diff --git a/tycho-packaging-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/buildversion/BuildQualifierMojo.java b/tycho-packaging-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/buildversion/BuildQualifierMojo.java
index 92737c7806..324c7ae202 100644
--- a/tycho-packaging-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/buildversion/BuildQualifierMojo.java
+++ b/tycho-packaging-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/buildversion/BuildQualifierMojo.java
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@
 @Mojo(name = "build-qualifier", defaultPhase = LifecyclePhase.VALIDATE, threadSafe = true)
 public class BuildQualifierMojo extends AbstractVersionMojo {
 
+	static final TimeZone TIME_ZONE = TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC");
+
 	static final String PARAMETER_FORMAT = "format";
 
 	static final String DEFAULT_DATE_FORMAT = "yyyyMMddHHmm";
@@ -144,7 +146,7 @@ public class BuildQualifierMojo extends AbstractVersionMojo {
     // setter is needed to make sure we always use UTC
     public void setFormat(String formatString) {
         format = new SimpleDateFormat(formatString);
-        format.setTimeZone(TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC"));
+        format.setTimeZone(TIME_ZONE);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/tycho-packaging-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/buildversion/FragmentHostBuildTimestampProvider.java b/tycho-packaging-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/buildversion/FragmentHostBuildTimestampProvider.java
index e83a11f107..af3164b6e6 100644
--- a/tycho-packaging-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/buildversion/FragmentHostBuildTimestampProvider.java
+++ b/tycho-packaging-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/buildversion/FragmentHostBuildTimestampProvider.java
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ public Date getTimestamp(MavenSession session, MavenProject project, MojoExecuti
 										.getString(BuildQualifierMojo.PARAMETER_FORMAT);
 								SimpleDateFormat format = formatString.map(SimpleDateFormat::new)
 										.orElseGet(() -> new SimpleDateFormat(BuildQualifierMojo.DEFAULT_DATE_FORMAT));
+								format.setTimeZone(BuildQualifierMojo.TIME_ZONE);
 								Date date = timestampFinder.findByDescriptor(descriptor, format);
 								if (date != null) {
 									return date;