diff --git a/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/resources/JavaSpring/apiController.mustache b/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/resources/JavaSpring/apiController.mustache
index 0b9e652937e..c383e4da80b 100644
--- a/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/resources/JavaSpring/apiController.mustache
+++ b/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/resources/JavaSpring/apiController.mustache
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 @RequestMapping("${openapi.<%title%>.base-path:<%>defaultBasePath%>}")
 <%={{ }}=%>
 {{#operations}}
-public class {{classname}}Controller implements {{classname}} {
+public {{^jdk8-default-interface}}abstract {{/jdk8-default-interface}}class {{classname}}Controller implements {{classname}} {
 {{#isDelegate}}
 
     private final {{classname}}Delegate delegate;