diff --git a/lib/red_storm/simple_topology.rb b/lib/red_storm/simple_topology.rb
index b4e31af..a228c88 100644
--- a/lib/red_storm/simple_topology.rb
+++ b/lib/red_storm/simple_topology.rb
@@ -121,7 +121,10 @@ module RedStorm
         bolt.define_grouping(declarer)
       end
 
-      configurator = Configurator.new
+      # set the JRuby compatibility mode option for Storm workers, default to current JRuby mode
+      defaults = {"topology.worker.childopts" => "-Djruby.compat.version=#{RedStorm.jruby_mode_token}"}
+
+      configurator = Configurator.new(defaults)
       configurator.instance_exec(env, &self.class.configure_block)
  
       submitter = (env == :local) ? @cluster = LocalCluster.new : StormSubmitter
diff --git a/spec/red_storm/simple_topology_spec.rb b/spec/red_storm/simple_topology_spec.rb
index c91fae0..f540179 100644
--- a/spec/red_storm/simple_topology_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/red_storm/simple_topology_spec.rb
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ describe RedStorm::SimpleTopology do
       Backtype::Config.should_receive(:new).and_return(config)
       config.should_receive(:setDebug).with(true)
       config.should_receive(:setMaxTaskParallelism).with(3)
+      config.should_receive(:put).with("topology.worker.childopts", "-Djruby.compat.version=#{RedStorm.jruby_mode_token}")
 
       builder = mock(RedStorm::TopologyBuilder)
       RedStorm::TopologyBuilder.should_receive(:new).and_return(builder)