diff --git a/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/GradleBuildServerProjectImporter.java b/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/GradleBuildServerProjectImporter.java
index e20538e98..77dd302d6 100644
--- a/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/GradleBuildServerProjectImporter.java
+++ b/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/GradleBuildServerProjectImporter.java
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
 
+import org.eclipse.core.internal.resources.Project;
+import org.eclipse.core.internal.resources.ProjectDescription;
+import org.eclipse.core.internal.resources.VariableDescription;
 import org.eclipse.core.resources.ICommand;
 import org.eclipse.core.resources.IProject;
 import org.eclipse.core.resources.IProjectDescription;
@@ -46,6 +49,9 @@ public class GradleBuildServerProjectImporter extends AbstractProjectImporter {
 
     private static final String BSP_VERSION = "2.1.0-M4";
 
+    private static final String SCHEMA_VERSION_KEY = "bspSchemaVersion";
+    private static final String SCHEMA_VERSION = "0.1.0";
+
     public static final String BUILD_GRADLE_DESCRIPTOR = "build.gradle";
     public static final String BUILD_GRADLE_KTS_DESCRIPTOR = "build.gradle.kts";
     public static final String SETTINGS_GRADLE_DESCRIPTOR = "settings.gradle";
@@ -187,6 +193,10 @@ private IProject createProject(File directory, IProgressMonitor monitor) throws
         String projectName = findFreeProjectName(directory.getName());
         IWorkspace workspace = ResourcesPlugin.getWorkspace();
         IProjectDescription projectDescription = workspace.newProjectDescription(projectName);
+        if (projectDescription instanceof ProjectDescription description) {
+            VariableDescription variableDescription = new VariableDescription(SCHEMA_VERSION_KEY, SCHEMA_VERSION);
+            description.setVariableDescription(SCHEMA_VERSION_KEY, variableDescription);
+        }
         projectDescription.setLocation(Path.fromOSString(directory.getPath()));
         projectDescription.setNatureIds(new String[]{ GradleBuildServerProjectNature.NATURE_ID });
         ICommand buildSpec = Utils.getBuildServerBuildSpec(projectDescription);
@@ -208,6 +218,17 @@ private void updateProjectDescription(IProject project, IProgressMonitor monitor
             Utils.getBuildServerBuildSpec(projectDescription),
             problemReporter
         }, monitor);
+
+        // Here we don't use the public API: {@code project.setDescription()} to update the project,
+        // because that API will ignore the variable descriptions.
+        if (project instanceof Project internalProject) {
+            ProjectDescription description = internalProject.internalGetDescription();
+            VariableDescription variableDescription = new VariableDescription(SCHEMA_VERSION_KEY, SCHEMA_VERSION);
+            boolean changed = description.setVariableDescription(SCHEMA_VERSION_KEY, variableDescription);
+            if (changed) {
+                internalProject.writeDescription(IResource.NONE);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     private String findFreeProjectName(String baseName) {
diff --git a/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/ImporterPlugin.java b/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/ImporterPlugin.java
index 8eb5f9abb..4aec9ca72 100644
--- a/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/ImporterPlugin.java
+++ b/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/ImporterPlugin.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public static ImporterPlugin getInstance() {
 
     public static DigestStore getDigestStore() {
         return instance.digestStore;
-	}
+    }
 
     public static BuildServer getBuildServerConnection(IPath rootPath) throws CoreException {
         Pair<BuildServer, BuildClient> pair = instance.buildServers.get(rootPath);
diff --git a/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/Utils.java b/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/Utils.java
index 611405e88..db6126b4e 100644
--- a/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/Utils.java
+++ b/extension/jdtls.ext/com.microsoft.gradle.bs.importer/src/com/microsoft/gradle/bs/importer/Utils.java
@@ -124,28 +124,13 @@ public static void addNature(IProject project, String natureId, IProgressMonitor
    * @throws CoreException
    */
   public static void addBuildSpec(IProject project, String[] buildNames, IProgressMonitor monitor) throws CoreException {
-    SubMonitor progress = SubMonitor.convert(monitor, 1);
-    // get the description
     IProjectDescription description = project.getDescription();
-    List<ICommand> currentBuildSpecs = Arrays.asList(description.getBuildSpec());
-    List<ICommand> newSpecs = new LinkedList<>();
-    newSpecs.addAll(currentBuildSpecs);
-    for (String buildName : buildNames) {
-      if (currentBuildSpecs.stream().anyMatch(spec -> Objects.equals(spec.getBuilderName(), buildName))) {
-          continue;
-      }
-
+    ICommand[] commands = Arrays.stream(buildNames).map(buildName -> {
       ICommand buildSpec = description.newCommand();
       buildSpec.setBuilderName(buildName);
-      newSpecs.add(0, buildSpec);
-    }
-
-    if (newSpecs.size() == currentBuildSpecs.size()) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    description.setBuildSpec(newSpecs.toArray(new ICommand[newSpecs.size()]));
-    project.setDescription(description, IResource.AVOID_NATURE_CONFIG, progress.newChild(1));
+      return buildSpec;
+    }).toArray(ICommand[]::new);
+    addBuildSpec(project, commands, monitor);
   }
 
   /**