diff --git a/CMakeModules/GenerateBuildInfo.cmake b/CMakeModules/GenerateBuildInfo.cmake
index 038a80670..78e831536 100644
--- a/CMakeModules/GenerateBuildInfo.cmake
+++ b/CMakeModules/GenerateBuildInfo.cmake
@@ -1,8 +1,24 @@
 
-add_custom_target(
-  buildId
-  ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -D SRC=${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
-                   -D DST=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/src/Include/flightgearBuildId.h
-                   -P ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/CMakeModules/buildId.cmake
-)
+set(BUILD_ID_DST_PATH "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/src/Include/flightgearBuildId.h")
 
+if (FG_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Dev")
+  # default values for all of these
+  set(JENKINS_BUILD_ID "none")
+  set(JENKINS_BUILD_NUMBER 0)
+  set(REVISION "none")
+
+  # generate a placeholder buildId header
+  configure_file (${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/Include/flightgearBuildId.h.cmake-in ${BUILD_ID_DST_PATH})
+
+  # dummy target, does nothing
+  add_custom_target(buildId)
+else()
+  # for non-Dev builds, run this each time. using some CMake in script mode
+  # this takes a little bit of time since we have to actually run Git as a sub-process
+  add_custom_target(
+    buildId
+    ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -D SRC=${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+                    -D DST=${BUILD_ID_DST_PATH}
+                    -P ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/CMakeModules/buildId.cmake
+  )
+endif()