diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f19dfdea911..35e3d8eb259 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ endif()
 math(EXPR QGIS_VERSION_INT "${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR}*10000+${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR}*100+${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH}")
 message(STATUS "QGIS version: ${COMPLETE_VERSION} ${RELEASE_NAME} (${QGIS_VERSION_INT})")
 
+set (ENABLE_LOCAL_BUILD_SHORTCUTS FALSE CACHE BOOL "Disables some build steps which are only relevant for releases to speed up compilation time for development")
+
 #############################################################
 if (APPLE)
   # QGIS custom dependencies package from qgis/QGIS-Mac-Packager
diff --git a/cmake/CreateQgsVersion.cmake b/cmake/CreateQgsVersion.cmake
index 004075537e1..dabb617d25b 100644
--- a/cmake/CreateQgsVersion.cmake
+++ b/cmake/CreateQgsVersion.cmake
@@ -3,51 +3,57 @@
 #  qgsversion.inc for doxygen
 
 MACRO(CREATE_QGSVERSION)
-  IF (EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index)
-    FIND_PROGRAM(GITCOMMAND git PATHS c:/cygwin/bin)
-    IF(GITCOMMAND)
-      IF(WIN32 AND NOT CMAKE_CROSS_COMPILING)
-        IF(USING_NINJA)
-         SET(ARG %a)
-        ELSE(USING_NINJA)
-         SET(ARG %%a)
-        ENDIF(USING_NINJA)
-        ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(
-          OUTPUT ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc
-          COMMAND for /f \"usebackq tokens=1\" ${ARG} in "(`\"${GITCOMMAND}\" log -n1 --oneline`)" do echo \#define QGSVERSION \"${ARG}\" >${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp
-          COMMAND for /f \"usebackq tokens=1\" ${ARG} in "(`\"${GITCOMMAND}\" log -n1 --oneline`)" do echo PROJECT_NUMBER = \"${COMPLETE_VERSION}-${RELEASE_NAME} \(${ARG}\)\" >${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc
-          COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -DSRC=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp -DDST=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out -P ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/CopyIfChanged.cmake
-          MAIN_DEPENDENCY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index
-          WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
-        )
-      ELSE(WIN32 AND NOT CMAKE_CROSS_COMPILING)
-        ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(
-          OUTPUT ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc
-          COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} log -n1 --pretty=\#define\\ QGSVERSION\\ \\"%h\\" >${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp
-          COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} log -n1 --pretty='PROJECT_NUMBER = \"${COMPLETE_VERSION}-${RELEASE_NAME} \(%h\)\"' >${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc
-          COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} config remote.$$\(${GITCOMMAND} config branch.$$\(${GITCOMMAND} name-rev --name-only HEAD\).remote\).url | sed -e 's/^/\#define QGS_GIT_REMOTE_URL \"/' -e 's/$$/\"/' >>${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp
-          COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -DSRC=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp -DDST=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out -P ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/CopyIfChanged.cmake
-          MAIN_DEPENDENCY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index
-          WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
-        )
-      ENDIF(WIN32 AND NOT CMAKE_CROSS_COMPILING)
-    ELSE(GITCOMMAND)
-      MESSAGE(STATUS "git marker, but no git found - version will be unknown")
+  IF (${ENABLE_LOCAL_BUILD_SHORTCUTS})
+    FILE(WRITE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out "#define QGSVERSION \"dev\"\n")
+    FILE(WRITE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc "PROJECT_NUMBER = \"${COMPLETE_VERSION}-${RELEASE_NAME} (dev)\"\n")
+    execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h)
+  ELSE (${ENABLE_LOCAL_BUILD_SHORTCUTS})
+    IF (EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index)
+      FIND_PROGRAM(GITCOMMAND git PATHS c:/cygwin/bin)
+      IF(GITCOMMAND)
+        IF(WIN32 AND NOT CMAKE_CROSS_COMPILING)
+          IF(USING_NINJA)
+           SET(ARG %a)
+          ELSE(USING_NINJA)
+           SET(ARG %%a)
+          ENDIF(USING_NINJA)
+          ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(
+            OUTPUT ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc
+            COMMAND for /f \"usebackq tokens=1\" ${ARG} in "(`\"${GITCOMMAND}\" log -n1 --oneline`)" do echo \#define QGSVERSION \"${ARG}\" >${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp
+            COMMAND for /f \"usebackq tokens=1\" ${ARG} in "(`\"${GITCOMMAND}\" log -n1 --oneline`)" do echo PROJECT_NUMBER = \"${COMPLETE_VERSION}-${RELEASE_NAME} \(${ARG}\)\" >${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc
+            COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -DSRC=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp -DDST=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h -P ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/CopyIfChanged.cmake
+            MAIN_DEPENDENCY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index
+            WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+          )
+        ELSE(WIN32 AND NOT CMAKE_CROSS_COMPILING)
+          ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(
+            OUTPUT ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc
+            COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} log -n1 --pretty=\#define\\ QGSVERSION\\ \\"%h\\" >${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp
+            COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} log -n1 --pretty='PROJECT_NUMBER = \"${COMPLETE_VERSION}-${RELEASE_NAME} \(%h\)\"' >${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc
+            COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} config remote.$$\(${GITCOMMAND} config branch.$$\(${GITCOMMAND} name-rev --name-only HEAD\).remote\).url | sed -e 's/^/\#define QGS_GIT_REMOTE_URL \"/' -e 's/$$/\"/' >>${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp
+            COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -DSRC=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.temp -DDST=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h -P ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/CopyIfChanged.cmake
+            MAIN_DEPENDENCY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index
+            WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+          )
+        ENDIF(WIN32 AND NOT CMAKE_CROSS_COMPILING)
+      ELSE(GITCOMMAND)
+        MESSAGE(STATUS "git marker, but no git found - version will be unknown")
+        IF(NOT SHA)
+          SET(SHA "unknown")
+        ENDIF(NOT SHA)
+        FILE(WRITE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out "#define QGSVERSION \"${SHA}\"\n")
+        FILE(WRITE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc "PROJECT_NUMBER = \"${COMPLETE_VERSION}-${RELEASE_NAME} (${SHA})\"\n")
+        execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h)
+      ENDIF(GITCOMMAND)
+    ELSE (EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index)
       IF(NOT SHA)
-        SET(SHA "unknown")
+        SET(SHA "exported")
       ENDIF(NOT SHA)
       FILE(WRITE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out "#define QGSVERSION \"${SHA}\"\n")
       FILE(WRITE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc "PROJECT_NUMBER = \"${COMPLETE_VERSION}-${RELEASE_NAME} (${SHA})\"\n")
-    ENDIF(GITCOMMAND)
-  ELSE (EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index)
-    IF(NOT SHA)
-      SET(SHA "exported")
-    ENDIF(NOT SHA)
-    FILE(WRITE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out "#define QGSVERSION \"${SHA}\"\n")
-    FILE(WRITE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.inc "PROJECT_NUMBER = \"${COMPLETE_VERSION}-${RELEASE_NAME} (${SHA})\"\n")
-  ENDIF (EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index)
-
-  execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h)
+      execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h.out ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h)
+    ENDIF (EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git/index)
+  ENDIF (${ENABLE_LOCAL_BUILD_SHORTCUTS})
 
   ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(version ALL DEPENDS ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qgsversion.h)
 ENDMACRO(CREATE_QGSVERSION)