diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index 4277a82f250f2..db69bc15e4a37 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 pipeline {
-    agent any
+    agent { label 'search-cloud-ec2-c518xlarge' }
+
 
     stages {
         stage('Build') {
             steps {
                 echo 'Building..'
-                sh './gradlew check --no-daemon'
+                // Disable backward compability tasks
+                sh './gradlew check --no-daemon --no-scan -Pbwc_tests_enabled=false'
             }
         }
         stage('Test') {
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 913af689268f1..4456f83abc841 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -170,8 +170,13 @@ tasks.register("verifyVersions") {
  * after the backport of the backcompat code is complete.
  */
 
-boolean bwc_tests_enabled = true
-final String bwc_tests_disabled_issue = "" /* place a PR link here when committing bwc changes */
+boolean bwc_tests_enabled = false
+String bwc_tests_disabled_issue = "" /* place a PR link here when committing bwc changes */
+if (project.findProperty("bwc_tests_enabled") != null) {
+  bwc_tests_enabled = Boolean.parseBoolean(project.findProperty("bwc_tests_enabled"))
+  bwc_tests_disabled_issue = "Backward compatibility tests disabled via commandline"
+}
+
 if (bwc_tests_enabled == false) {
   if (bwc_tests_disabled_issue.isEmpty()) {
     throw new GradleException("bwc_tests_disabled_issue must be set when bwc_tests_enabled == false")