diff --git a/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/ClassFileVersion.java b/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/ClassFileVersion.java
index e3d54f2ac8..b72fed9249 100644
--- a/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/ClassFileVersion.java
+++ b/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/ClassFileVersion.java
@@ -212,6 +212,17 @@ public static ClassFileVersion ofMinorMajor(int versionNumber) {
      * @return The appropriate class file version.
      */
     public static ClassFileVersion ofJavaVersionString(String javaVersionString) {
+        return ofJavaVersionString(javaVersionString, OpenedClassReader.EXPERIMENTAL);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the Java class file by its representation by a version string in accordance to the formats known to <i>javac</i>.
+     *
+     * @param javaVersionString The Java version string.
+     * @param experimental      {@code true} if unknown version strings should be parsed as if they were known.
+     * @return The appropriate class file version.
+     */
+    public static ClassFileVersion ofJavaVersionString(String javaVersionString, boolean experimental) {
         if (javaVersionString.equals("1.1")) {
             return JAVA_V1;
         } else if (javaVersionString.equals("1.2")) {
@@ -259,7 +270,7 @@ public static ClassFileVersion ofJavaVersionString(String javaVersionString) {
         } else if (javaVersionString.equals("1.23") || javaVersionString.equals("23")) {
             return JAVA_V23;
         } else {
-            if (OpenedClassReader.EXPERIMENTAL) {
+            if (experimental) {
                 try {
                     int version = Integer.parseInt(javaVersionString.startsWith("1.")
                             ? javaVersionString.substring(2)
@@ -282,6 +293,18 @@ public static ClassFileVersion ofJavaVersionString(String javaVersionString) {
      * @return A wrapper for the given Java class file version.
      */
     public static ClassFileVersion ofJavaVersion(int javaVersion) {
+        return ofJavaVersion(javaVersion, OpenedClassReader.EXPERIMENTAL);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a class file version for a given major release of Java. Currently, all versions reaching from
+     * Java 1 to Java 9 are supported.
+     *
+     * @param javaVersion  The Java version.
+     * @param experimental {@code true} if unknown Java versions should also be considered.
+     * @return A wrapper for the given Java class file version.
+     */
+    public static ClassFileVersion ofJavaVersion(int javaVersion, boolean experimental) {
         switch (javaVersion) {
             case 1:
                 return JAVA_V1;
@@ -330,7 +353,7 @@ public static ClassFileVersion ofJavaVersion(int javaVersion) {
             case 23:
                 return JAVA_V23;
             default:
-                if (OpenedClassReader.EXPERIMENTAL && javaVersion > 0) {
+                if (experimental && javaVersion > 0) {
                     return new ClassFileVersion(BASE_VERSION + javaVersion);
                 } else {
                     throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown Java version: " + javaVersion);
diff --git a/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/utility/AsmClassReader.java b/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/utility/AsmClassReader.java
index 3f1c11d009..cd74d0b4a7 100644
--- a/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/utility/AsmClassReader.java
+++ b/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/utility/AsmClassReader.java
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ interface Factory {
          */
         AsmClassReader make(byte[] binaryRepresentation);
 
+        /**
+         * Creates a class reader for a given class file.
+         *
+         * @param binaryRepresentation The class file's binary representation.
+         * @param experimental         {@code true} if unknown Java class files versions should also be considered.
+         * @return A class reader representation for the supplied class file.
+         */
+        AsmClassReader make(byte[] binaryRepresentation, boolean experimental);
+
         /**
          * A default implementation that creates a pure ASM {@link ClassReader}.
          */
@@ -72,6 +81,13 @@ enum Default implements Factory {
             public AsmClassReader make(byte[] binaryRepresentation) {
                 return new AsmClassReader.Default(OpenedClassReader.of(binaryRepresentation));
             }
+
+            /**
+             * {@inheritDoc}
+             */
+            public AsmClassReader make(byte[] binaryRepresentation, boolean experimental) {
+                return new AsmClassReader.Default(OpenedClassReader.of(binaryRepresentation, experimental));
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/utility/OpenedClassReader.java b/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/utility/OpenedClassReader.java
index eb721ae594..2bf3fdc37d 100644
--- a/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/utility/OpenedClassReader.java
+++ b/byte-buddy-dep/src/main/java/net/bytebuddy/utility/OpenedClassReader.java
@@ -65,6 +65,13 @@ public AsmClassReader make(byte[] binaryRepresentation) {
         return new AsmClassReader.Default(of(binaryRepresentation));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * {@inheritDoc}
+     */
+    public AsmClassReader make(byte[] binaryRepresentation, boolean experimental) {
+        return new AsmClassReader.Default(of(binaryRepresentation, experimental));
+    }
+
     /**
      * A proxy for {@code java.security.AccessController#doPrivileged} that is activated if available.
      *
@@ -77,6 +84,7 @@ private static <T> T doPrivileged(PrivilegedAction<T> action) {
         return action.run();
     }
 
+
     /**
      * Creates a class reader for the given binary representation of a class file.
      *
@@ -84,9 +92,20 @@ private static <T> T doPrivileged(PrivilegedAction<T> action) {
      * @return An appropriate class reader.
      */
     public static ClassReader of(byte[] binaryRepresentation) {
+        return of(binaryRepresentation, EXPERIMENTAL);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a class reader for the given binary representation of a class file.
+     *
+     * @param binaryRepresentation The binary representation of a class file to read.
+     * @param experimental         {@code true} if unknown class file versions should also be processed.
+     * @return An appropriate class reader.
+     */
+    public static ClassReader of(byte[] binaryRepresentation, boolean experimental) {
         ClassFileVersion classFileVersion = ClassFileVersion.ofClassFile(binaryRepresentation), latest = ClassFileVersion.latest();
         if (classFileVersion.isGreaterThan(latest)) {
-            if (EXPERIMENTAL) {
+            if (experimental) {
                 binaryRepresentation[4] = (byte) (latest.getMinorVersion() >>> 8);
                 binaryRepresentation[5] = (byte) latest.getMinorVersion();
                 binaryRepresentation[6] = (byte) (latest.getMajorVersion() >>> 8);