diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index 4d575e0c74..c5f646d96a 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -33,9 +33,17 @@ if ( !JavaVersion.current().java11Compatible ) {
 buildCache {
     // duplicated from `gradle-enterprise.gradle` but not sure how to share it...
     def isCi = System.getenv("CI") != null || System.getProperty("CI") != null
+    def populateRemote = System.getenv("POPULATE_REMOTE") != null || System.getProperty("POPULATE_REMOTE") != null
 
-    local { enabled = !isCi }
-    remote(HttpBuildCache) { enabled = false }
+    local {
+        // do not use local build cache for CI jobs, period!
+        enabled = !isCi
+    }
+    remote(HttpBuildCache) {
+        enabled = true
+        push = populateRemote
+        url = 'https://ge.hibernate.org/cache/'
+    }
 }
 
 gradle.ext.baselineJavaVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of( 11 )