diff --git a/BUILD b/BUILD
index 3bbe99f..c95d53d 100644
--- a/BUILD
+++ b/BUILD
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@
     srcs = [
         "//src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules:builtins_bzl.zip",
         "//src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/cpp:cc_configure.WORKSPACE",
+        "//src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java:jdk.WORKSPACE",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index 88c85c5..25664a5 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -158,8 +158,6 @@
         "bazel-skylib-1.0.3.tar.gz",
         # bazelbuild/platforms
         "platforms-0.0.2.tar.gz",
-        # bazelbuild/rules_java
-        "7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
         # bazelbuild/bazel-toolchains
         "bazel-toolchains-3.1.0.tar.gz",
         # bazelbuild/rules_proto
@@ -193,8 +191,6 @@
         "bazel-skylib-1.0.3.tar.gz": "1c531376ac7e5a180e0237938a2536de0c54d93f5c278634818e0efc952dd56c",
         # bazelbuild/platforms
         "platforms-0.0.2.tar.gz": "48a2d8d343863989c232843e01afc8a986eb8738766bfd8611420a7db8f6f0c3",
-        # bazelbuild/rules_java
-        "7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip": "bc81f1ba47ef5cc68ad32225c3d0e70b8c6f6077663835438da8d5733f917598",
         # bazelbuild/bazel-toolchains
         "bazel-toolchains-3.1.0.tar.gz": "726b5423e1c7a3866a3a6d68e7123b4a955e9fcbe912a51e0f737e6dab1d0af2",
         # bazelbuild/rules_proto
@@ -249,11 +245,6 @@
             "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/platforms/releases/download/0.0.2/platforms-0.0.2.tar.gz",
             "https://github.com/bazelbuild/platforms/releases/download/0.0.2/platforms-0.0.2.tar.gz",
         ],
-        # bazelbuild/rules_java
-        "7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip": [
-            "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-            "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-        ],
         # bazelbuild/bazel-toolchains
         "bazel-toolchains-3.1.0.tar.gz": [
             "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-toolchains/releases/download/3.1.0/bazel-toolchains-3.1.0.tar.gz",
@@ -480,16 +471,10 @@
     patch_cmds_win = EXPORT_WORKSPACE_IN_BUILD_FILE_WIN,
 )
 
-http_archive(
+dist_http_archive(
     name = "rules_java",
     patch_cmds = EXPORT_WORKSPACE_IN_BUILD_FILE,
     patch_cmds_win = EXPORT_WORKSPACE_IN_BUILD_FILE_WIN,
-    sha256 = "bc81f1ba47ef5cc68ad32225c3d0e70b8c6f6077663835438da8d5733f917598",
-    strip_prefix = "rules_java-7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178",
-    urls = [
-        "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-        "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-    ],
 )
 
 http_archive(
@@ -524,8 +509,6 @@
         "bazel-skylib-1.0.3.tar.gz",
         # bazelbuild/platforms
         "platforms-0.0.2.tar.gz",
-        # bazelbuild/rules_java
-        "7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
         # bazelbuild/rules_proto
         "7e4afce6fe62dbff0a4a03450143146f9f2d7488.tar.gz",
         # protocolbuffers/protobuf
@@ -558,8 +541,6 @@
         "bazel-skylib-1.0.3.tar.gz": "1c531376ac7e5a180e0237938a2536de0c54d93f5c278634818e0efc952dd56c",
         # bazelbuild/platforms
         "platforms-0.0.2.tar.gz": "48a2d8d343863989c232843e01afc8a986eb8738766bfd8611420a7db8f6f0c3",
-        # bazelbuild/rules_java
-        "7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip": "bc81f1ba47ef5cc68ad32225c3d0e70b8c6f6077663835438da8d5733f917598",
         # bazelbuild/rules_proto
         "7e4afce6fe62dbff0a4a03450143146f9f2d7488.tar.gz": "8e7d59a5b12b233be5652e3d29f42fba01c7cbab09f6b3a8d0a57ed6d1e9a0da",
         # protocolbuffers/protobuf
@@ -598,11 +579,6 @@
             "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/platforms/releases/download/0.0.2/platforms-0.0.2.tar.gz",
             "https://github.com/bazelbuild/platforms/releases/download/0.0.2/platforms-0.0.2.tar.gz",
         ],
-        # bazelbuild/rules_java
-        "7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip": [
-            "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-            "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-        ],
         # bazelbuild/rules_proto
         "7e4afce6fe62dbff0a4a03450143146f9f2d7488.tar.gz": [
             "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_proto/archive/7e4afce6fe62dbff0a4a03450143146f9f2d7488.tar.gz",
diff --git a/distdir_deps.bzl b/distdir_deps.bzl
index 1c3d899..05f9dca 100644
--- a/distdir_deps.bzl
+++ b/distdir_deps.bzl
@@ -33,6 +33,21 @@
         ],
         "need_in_test_WORKSPACE": True,
     },
+    "rules_java": {
+        "archive": "7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
+        "sha256": "bc81f1ba47ef5cc68ad32225c3d0e70b8c6f6077663835438da8d5733f917598",
+        "strip_prefix": "rules_java-7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178",
+        "urls": [
+            "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
+            "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
+        ],
+        "used_in": [
+            "additional_distfiles",
+            "test_WORKSPACE_files",
+        ],
+        "need_in_test_WORKSPACE": True,
+    },
+
     ########################################
     #
     # Build time dependencies
@@ -71,7 +86,8 @@
     if ctx.attr.template and (ctx.attr.preamble or ctx.attr.postamble):
         fail("Can not use template with either preamble or postamble")
 
-    repo_clause = """
+    if ctx.attr.use_maybe:
+        repo_clause = """
 maybe(
     http_archive,
     "{repo}",
@@ -80,6 +96,16 @@
     urls = {urls},
 )
 """
+    else:
+        repo_clause = """
+http_archive(
+    name = "{repo}",
+    sha256 = "{sha256}",
+    strip_prefix = {strip_prefix},
+    urls = {urls},
+)
+"""
+
     repo_stanzas = {}
     for repo in ctx.attr.repos:
         info = DIST_DEPS[repo]
@@ -116,6 +142,8 @@
 
 gen_workspace_stanza = rule(
     implementation = _gen_workspace_stanza_impl,
+    doc = "Use specifications from DIST_DEPS to generate WORKSPACE http_archive stanzas or to fill" +
+          "drop them into a template.",
     attrs = {
         "repos": attr.string_list(doc = "Set of repos to inlcude"),
         "out": attr.output(mandatory = True),
@@ -127,5 +155,6 @@
             allow_single_file = True,
             mandatory = False,
         ),
+        "use_maybe": attr.bool(doc = "Use maybe() invocation instead of http_archive"),
     },
 )
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/BUILD b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/BUILD
index 2532a41..266d840 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/BUILD
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/BUILD
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 load("@rules_java//java:defs.bzl", "java_library")
+load("//:distdir_deps.bzl", "gen_workspace_stanza")
 
 package(
     default_visibility = ["//src:__subpackages__"],
@@ -21,9 +22,10 @@
     resources = glob(
         [
             "*.txt",
-            "*.WORKSPACE",
         ],
-    ),
+    ) + [
+        ":jdk.WORKSPACE",
+    ],
     deps = [
         ":bazel_java_semantics",
         "//src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis:analysis_cluster",
@@ -71,3 +73,15 @@
         "//third_party:jsr305",
     ],
 )
+
+gen_workspace_stanza(
+    name = "workspace_with_rules_java",
+    out = "jdk.WORKSPACE",
+    repos = [
+        "rules_cc",
+        "rules_java",
+    ],
+    template = "jdk.WORKSPACE.tmpl",
+    use_maybe = True,
+    visibility = ["//:__pkg__"],
+)
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/jdk.WORKSPACE b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/jdk.WORKSPACE.tmpl
similarity index 91%
rename from src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/jdk.WORKSPACE
rename to src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/jdk.WORKSPACE.tmpl
index 727433f..5ca4c69 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/jdk.WORKSPACE
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/rules/java/jdk.WORKSPACE.tmpl
@@ -254,28 +254,10 @@
     ],
 )
 
-maybe(
-    http_archive,
-    "rules_java",
-    sha256 = "bc81f1ba47ef5cc68ad32225c3d0e70b8c6f6077663835438da8d5733f917598",
-    strip_prefix = "rules_java-7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178",
-    urls = [
-        "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-        "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-    ],
-)
+{rules_java}
 
 # Needed only because of java_tools.
-maybe(
-    http_archive,
-    "rules_cc",
-    sha256 = "d0c573b94a6ef20ef6ff20154a23d0efcb409fb0e1ff0979cec318dfe42f0cdd",
-    strip_prefix = "rules_cc-b1c40e1de81913a3c40e5948f78719c28152486d",
-    urls = [
-        "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_cc/archive/b1c40e1de81913a3c40e5948f78719c28152486d.zip",
-        "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_cc/archive/b1c40e1de81913a3c40e5948f78719c28152486d.zip",
-    ],
-)
+{rules_cc}
 
 # Needed only because of java_tools.
 maybe(
diff --git a/src/test/shell/BUILD b/src/test/shell/BUILD
index c6b2693..49155df 100644
--- a/src/test/shell/BUILD
+++ b/src/test/shell/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+load("//:distdir_deps.bzl", "gen_workspace_stanza")
 load("//tools/python:private/defs.bzl", "py_test")
 
 package(default_visibility = ["//visibility:private"])
@@ -6,7 +7,6 @@
     "bin/bazel",
     "bin/bazel_jdk_minimal",
     "bin/bazel_nojdk",
-    "testenv.sh",
     "integration_test_setup.sh",
     "sandboxing_test_utils.sh",
     "unittest.bash",
@@ -22,13 +22,24 @@
     visibility = ["//src:__pkg__"],
 )
 
+gen_workspace_stanza(
+    name = "testenv_sh",
+    out = "testenv.sh",
+    repos = [
+        "rules_cc",
+        "rules_java",
+    ],
+    template = "testenv.sh.tmpl",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
+
 sh_library(
     name = "bashunit",
     srcs = [
         "unittest.bash",
         "unittest_utils.sh",
     ],
-    data = ["testenv.sh"],
+    data = [":testenv.sh"],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
@@ -59,9 +70,9 @@
     name = "shell_utils_test",
     srcs = ["shell_utils_test.sh"],
     data = [
-        "testenv.sh",
         ":bashunit",
         ":shell_utils",
+        ":testenv.sh",
         "@bazel_tools//tools/bash/runfiles",
     ],
 )
@@ -70,9 +81,9 @@
     name = "shell_utils_symlinks_test",
     srcs = ["shell_utils_symlinks_test.sh"],
     data = [
-        "testenv.sh",
         ":bashunit",
         ":shell_utils",
+        ":testenv.sh",
         "@bazel_tools//tools/bash/runfiles",
     ],
     tags = [
diff --git a/src/test/shell/bazel/external_integration_test.sh b/src/test/shell/bazel/external_integration_test.sh
index 341d413..729921b 100755
--- a/src/test/shell/bazel/external_integration_test.sh
+++ b/src/test/shell/bazel/external_integration_test.sh
@@ -2385,7 +2385,7 @@
   # Also verify that the repository class and its definition is reported, to
   # help finding out where the implict dependency comes from.
   expect_log "Repository data instantiated at:"
-  expect_log ".../WORKSPACE:47"
+  expect_log ".../WORKSPACE:[0-9]*"
   expect_log "Repository rule data_repo defined at:"
   expect_log ".../withimplicit.bzl:6"
 }
diff --git a/src/test/shell/testenv.sh b/src/test/shell/testenv.sh.tmpl
similarity index 96%
rename from src/test/shell/testenv.sh
rename to src/test/shell/testenv.sh.tmpl
index 4319af3..4a546ed 100755
--- a/src/test/shell/testenv.sh
+++ b/src/test/shell/testenv.sh.tmpl
@@ -526,15 +526,7 @@
   cat >> "$1"<<EOF
 load("@bazel_tools//tools/build_defs/repo:http.bzl", "http_archive")
 
-http_archive(
-    name = "rules_cc",
-    sha256 = "1d4dbbd1e1e9b57d40bb0ade51c9e882da7658d5bfbf22bbd15b68e7879d761f",
-    strip_prefix = "rules_cc-8bd6cd75d03c01bb82561a96d9c1f9f7157b13d0",
-    urls = [
-        "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_cc/archive/8bd6cd75d03c01bb82561a96d9c1f9f7157b13d0.zip",
-        "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_cc/archive/8bd6cd75d03c01bb82561a96d9c1f9f7157b13d0.zip",
-    ],
-)
+{rules_cc}
 EOF
 }
 
@@ -542,15 +534,7 @@
   cat >> "$1"<<EOF
 load("@bazel_tools//tools/build_defs/repo:http.bzl", "http_archive")
 
-http_archive(
-    name = "rules_java",
-    sha256 = "bc81f1ba47ef5cc68ad32225c3d0e70b8c6f6077663835438da8d5733f917598",
-    strip_prefix = "rules_java-7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178",
-    urls = [
-        "https://mirror.bazel.build/github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-        "https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_java/archive/7cf3cefd652008d0a64a419c34c13bdca6c8f178.zip",
-    ],
-)
+{rules_java}
 EOF
 }