diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index be6f46b445..14eb9d9bb8 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -2227,7 +2227,10 @@ under the License.
         </forbiddenapis>
     </target>
 
-    <target name="findbugs" depends="jar">
+    <!-- disabling findbugs until jenkins is updated to a current IBM JDK
+         see https://stackoverflow.com/a/48561534/2066598
+         this should be replaced by spotbugs when available in the jenkins warnings plugin -->
+    <target name="findbugs" depends="jar" unless:true="${isIBMVM}">
         <downloadfile src="${findbugs.url}" dest="${findbugs.jar}"/>
 
         <property name="findbugs.home" value="build/findbugs" />