diff --git a/ci/jenkins/generate.py b/ci/jenkins/generate.py
index 901d413364b3..3ccdedc6d924 100644
--- a/ci/jenkins/generate.py
+++ b/ci/jenkins/generate.py
@@ -18,11 +18,12 @@
 import jinja2
 import argparse
 import difflib
-import re
 import datetime
+import re
 import textwrap
 
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import List
 
 
 REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent
@@ -82,9 +83,51 @@ def lines_without_generated_tag(content):
     ]
 
 
+def is_changed_images_only(lines: List[str]) -> bool:
+    """
+    Return True if 'line' only edits an image tag or if 'line' is not a changed
+    line in a diff
+    """
+    added_images = []
+    removed_images = []
+    diff_lines = []
+
+    for line in lines[2:]:
+        if not line.startswith("-") and not line.startswith("+"):
+            # not a diff line, ignore it
+            continue
+
+        diff_lines.append(line)
+
+    if len(diff_lines) == 0:
+        # no changes made
+        return True
+
+    for line in diff_lines:
+        is_add = line.startswith("+")
+        line = line.strip().lstrip("+").lstrip("-")
+        match = re.search(
+            r"^(ci_[a-zA-Z0-9]+) = \'.*\'$",
+            line.strip().lstrip("+").lstrip("-"),
+            flags=re.MULTILINE,
+        )
+        if match is None:
+            # matched a non-image line, quit early
+            return False
+
+        if is_add:
+            added_images.append(match.groups()[0])
+        else:
+            removed_images.append(match.groups()[0])
+
+    # make sure that the added image lines match the removed image lines
+    return len(added_images) > 0 and added_images == removed_images
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     help = "Regenerate Jenkinsfile from template"
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=help)
+    parser.add_argument("--force", action="store_true", help="always overwrite timestamp")
     parser.add_argument("--check", action="store_true", help="just verify the output didn't change")
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -92,6 +135,10 @@ def lines_without_generated_tag(content):
         content = f.read()
 
     data["generated_time"] = datetime.datetime.now().isoformat()
+    timestamp_match = re.search(r"^// Generated at (.*)$", content, flags=re.MULTILINE)
+    if not timestamp_match:
+        raise RuntimeError("Could not find timestamp in Jenkinsfile")
+    original_timestamp = timestamp_match.groups()[0]
 
     environment = jinja2.Environment(
         loader=jinja2.FileSystemLoader(REPO_ROOT),
@@ -103,11 +150,18 @@ def lines_without_generated_tag(content):
     template = environment.get_template(str(JENKINSFILE_TEMPLATE.relative_to(REPO_ROOT)))
     new_content = template.render(**data)
 
-    diff = "".join(
-        difflib.unified_diff(
+    diff = [
+        line
+        for line in difflib.unified_diff(
             lines_without_generated_tag(content), lines_without_generated_tag(new_content)
         )
-    )
+    ]
+    if not args.force and is_changed_images_only(diff):
+        new_content = new_content.replace(data["generated_time"], original_timestamp)
+        print("Detected only Docker-image name changed, skipping timestamp update")
+
+    diff = "".join(diff)
+
     if args.check:
         if not diff:
             print("Success, the newly generated Jenkinsfile matched the one on disk")