diff --git a/buildSrc/build.gradle b/buildSrc/build.gradle
index ed51978967a..ec49c6834f1 100644
--- a/buildSrc/build.gradle
+++ b/buildSrc/build.gradle
@@ -27,11 +27,6 @@ plugins {
 
 group = 'org.elasticsearch.gradle'
 
-String minimumGradleVersion = file('src/main/resources/minimumGradleVersion').text.trim()
-if (GradleVersion.current() < GradleVersion.version(minimumGradleVersion)) {
-   throw new GradleException("Gradle ${minimumGradleVersion}+ is required to build elasticsearch")
-}
-
 if (project == rootProject) {
   // change the build dir used during build init, so that doing a clean
   // won't wipe out the buildscript jar
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
index daaa15828a9..bcd996e6d31 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
@@ -66,18 +66,6 @@ class BuildPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
                     + 'elasticsearch.standalone-rest-test, and elasticsearch.build '
                     + 'are mutually exclusive')
         }
-        String minimumGradleVersion = null
-        InputStream is = getClass().getResourceAsStream("/minimumGradleVersion")
-        try {
-            minimumGradleVersion = IOUtils.toString(is, StandardCharsets.UTF_8.toString())
-        } finally {
-            is.close()
-        }
-        if (GradleVersion.current() < GradleVersion.version(minimumGradleVersion.trim())) {
-            throw new GradleException(
-                    "Gradle ${minimumGradleVersion}+ is required to use elasticsearch.build plugin"
-            )
-        }
         project.pluginManager.apply('elasticsearch.java')
         configureLicenseAndNotice(project)
         project.pluginManager.apply('elasticsearch.publish')
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/info/GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.java b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/info/GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.java
index f1e04da2d2f..16b72372b7e 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/info/GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.java
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/info/GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.java
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ public class GlobalBuildInfoPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
         if (project != project.getRootProject()) {
             throw new IllegalStateException(this.getClass().getName() + " can only be applied to the root project.");
         }
+        GradleVersion minimumGradleVersion = GradleVersion.version(Util.getResourceContents("/minimumGradleVersion"));
+        if (GradleVersion.current().compareTo(minimumGradleVersion) < 0) {
+            throw new GradleException("Gradle " + minimumGradleVersion.getVersion() + "+ is required");
+        }
 
         JavaVersion minimumCompilerVersion = JavaVersion.toVersion(Util.getResourceContents("/minimumCompilerVersion"));
         JavaVersion minimumRuntimeVersion = JavaVersion.toVersion(Util.getResourceContents("/minimumRuntimeVersion"));