diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 292a912..635759c 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ subprojects {
     }
 
     compileJava {
-        sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
-        targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
+        sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_11
+        targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_11
     }
 
     compileTestJava {
-        sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
-        targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
+        sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_11
+        targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_11
     }
 
     tasks.withType(JavaCompile) {
diff --git a/elx-api/build.gradle b/elx-api/build.gradle
index 21f7734..47e0f09 100644
--- a/elx-api/build.gradle
+++ b/elx-api/build.gradle
@@ -17,4 +17,6 @@ dependencies {
     compile "com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-cbor:${project.property('jackson.version')}"
     // not used, but maybe in other projects
     compile "com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-yaml:${project.property('jackson.version')}"
+    // lift guava
+    compile "com.google.guava:guava:${project.property('guava.version')}"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractExtendedClient.java b/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractExtendedClient.java
index de16805..dea431c 100644
--- a/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractExtendedClient.java
+++ b/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractExtendedClient.java
@@ -547,10 +547,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractExtendedClient implements ExtendedClient {
 
     @Override
     public String resolveMostRecentIndex(String alias) {
-        ensureActive();
         if (alias == null) {
             return null;
         }
+        ensureActive();
         GetAliasesRequest getAliasesRequest = new GetAliasesRequest().aliases(alias);
         GetAliasesResponse getAliasesResponse = client.execute(GetAliasesAction.INSTANCE, getAliasesRequest).actionGet();
         Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile("^(.*?)(\\d+)$");
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index f941f54..519fda6 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1,20 +1,22 @@
 group = org.xbib
 name = elx
-version = 2.2.1.10
+version = 2.2.1.11
 
+# main
 xbib-metrics.version = 1.2.0
 xbib-guice.version = 4.0.4
-xbib-netty-http.version = 4.1.36.7
-
+guava.version = 28.0-jre
+xbib-netty-http.version = 4.1.38.3
 elasticsearch.version = 2.2.1
-jackson.version = 2.6.7
+#jackson.version = 2.6.7
+jackson.version = 2.9.9
 jna.version = 4.5.2
-log4j.version = 2.11.1
+log4j.version = 2.12.0
 mustache.version = 0.9.5
 jts.version = 1.13
 
 # test
-junit.version = 5.4.2
+junit.version = 5.5.1
 
 # docs
 asciidoclet.version = 1.5.4