--- config.mk
+++ config.mk
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@
 # Also bump lib/mosquitto.h, CMakeLists.txt,
 # installer/mosquitto.nsi, installer/mosquitto-cygwin.nsi
 VERSION=1.4.15
-TIMESTAMP:=$(shell date "+%F %T%z")
 
 # Client library SO version. Bump if incompatible API/ABI changes are made.
 SOVERSION=1
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@
 LIB_CXXFLAGS:=$(LIB_CFLAGS) ${CPPFLAGS}
 LIB_LDFLAGS:=${LDFLAGS}
 
-BROKER_CFLAGS:=${LIB_CFLAGS} ${CPPFLAGS} -DVERSION="\"${VERSION}\"" -DTIMESTAMP="\"${TIMESTAMP}\"" -DWITH_BROKER
+BROKER_CFLAGS:=${LIB_CFLAGS} ${CPPFLAGS} -DVERSION="\"${VERSION}\""                                -DWITH_BROKER
 CLIENT_CFLAGS:=${CFLAGS} ${CPPFLAGS} -I../lib -DVERSION="\"${VERSION}\""
 
 ifneq ($(or $(findstring $(UNAME),FreeBSD), $(findstring $(UNAME),OpenBSD)),)
--- src/conf.c
+++ src/conf.c
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@
 
 static void print_usage(void)
 {
-	printf("mosquitto version %s (build date %s)\n\n", VERSION, TIMESTAMP);
+	printf("mosquitto version %s\n\n", VERSION);
 	printf("mosquitto is an MQTT v3.1.1/v3.1 broker.\n\n");
 	printf("Usage: mosquitto [-c config_file] [-d] [-h] [-p port]\n\n");
 	printf(" -c : specify the broker config file.\n");
--- src/mosquitto.c
+++ src/mosquitto.c
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@
 		rc = 1;
 		return rc;
 	}
-	_mosquitto_log_printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_INFO, "mosquitto version %s (build date %s) starting", VERSION, TIMESTAMP);
+	_mosquitto_log_printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_INFO, "mosquitto version %s starting", VERSION);
 	if(int_db.config_file){
 		_mosquitto_log_printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_INFO, "Config loaded from %s.", int_db.config_file);
 	}else{
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@
 		/* Set static $SYS messages */
 		snprintf(buf, 1024, "mosquitto version %s", VERSION);
 		mqtt3_db_messages_easy_queue(&int_db, NULL, "$SYS/broker/version", 2, strlen(buf), buf, 1);
-		snprintf(buf, 1024, "%s", TIMESTAMP);
+		snprintf(buf, 1024, "%s", "1970-01-01 00:00:00+0000");
 		mqtt3_db_messages_easy_queue(&int_db, NULL, "$SYS/broker/timestamp", 2, strlen(buf), buf, 1);
 	}
 #endif