diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/BaseLanguageModule.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/BaseLanguageModule.java
index 29ee688c74..696fcbe974 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/BaseLanguageModule.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/BaseLanguageModule.java
@@ -56,14 +56,7 @@ public abstract class BaseLanguageModule implements Language {
     }
 
     protected void addVersion(String version, LanguageVersionHandler languageVersionHandler, boolean isDefault) {
-        if (versions == null) {
-            versions = new HashMap<>();
-        }
-        LanguageVersion languageVersion = new LanguageVersion(this, version, languageVersionHandler);
-        versions.put(version, languageVersion);
-        if (isDefault) {
-            defaultVersion = languageVersion;
-        }
+        addVersions(languageVersionHandler, isDefault, version);
     }
 
     @Override