diff --git a/clients/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/common/security/kerberos/KerberosError.java b/clients/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/common/security/kerberos/KerberosError.java
index c6be441c7ed82..9c764829d173a 100644
--- a/clients/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/common/security/kerberos/KerberosError.java
+++ b/clients/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/common/security/kerberos/KerberosError.java
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ public enum KerberosError {
 
     static {
         try {
-            if (Java.isIbmJdk()) {
+            // different IBM JDKs versions include different security implementations
+            if (Java.isIbmJdk() && canLoad("com.ibm.security.krb5.KrbException")) {
+                KRB_EXCEPTION_CLASS = Class.forName("com.ibm.security.krb5.KrbException");
+            } else if (Java.isIbmJdk() && canLoad("com.ibm.security.krb5.internal.KrbException")) {
                 KRB_EXCEPTION_CLASS = Class.forName("com.ibm.security.krb5.internal.KrbException");
             } else {
                 KRB_EXCEPTION_CLASS = Class.forName("sun.security.krb5.KrbException");
@@ -60,6 +63,15 @@ public enum KerberosError {
         }
     }
 
+    private static boolean canLoad(String clazz) {
+        try {
+            Class.forName(clazz);
+            return true;
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     private final int errorCode;
     private final boolean retriable;