diff --git a/ebean-querybean/src/test/resources/application-test.properties b/ebean-querybean/src/test/resources/application-test.properties
index 2cb5bb2c7..fef41029d 100644
--- a/ebean-querybean/src/test/resources/application-test.properties
+++ b/ebean-querybean/src/test/resources/application-test.properties
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ datasource.default=h2
 
 datasource.h2.username=sa
 datasource.h2.password=
-datasource.h2.url=jdbc:h2:mem:tests
+datasource.h2.url=jdbc:h2:mem:tests;NON_KEYWORDS=KEY
 
 datasource.pg.username=sa
 datasource.pg.password=
-datasource.pg.url=jdbc:h2:mem:tests
+datasource.pg.url=jdbc:h2:mem:tests;NON_KEYWORDS=KEY
diff --git a/ebean-test/src/main/java/io/ebean/test/config/AutoConfigureForTesting.java b/ebean-test/src/main/java/io/ebean/test/config/AutoConfigureForTesting.java
index 8cd4f6395..5366597a1 100644
--- a/ebean-test/src/main/java/io/ebean/test/config/AutoConfigureForTesting.java
+++ b/ebean-test/src/main/java/io/ebean/test/config/AutoConfigureForTesting.java
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import java.util.Properties;
 
+import javax.sql.DataSource;
+
 /**
  * Automatically configure ServerConfig for testing purposes.
  * <p>
@@ -47,6 +49,29 @@ public class AutoConfigureForTesting implements AutoConfigure {
   @Override
   public void postConfigure(DatabaseConfig config) {
     setupProviders(config);
+    
+    if (org.h2.engine.Constants.VERSION_MAJOR == 1) {
+      // This code may be removed later, when droppinv H2 1.xxx compatibility
+      System.err.println("Running tests in H2 1.xxx compatibility mode");
+      System.setProperty("ebean.h2.useV1Syntax", "true");
+      makeV1Compatible(config.getDataSourceConfig());
+      makeV1Compatible(config.getReadOnlyDataSourceConfig());
+    }
+  }
+
+  private void makeV1Compatible(DataSourceConfig ds) {
+    if (ds == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+    String url = ds.getUrl();
+    if (url == null || !url.startsWith("jdbc:h2:")) {
+      return;
+    }
+    // remove illegal URL options
+    url = url.replace(";MODE=LEGACY", "");
+    url = url.replace(";NON_KEYWORDS=KEY,VALUE", "");
+    url = url.replace(";NON_KEYWORDS=KEY", "");
+    ds.setUrl(url);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/ebean-test/src/test/java/io/ebean/config/PlatformNoGeneratedKeysTest.java b/ebean-test/src/test/java/io/ebean/config/PlatformNoGeneratedKeysTest.java
index 63b672137..37d02bbb8 100644
--- a/ebean-test/src/test/java/io/ebean/config/PlatformNoGeneratedKeysTest.java
+++ b/ebean-test/src/test/java/io/ebean/config/PlatformNoGeneratedKeysTest.java
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ public class PlatformNoGeneratedKeysTest {
     config.setDatabasePlatform(platform);
     config.getDataSourceConfig().setUsername("sa");
     config.getDataSourceConfig().setPassword("");
-    config.getDataSourceConfig().setUrl("jdbc:h2:mem:withPCQuery");
+    config.getDataSourceConfig().setUrl("jdbc:h2:mem:withPCQuery;MODE=LEGACY");
     config.getDataSourceConfig().setDriver("org.h2.Driver");
 
     config.setDisableLazyLoading(true);
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public class PlatformNoGeneratedKeysTest {
     config.setDdlRun(true);
     config.getClasses().add(EBasicVer.class);
     config.getClasses().add(BasicDraftableBean.class);
-
+    config.loadFromProperties(); // trigger auto config for H2 1.x
 
     return DatabaseFactory.create(config);
   }
diff --git a/ebean-test/src/test/resources/ebean.properties b/ebean-test/src/test/resources/ebean.properties
index 402facaab..d7e1debae 100644
--- a/ebean-test/src/test/resources/ebean.properties
+++ b/ebean-test/src/test/resources/ebean.properties
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ datasource.db.databaseDriver=org.h2.Driver
 
 datasource.h2.username=sa
 datasource.h2.password=
-datasource.h2.url=jdbc:h2:mem:testsMem;DB_CLOSE_ON_EXIT=FALSE
+datasource.h2.url=jdbc:h2:mem:testsMem;DB_CLOSE_ON_EXIT=FALSE;NON_KEYWORDS=KEY,VALUE
 datasource.h2.poolListener=org.tests.basic.MyTestDataSourcePoolListener
 #datasource.h2.minConnections=1
 #datasource.h2.maxConnections=25
diff --git a/ebean-test/src/test/resources/test-ebean.properties b/ebean-test/src/test/resources/test-ebean.properties
index 2405e5104..436499c1b 100644
--- a/ebean-test/src/test/resources/test-ebean.properties
+++ b/ebean-test/src/test/resources/test-ebean.properties
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ ebean.jodaLocalTimeMode=normal
 
 datasource.someotherdb.username=sa
 datasource.someotherdb.password=
-datasource.someotherdb.databaseUrl=jdbc:h2:mem:someotherdb
+datasource.someotherdb.databaseUrl=jdbc:h2:mem:someotherdb;NON_KEYWORDS=KEY,VALUE
 datasource.someotherdb.databaseDriver=org.h2.Driver
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 5e85ad050..2ddf524ee 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
   <properties>
     <nexus.staging.autoReleaseAfterClose>false</nexus.staging.autoReleaseAfterClose>
     <jackson.version>2.12.1</jackson.version>
-    <h2database.version>1.4.199</h2database.version>
+    <h2database.version>2.1.210</h2database.version>
     <ebean-ddl-runner.version>1.2</ebean-ddl-runner.version>
     <ebean-migration-auto.version>1.1</ebean-migration-auto.version>
     <ebean-migration.version>12.13.1</ebean-migration.version>
@@ -99,6 +99,12 @@
     <profile>
       <id>release</id>
     </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <id>h2v1</id>
+      <properties>
+        <h2database.version>1.4.199</h2database.version>
+      </properties>
+    </profile>
     <profile>
       <id>default</id>
       <activation>