diff --git a/src/rebar_compiler.erl b/src/rebar_compiler.erl
index d7081b00..c9d808e1 100644
--- a/src/rebar_compiler.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_compiler.erl
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ prepare_compiler_env(Compiler, Apps) ->
     %% necessary for erlang:function_exported/3 to work as expected
     %% called here for clarity as it's required by both opts_changed/2
     %% and erl_compiler_opts_set/0 in needed_files
+    application:load(compiler),
     _ = code:ensure_loaded(compile),
     _ = code:ensure_loaded(Compiler),
     ok.
diff --git a/src/rebar_compiler_erl.erl b/src/rebar_compiler_erl.erl
index 5c00ab8a..b366426d 100644
--- a/src/rebar_compiler_erl.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_compiler_erl.erl
@@ -145,9 +145,10 @@ compile_and_track(Source, [{Ext, OutDir}], Config, ErlOpts) ->
     rebar_compiler_epp:flush(),
     BuildOpts = [{outdir, OutDir} | ErlOpts],
     Target = target_base(OutDir, Source) ++ Ext,
+    {ok, CompileVsn} = application:get_key(compiler, vsn),
     AllOpts = case erlang:function_exported(compile, env_compiler_options, 0) of
-        true  -> BuildOpts ++ compile:env_compiler_options();
-        false -> BuildOpts
+        true  -> [{compiler_version, CompileVsn}] ++ BuildOpts ++ compile:env_compiler_options();
+        false -> [{compiler_version, CompileVsn}] ++ BuildOpts
     end,
     case compile:file(Source, BuildOpts) of
         {ok, _Mod} ->
@@ -237,9 +238,10 @@ target_base(OutDir, Source) ->
     filename:join(OutDir, filename:basename(Source, ".erl")).
 
 opts_changed(Graph, NewOpts, Target, TargetBase) ->
+    {ok, CompileVsn} = application:get_key(compiler, vsn),
     TotalOpts = case erlang:function_exported(compile, env_compiler_options, 0) of
-        true  -> NewOpts ++ compile:env_compiler_options();
-        false -> NewOpts
+        true  -> [{compiler_version, CompileVsn}] ++ NewOpts ++ compile:env_compiler_options();
+        false -> [{compiler_version, CompileVsn}] ++ NewOpts
     end,
     TargetOpts = case digraph:vertex(Graph, Target) of
         {_Target, {artifact, Opts}} -> % tracked dep is found
@@ -273,7 +275,9 @@ compile_info(Target) ->
     case beam_lib:chunks(Target, [compile_info]) of
         {ok, {_mod, Chunks}} ->
             CompileInfo = proplists:get_value(compile_info, Chunks, []),
-            {ok, proplists:get_value(options, CompileInfo, [])};
+            CompileVsn = proplists:get_value(version, CompileInfo, "unknown"),
+            {ok, [{compiler_version, CompileVsn}
+                  | proplists:get_value(options, CompileInfo, [])]};
         {error, beam_lib, Reason} ->
             ?WARN("Couldn't read debug info from ~p for reason: ~p", [Target, Reason]),
             {error, Reason}
diff --git a/src/rebar_plugins.erl b/src/rebar_plugins.erl
index 43b33db8..3bbd4a88 100644
--- a/src/rebar_plugins.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_plugins.erl
@@ -113,11 +113,16 @@ handle_plugin(Profile, Plugin, State, Upgrade) ->
         ToBuild = rebar_prv_install_deps:cull_compile(Sorted, []),
 
         %% Add already built plugin deps to the code path
-        PreBuiltPaths = [rebar_app_info:ebin_dir(A) || A <- Apps] -- ToBuild,
+        ToBuildPaths = [rebar_app_info:ebin_dir(A) || A <- ToBuild],
+        PreBuiltApps = [A || A <- Apps,
+                             Ebin <- [rebar_app_info:ebin_dir(A)],
+                             not lists:member(Ebin, ToBuildPaths)],
+        {PreUnsafe, PreSafe} = lists:partition(fun needs_rebuild/1, PreBuiltApps),
+        PreBuiltPaths = [rebar_app_info:ebin_dir(A) || A <- PreSafe],
         code:add_pathsa(PreBuiltPaths),
 
         %% Build plugin and its deps
-        [build_plugin(AppInfo, Apps, State2) || AppInfo <- ToBuild],
+        [build_plugin(AppInfo, Apps, State2) || AppInfo <- PreUnsafe++ToBuild],
 
         %% Add newly built deps and plugin to code path
         State3 = rebar_state:update_all_plugin_deps(State2, Apps),
@@ -165,3 +170,39 @@ validate_plugin(Plugin) ->
                     [Plugin]
             end
     end.
+
+%% @private do a quick validation of whether a plugin is expected to need
+%% to be rebuilt; usually this is handled by the compiler, but since this
+%% module does quick filtering by detection, we need to discriminate against
+%% cases like the compiler version having changed that would otherwise
+%% trigger a rebuild.
+needs_rebuild(AppInfo) ->
+    Ebin = rebar_app_info:ebin_dir(AppInfo),
+    application:load(compiler),
+    {ok, CurrentCompileVsn} = application:get_key(compiler, vsn),
+    case find_some_beam(Ebin) of
+        {ok, Beam} ->
+            case beam_lib:chunks(Beam, [compile_info]) of
+                {ok, {_mod, Chunks}} ->
+                    CompileInfo = proplists:get_value(compile_info, Chunks, []),
+                    CompileVsn = proplists:get_value(version, CompileInfo, "unknown"),
+                    CurrentCompileVsn =/= CompileVsn;
+                _ ->
+                    %% could be built without debug_info
+                    false
+            end;
+        _ ->
+            %% well we would expect a plugin to have a beam file
+            true
+    end.
+
+find_some_beam(Path) ->
+    case file:list_dir(Path) of
+        {error, Reason} ->
+            {error, Reason};
+        {ok, Files} ->
+            case lists:dropwhile(fun(P) -> filename:extension(P) =/= ".beam" end, Files) of
+                [Beam|_] -> {ok, filename:join(Path, Beam)};
+                _ -> {error, no_beam}
+            end
+    end.
diff --git a/src/rebar_prv_install_deps.erl b/src/rebar_prv_install_deps.erl
index 34334d51..26caefbe 100644
--- a/src/rebar_prv_install_deps.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_prv_install_deps.erl
@@ -436,7 +436,8 @@ warn_skip_deps(AppInfo, State) ->
 not_needs_compile(App) ->
     not(rebar_app_info:is_checkout(App))
         andalso rebar_app_info:valid(App)
-          andalso rebar_app_info:has_all_artifacts(App) =:= true.
+          andalso rebar_app_info:has_all_artifacts(App) =:= true
+            andalso not needs_rebuild(App).
 
 find_app_and_level_by_name([], _) ->
     false;
@@ -446,3 +447,33 @@ find_app_and_level_by_name([App|Apps], Name) ->
         _ -> find_app_and_level_by_name(Apps, Name)
     end.
 
+needs_rebuild(AppInfo) ->
+    Ebin = rebar_app_info:ebin_dir(AppInfo),
+    application:load(compiler),
+    {ok, CurrentCompileVsn} = application:get_key(compiler, vsn),
+    case find_some_beam(Ebin) of
+        {ok, Beam} ->
+            case beam_lib:chunks(Beam, [compile_info]) of
+                {ok, {_mod, Chunks}} ->
+                    CompileInfo = proplists:get_value(compile_info, Chunks, []),
+                    CompileVsn = proplists:get_value(version, CompileInfo, "unknown"),
+                    CurrentCompileVsn =/= CompileVsn;
+                _ ->
+                    %% could be built without debug_info
+                    false
+            end;
+        _ ->
+            %% well we would expect a plugin to have a beam file
+            true
+    end.
+
+find_some_beam(Path) ->
+    case file:list_dir(Path) of
+        {error, Reason} ->
+            {error, Reason};
+        {ok, Files} ->
+            case lists:dropwhile(fun(P) -> filename:extension(P) =/= ".beam" end, Files) of
+                [Beam|_] -> {ok, filename:join(Path, Beam)};
+                _ -> {error, no_beam}
+            end
+    end.