diff --git a/benchmarks/build.gradle b/benchmarks/build.gradle
index 0838af7287126..992462b6fc0a2 100644
--- a/benchmarks/build.gradle
+++ b/benchmarks/build.gradle
@@ -21,10 +21,7 @@ apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.build'
 apply plugin: 'application'
 mainClassName = 'org.openjdk.jmh.Main'
 
-// Not published so no need to assemble
-tasks.remove(assemble)
-build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
-
+assemble.enabled = false
 archivesBaseName = 'elasticsearch-benchmarks'
 
 test.enabled = false
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index ad92a379b6606..a0c00db10dca2 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -579,13 +579,11 @@ gradle.projectsEvaluated {
     if (project.path.startsWith(':qa')) {
       Task assemble = project.tasks.findByName('assemble')
       if (assemble) {
-        project.tasks.remove(assemble)
-        project.build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+        assemble.enabled = false
       }
       Task dependenciesInfo = project.tasks.findByName('dependenciesInfo')
       if (dependenciesInfo) {
-        project.tasks.remove(dependenciesInfo)
-        project.precommit.dependsOn.remove('dependenciesInfo')
+        dependenciesInfo.enabled = false
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
index 1e3446f3ccd39..6ed98217d34fe 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ class BuildPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
             }
             // build poms with assemble (if the assemble task exists)
             Task assemble = project.tasks.findByName('assemble')
-            if (assemble) {
+            if (assemble && assemble.enabled) {
                 assemble.dependsOn(generatePOMTask)
             }
         }
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/doc/DocsTestPlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/doc/DocsTestPlugin.groovy
index 27f122b8610ee..9b2b1ca215673 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/doc/DocsTestPlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/doc/DocsTestPlugin.groovy
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@ public class DocsTestPlugin extends RestTestPlugin {
         // The distribution can be configured with -Dtests.distribution on the command line
         project.integTestCluster.distribution = System.getProperty('tests.distribution', 'zip')
         // Docs are published separately so no need to assemble
-        project.tasks.remove(project.assemble)
-        project.build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+        project.tasks.assemble.enabled = false
         Map<String, String> defaultSubstitutions = [
             /* These match up with the asciidoc syntax for substitutions but
              * the values may differ. In particular {version} needs to resolve
diff --git a/client/benchmark/build.gradle b/client/benchmark/build.gradle
index c67120c7cf59b..a53f102034009 100644
--- a/client/benchmark/build.gradle
+++ b/client/benchmark/build.gradle
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ apply plugin: 'application'
 group = 'org.elasticsearch.client'
 
 // Not published so no need to assemble
-tasks.remove(assemble)
-build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+assemble.enabled = true
 
 archivesBaseName = 'client-benchmarks'
 mainClassName = 'org.elasticsearch.client.benchmark.BenchmarkMain'
diff --git a/client/client-benchmark-noop-api-plugin/build.gradle b/client/client-benchmark-noop-api-plugin/build.gradle
index cc84207d90d22..b5a5fb5dc5ed1 100644
--- a/client/client-benchmark-noop-api-plugin/build.gradle
+++ b/client/client-benchmark-noop-api-plugin/build.gradle
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ esplugin {
 }
 
 // Not published so no need to assemble
-tasks.remove(assemble)
-build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+assemble.enabled = false
 
 dependencyLicenses.enabled = false
 dependenciesInfo.enabled = false
diff --git a/distribution/bwc/build.gradle b/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
index b515c606cc3ff..a2915b13b9acb 100644
--- a/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
+++ b/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
@@ -50,8 +50,7 @@ subprojects {
 
   apply plugin: 'distribution'
   // Not published so no need to assemble
-  tasks.remove(assemble)
-  build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+  assemble.enabled = false
 
   File checkoutDir = file("${buildDir}/bwc/checkout-${bwcBranch}")
 
diff --git a/plugins/examples/build.gradle b/plugins/examples/build.gradle
index 47db55b3b33ca..2b9f3c6433d8f 100644
--- a/plugins/examples/build.gradle
+++ b/plugins/examples/build.gradle
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@ gradle.projectsEvaluated {
   subprojects {
     Task assemble = project.tasks.findByName('assemble')
     if (assemble) {
-      project.tasks.remove(assemble)
-      project.build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+      assemble.enabled = false
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/qa/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/qa/build.gradle
index 4a007422f3819..ef03d968209e4 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/qa/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/qa/build.gradle
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ gradle.projectsEvaluated {
   subprojects {
     Task assemble = project.tasks.findByName('assemble')
     if (assemble) {
-      project.tasks.remove(assemble)
-      project.build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+      assemble.enabled = false
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ml/qa/build.gradle b/x-pack/plugin/ml/qa/build.gradle
index 517c93cc17862..5b3dcd7c8508a 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ml/qa/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ml/qa/build.gradle
@@ -20,12 +20,11 @@ gradle.projectsEvaluated {
     subprojects {
         Task assemble = project.tasks.findByName('assemble')
         if (assemble) {
-            project.tasks.remove(assemble)
-            project.build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+            assemble.enabled = false
         }
         Task dependenciesInfo = project.tasks.findByName('dependenciesInfo')
         if (dependenciesInfo) {
-            project.precommit.dependsOn.remove('dependenciesInfo')
+            dependenciesInfo.enabled = false
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/qa/build.gradle b/x-pack/qa/build.gradle
index 24b6618b7d8f6..ae77c8f893543 100644
--- a/x-pack/qa/build.gradle
+++ b/x-pack/qa/build.gradle
@@ -25,12 +25,11 @@ gradle.projectsEvaluated {
   subprojects {
     Task assemble = project.tasks.findByName('assemble')
     if (assemble) {
-      project.tasks.remove(assemble)
-      project.build.dependsOn.remove('assemble')
+      assemble.enabled = false
     }
     Task dependenciesInfo = project.tasks.findByName('dependenciesInfo')
     if (dependenciesInfo) {
-      project.precommit.dependsOn.remove('dependenciesInfo')
+      dependenciesInfo.enabled = false
     }
   }
 }