a/libraries/helpers.rb b/libraries/helpers.rb
index cd6b00d9..a843cbc8 100644
--- a/libraries/helpers.rb
+++ b/libraries/helpers.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #
 
 require 'chef/version_constraint'
+require 'chef/util/path_helper'
 require 'uri'
 require 'pathname'
 
@@ -84,5 +85,40 @@ def valid_ibm_jdk_uri?(url)
     def platform_requires_license_acceptance?
       %w(smartos).include?(node['platform'])
     end
+
+    def find_java(java_home=nil, version=nil)
+      # java_home - given JAVA_HOME to check version
+      # version - major JAVA version, e.g. '1.8.0_232' -> 8
+      if node['platform'] == 'windows'
+        existence_check = :exists?
+        which = 'where'
+        java_in_path = java_home ? "#{java_home}\\bin:java.exe" : "java.exe"
+      else
+        existence_check = :executable?
+        which = 'which'
+        java_in_path = java_home ? "#{java_home}/bin/java" : "java"
+      end
+
+      Chef::Log.debug "Using '#{which}' in #{java_in_path} to check the Java binary"
+
+      # check all executables for version
+      shell_out("#{which} #{java_in_path}").stdout.chomp.split(/\n+/).each do |p|
+        p = "\"#{p}\"" if ['windows'].include?(node['platform'])
+        if version
+          if shell_out("#{p} -version").stderr.chomp =~ /^([^ ]+) version "(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(.*)"/m
+            jdk = $1
+            ver = $2
+            rel = $3
+            subver = $4
+            Chef::Log.debug "Found JDK: #{jdk} version #{ver}.#{rel}.#{subver} for node['jdk_version'] = #{version}"
+            return p if version && version == rel
+          end
+        else
+          return p
+        end
+      end
+      false
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/recipes/windows.rb b/recipes/windows.rb
index f472967b..59fda7f9 100644
--- a/recipes/windows.rb
+++ b/recipes/windows.rb
@@ -35,36 +35,6 @@
 uri = ::URI.parse(node['java']['windows']['url'])
 cache_file_path = File.join(node['java']['download_path'], File.basename(::URI.unescape(uri.path)))
 
-if s3_bucket && s3_remote_path
-  aws_s3_file cache_file_path do
-    aws_access_key_id aws_access_key_id
-    aws_secret_access_key aws_secret_access_key
-    aws_session_token aws_session_token
-    checksum pkg_checksum if pkg_checksum
-    bucket s3_bucket
-    remote_path s3_remote_path
-    backup false
-    action :create
-  end
-else
-  ruby_block 'Enable Accessing cookies' do
-    block do
-      cookie_jar = Chef::HTTP::CookieJar
-
-      cookie_jar.instance["#{uri.host}:#{uri.port}"] = 'oraclelicense=accept-securebackup-cookie'
-    end
-
-    only_if { node['java']['oracle']['accept_oracle_download_terms'] }
-  end
-
-  remote_file cache_file_path do
-    checksum pkg_checksum if pkg_checksum
-    source node['java']['windows']['url']
-    backup false
-    action :create
-  end
-end
-
 if node['java'].attribute?('java_home') && !node['java']['java_home'].nil?
   java_home_win = win_friendly_path(node['java']['java_home'])
   additional_options = if node['java']['jdk_version'].to_s == '8'
@@ -96,14 +66,48 @@
   additional_options = "#{additional_options} REMOVEOUTOFDATEJRES=1"
 end
 
-windows_package node['java']['windows']['package_name'] do
-  source cache_file_path
-  checksum node['java']['windows']['checksum']
-  action :install
-  returns node['java']['windows']['returns']
-  installer_type :custom
-  options "/s #{additional_options}"
-  notifies :write, 'log[jdk-version-changed]', :immediately
+# Check if java executable exists
+unless find_java(java_home_win ? java_home_win : java_publicjre_home_win, node['java']['jdk_version'])
+  if s3_bucket && s3_remote_path
+    aws_s3_file cache_file_path do
+      aws_access_key_id aws_access_key_id
+      aws_secret_access_key aws_secret_access_key
+      aws_session_token aws_session_token
+      checksum pkg_checksum if pkg_checksum
+      bucket s3_bucket
+      remote_path s3_remote_path
+      backup false
+      action :create
+    end
+  else
+    ruby_block 'Enable Accessing cookies' do
+      block do
+        cookie_jar = Chef::HTTP::CookieJar
+
+        cookie_jar.instance["#{uri.host}:#{uri.port}"] = 'oraclelicense=accept-securebackup-cookie'
+      end
+
+      only_if { node['java']['oracle']['accept_oracle_download_terms'] }
+    end
+
+    remote_file cache_file_path do
+      checksum pkg_checksum if pkg_checksum
+      source node['java']['windows']['url']
+      backup false
+      action :create
+    end
+  end
+
+
+  windows_package node['java']['windows']['package_name'] do
+    source cache_file_path
+    checksum node['java']['windows']['checksum']
+    action :install
+    returns node['java']['windows']['returns']
+    installer_type :custom
+    options "/s #{additional_options}"
+    notifies :write, 'log[jdk-version-changed]', :immediately
+  end
 end
 
 include_recipe 'java::oracle_jce' if node['java']['oracle']['jce']['enabled']