diff --git a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.sh b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.sh
index 0219a65374..eded3cc375 100755
--- a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.sh
+++ b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.sh
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ python3 -m pip install gcp-docuploader
 # compile all packages
 mvn clean install -B -q -DskipTests=true
 
-NAME=google-cloud-spanner
-VERSION=$(grep ${NAME}: versions.txt | cut -d: -f3)
+export NAME=google-cloud-spanner
+export VERSION=$(grep ${NAME}: versions.txt | cut -d: -f3)
 
 # build the docs
 mvn site -B -q
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ python3 -m docuploader upload . \
 
 popd
 
-# V2
+# V2 due to problems w/ the released javadoc plugin doclava, Java 8 is required.  Beware of accidental updates.
+
 mvn clean site -B -q -Ddevsite.template="${KOKORO_GFILE_DIR}/java/"
 
 pushd target/devsite/reference
diff --git a/synth.metadata b/synth.metadata
index bb6f66dfac..a6d96000bc 100644
--- a/synth.metadata
+++ b/synth.metadata
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
       "git": {
         "name": ".",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/java-spanner.git",
-        "sha": "f6a8ba6baff53ededf890e3f22a8e49402c98775"
+        "sha": "d093089bbc37d02b5e66305fab04e02e6a9c3a67"
       }
     },
     {
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
       "git": {
         "name": "synthtool",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/synthtool.git",
-        "sha": "943bb78606d035001123030067dffcc34f4645f2"
+        "sha": "5d11bd2888c38ce1fb6fa6bf25494a4219a73928"
       }
     }
   ],