diff --git a/org.aspectj.ajdt.core/src/main/java/org/aspectj/tools/ajc/Main.java b/org.aspectj.ajdt.core/src/main/java/org/aspectj/tools/ajc/Main.java
index ff8bfe68d..cf67f1160 100644
--- a/org.aspectj.ajdt.core/src/main/java/org/aspectj/tools/ajc/Main.java
+++ b/org.aspectj.ajdt.core/src/main/java/org/aspectj/tools/ajc/Main.java
@@ -239,13 +239,29 @@ public void setCommand(ICommand command) {
 	 */
 	public void runMain(String[] args, boolean useSystemExit) {
 		final boolean doExit = useSystemExit && !flagInArgs("-noExit", args);
-
+		final boolean verbose = flagInArgs("-verbose", args);
+		
+		IMessageHolder holder = clientHolder;
+		if (null == this.clientHolder) {
+			this.clientHolder = checkForCustomMessageHolder(args);
+		}
+		if (null == holder) {
+			holder = ourHandler;
+			if (verbose) {
+				ourHandler.setInterceptor(MessagePrinter.VERBOSE);
+			} else {
+				ourHandler.ignore(IMessage.INFO);
+				ourHandler.setInterceptor(MessagePrinter.TERSE);
+			}
+		}
 		// This needs to be checked, before any classes using JDT Core classes are used for the first time. Otherwise, users
 		// will see ugly UnsupportedClassVersionError stack traces, which they might or might not interpret correctly.
 		// Therefore, interrupt AJC usage right here, even if it means that not even a usage page can be printed. It is
 		// better to save users from subsequent problems later.
 		if (SourceVersion.latest().ordinal() < MINIMAL_JRE_VERSION) {
 			System.err.println(MINIMAL_JRE_VERSION_ERROR);
+			IMessage minimalJreVersionErrorMessage = new Message(MINIMAL_JRE_VERSION_ERROR, null, true);
+			holder.handleMessage(minimalJreVersionErrorMessage);
 			if (doExit)
 				System.exit(-1);
 			return;
@@ -253,21 +269,7 @@ public void runMain(String[] args, boolean useSystemExit) {
 
 		// Urk - default no check for AJDT, enabled here for Ant, command-line
 		AjBuildManager.enableRuntimeVersionCheck(this);
-		final boolean verbose = flagInArgs("-verbose", args);
 		final boolean timers = flagInArgs("-timers", args);
-		if (null == this.clientHolder) {
-			this.clientHolder = checkForCustomMessageHolder(args);
-		}
-		IMessageHolder holder = clientHolder;
-		if (null == holder) {
-			holder = ourHandler;
-			if (verbose) {
-				ourHandler.setInterceptor(MessagePrinter.VERBOSE);
-			} else {
-				ourHandler.ignore(IMessage.INFO);
-				ourHandler.setInterceptor(MessagePrinter.TERSE);
-			}
-		}
 
 		// make sure we handle out of memory gracefully...
 		try {