diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 2e80ed868df..3a08ec4427f 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ ext {
     }
     return m[0][1] as int
   }
+  // snapshot build marker used in scripts.
+  snapshotBuild = version.contains("SNAPSHOT")
 
   // Build timestamp.
   def tstamp = ZonedDateTime.now()
diff --git a/gradle/jar-manifest.gradle b/gradle/jar-manifest.gradle
index 69b41161e09..9b2cd68b4ab 100644
--- a/gradle/jar-manifest.gradle
+++ b/gradle/jar-manifest.gradle
@@ -48,7 +48,14 @@ allprojects {
                     // awkward on import and resolves provider properties even though task dependencies
                     // have not been run yet?
                     def gitRev = rootProject.hasProperty("gitRev") ? rootProject.gitRev : ""
-                    "${project.version} ${gitRev} - ${System.properties['user.name']} - ${buildDate} ${buildTime}"
+
+                    // For snapshot builds just include the project version and gitRev so that
+                    // JARs don't need to be recompiled just because the manifest has changed.
+                    if (snapshotBuild) {
+                      return "${project.version} ${gitRev} [snapshot build, details omitted]"
+                    } else {
+                      return "${project.version} ${gitRev} - ${System.properties['user.name']} - ${buildDate} ${buildTime}"
+                    }
                 }
 
                 manifest {