diff --git a/common/hugo/hugo.go b/common/hugo/hugo.go
index 9a76ee3b7..28f8b9393 100644
--- a/common/hugo/hugo.go
+++ b/common/hugo/hugo.go
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ type BuildInfo struct {
 	GoVersion    string
 }
 
+// GetBuildDate returns the build date if set by -ldflags="-X github.com/gohugoio/hugo/common/hugo.buildDate="
+func GetBuildDate() string {
+	return buildDate
+}
+
 // GetBuildInfo returns the build info for the current binary.
 func GetBuildInfo() *BuildInfo {
 	bi := getBuildInfo()
diff --git a/hugolib/site.go b/hugolib/site.go
index 678fea7cd..9220423c3 100644
--- a/hugolib/site.go
+++ b/hugolib/site.go
@@ -532,6 +532,10 @@ func newHugoSites(
 		opts.GoVersion = bi.GoVersion
 	}
 
+	if opts.BuildDate == "" {
+		opts.BuildDate = hugo.GetBuildDate()
+	}
+
 	h.hugoInfo = page.NewHugoInfo(opts)
 
 	var prototype *deps.Deps