diff --git a/application-local.template b/application-local.template
index 277a68c..a40e2a0 100644
--- a/application-local.template
+++ b/application-local.template
@@ -5,8 +5,15 @@ git.email=
 git.password=
 github.api.url=https://api.github.com
 
+# IO
+
+# Optionally set the JavaHome path used for exeuting maven goals (eg. /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0.jdk/Contents/Home/)
+# If the property does not exist, is empty or points to an invalid directory the OS default JavaHome will be used.
+#io.javaHome=
+
 # Maven
 maven.mavenHome=
+maven.parallelize=true
 
 # Deployment
 deployment.repository-prefix=
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/io/IoProperties.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/io/IoProperties.java
index 3aed34c..6e0eec2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/io/IoProperties.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/io/IoProperties.java
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@ import java.io.File;
 
 import org.springframework.boot.context.properties.ConfigurationProperties;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
+import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
  * @author Oliver Gierke
  * @author Mark Paluch
+ * @author Christoph Strobl
  */
 @Slf4j
 @Data
@@ -37,13 +39,26 @@ class IoProperties {
 
 	public void setWorkDir(String workDir) {
 
-		log.info(String.format("Using %s as working directory!", workDir));
+		log.info(String.format("🔧 Using %s as working directory!", workDir));
 		this.workDir = new File(workDir.replace("~", System.getProperty("user.home")));
 	}
 
 	public void setJavaHome(String javaHome) {
 
-		log.info(String.format("Using %s as Java home!", javaHome));
-		this.workDir = new File(javaHome.replace("~", System.getProperty("user.home")));
+		if (!StringUtils.hasText(javaHome)) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		File javaHomeDir = new File(javaHome.replace("~", System.getProperty("user.home")));
+
+		if (!javaHomeDir.isDirectory()) {
+			log.warn(String.format(
+					"⚠️️ Property 'io.javaHome' does not point to a vaild directory ('%s')! Falling back to os.default.",
+					javaHomeDir.getPath()));
+			return;
+		}
+
+		log.info(String.format("🔧 Setting javaHome to: '%s'.", javaHomeDir.getPath()));
+		this.javaHome = javaHomeDir;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/release/io/IoPropertiesUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/release/io/IoPropertiesUnitTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b7259e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/release/io/IoPropertiesUnitTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.data.release.io;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.*;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.io.TempDir;
+
+/**
+ * @author Christoph Strobl
+ */
+public class IoPropertiesUnitTests {
+
+	@TempDir File tempDir;
+	IoProperties properties;
+
+	@BeforeEach
+	void beforeEach() {
+		properties = new IoProperties();
+	}
+
+	@Test // GH-152
+	void setJavaHomeToDir() {
+
+		properties.setJavaHome(tempDir.getPath());
+
+		assertThat(properties.getJavaHome()).isNotNull().isDirectory();
+	}
+
+	@Test // GH-152
+	void setJavaHomeIgnoresEmptyString() {
+
+		properties.setJavaHome("");
+
+		assertThat(properties.getJavaHome()).isNull();
+	}
+
+	@Test // GH-152
+	void setJavaHomeIgnoresFile() throws IOException {
+
+		File f = new File(tempDir, "java.txt");
+		f.createNewFile();
+
+		properties.setJavaHome(f.getPath());
+
+		assertThat(properties.getJavaHome()).isNull();
+	}
+
+	@Test // GH-152
+	void setJavaHomeIgnoresDirectoryThatDoesNotExist() throws IOException {
+
+		properties.setJavaHome(new File(tempDir, "java-bin").getPath());
+
+		assertThat(properties.getJavaHome()).isNull();
+	}
+}