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 d97f5fb2cd320..b59d9806a0bf4 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/info/GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.java
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/info/GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.java
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ public void apply(Project project) {
             ext.set("gradleJavaVersion", Jvm.current().getJavaVersion());
             ext.set("gitRevision", gitRevision(project.getRootProject().getRootDir()));
             ext.set("buildDate", ZonedDateTime.now(ZoneOffset.UTC));
+            ext.set("isCi", System.getenv("JENKINS_URL") != null);
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/distribution/bwc/build.gradle b/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
index 3c41314af5a49..3642efa7746e4 100644
--- a/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
+++ b/distribution/bwc/build.gradle
@@ -223,8 +223,14 @@ bwcVersions.forPreviousUnreleased { BwcVersions.UnreleasedVersionInfo unreleased
         Task bwcTask = createRunBwcGradleTask(buildBwcTaskName(projectName)) {
             inputs.file("${project.buildDir}/refspec")
             outputs.files(projectArtifact)
-            outputs.cacheIf { true }
+            outputs.cacheIf("BWC distribution caching is disabled on 'master' branch") {
+                // Don't bother caching in 'master' since the BWC branches move too quickly to make this cost worthwhile
+                project.ext.isCi && System.getenv('GIT_BRANCH')?.endsWith("master") == false
+            }
             args ":${projectDir.replace('/', ':')}:assemble"
+            if (project.gradle.startParameter.buildCacheEnabled) {
+                args "--build-cache"
+            }
             doLast {
                 if (projectArtifact.exists() == false) {
                     throw new InvalidUserDataException("Building ${bwcVersion} didn't generate expected file ${projectArtifact}")