diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 701322e9..95cfe12e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,17 @@ jobs:
   maven-build:
   ###########################################################
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    continue-on-error: ${{ matrix.experimental }}
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+        - maven_version: mwnw # as defined in .mvn/wrapper/maven-wrapper.properties
+          may_create_release: ${{ github.ref_name == 'main' }}
+          experimental: false
+        - maven_version: 3.6.3 # oldest supported Maven version
+          may_create_release: false
+          experimental: false
 
 
     # https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-jobs/using-concurrency
@@ -108,7 +119,7 @@ jobs:
       with:
         path: |
           ~/.m2/wrapper
-        key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ runner.arch }}-mvn-binary-${{ hashFiles('.mvn/wrapper/maven-wrapper.properties') }}
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ runner.arch }}-mvn-binary-${{ matrix.maven_version }}-${{ hashFiles('.mvn/wrapper/maven-wrapper.properties') }}
 
 
     - name: "Cache: Restore"
@@ -135,9 +146,15 @@ jobs:
          mv -v ~/.m2/repository $RESTORED_REPO_PATH
          echo "RESTORED_REPO_PATH=$RESTORED_REPO_PATH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
+    - name: Set Maven version [${{ matrix.maven_version }}]
+      run: |
+        if [[ "${{ matrix.maven_version }}" != "mvnw" ]]; then
+          chmod u+x mvnw
+          ./mvnw -ntp wrapper:wrapper -Dmaven=${{ matrix.maven_version }}
+        fi
 
     - name: "Test with Maven 🔨"
-      if: ${{ github.ref_name != 'main' || env.ACT }}
+      if: ${{ !matrix.may_create_release || env.ACT }}
       env:
         GITHUB_USER: ${{ github.actor }}
         GITHUB_API_KEY: ${{ github.token }}
@@ -147,7 +164,7 @@ jobs:
 
 
     - name: "Build with Maven 🔨"
-      if: ${{ github.ref_name == 'main' && !env.ACT }}
+      if: ${{ matrix.may_create_release && !env.ACT }}
       env:
         DEPLOY_SNAPSHOTS_TO_GITHUB_BRANCH: true
         GITHUB_USER: ${{ github.actor }}
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 38cda981..832f8c1c 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
    SPDX-ArtifactOfProjectHomePage: https://github.com/vegardit/vegardit-maven-parent
 
    check for new dependency/plugin updates using:
-      mvn -U versions:display-dependency-updates versions:display-plugin-updates
+      mvn -U -ntp versions:display-dependency-updates versions:display-plugin-updates
    plugin announcements: https://blogs.apache.org/maven/
 -->
 <project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 https://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">