diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/AbstractTransportVersionFuncTest.groovy b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/AbstractTransportVersionFuncTest.groovy
index 72c52a524dc33..18ebfb6a314d7 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/AbstractTransportVersionFuncTest.groovy
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/AbstractTransportVersionFuncTest.groovy
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ class AbstractTransportVersionFuncTest extends AbstractGradleFuncTest {
             tasks.named('generateTransportVersion') {
                 currentUpperBoundName = '9.2'
             }
+            tasks.named('validateTransportVersionResources') {
+                currentUpperBoundName = '9.2'
+            }
         """
         referableAndReferencedTransportVersion("existing_91", "8012000")
         referableAndReferencedTransportVersion("older_92", "8122000")
diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionValidationFuncTest.groovy b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionValidationFuncTest.groovy
index 0ef9bc35de631..861b7a11b8f1a 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionValidationFuncTest.groovy
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionValidationFuncTest.groovy
@@ -277,4 +277,21 @@ class TransportVersionValidationFuncTest extends AbstractTransportVersionFuncTes
             "[myserver/src/main/resources/transport/definitions/referable/existing_92.csv]"
         )
     }
+
+    def "primary id checks skipped on release branch"() {
+        given:
+        file("myserver/build.gradle") << """
+            tasks.named('validateTransportVersionResources') {
+                currentUpperBoundName = '9.1'
+            }
+        """
+        referableAndReferencedTransportVersion("some_tv", "8125000")
+        transportVersionUpperBound("9.2", "some_tv", "8125000")
+
+        when:
+        def result = gradleRunner("validateTransportVersionResources").build()
+
+        then:
+        result.task(":myserver:validateTransportVersionResources").outcome == TaskOutcome.SUCCESS
+    }
 }
diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionResourcesPlugin.java b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionResourcesPlugin.java
index 433bba0c058ba..44a00281dabb3 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionResourcesPlugin.java
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionResourcesPlugin.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.conventions.VersionPropertiesPlugin;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.conventions.precommit.PrecommitPlugin;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.conventions.precommit.PrecommitTaskPlugin;
+import org.gradle.api.Action;
 import org.gradle.api.Plugin;
 import org.gradle.api.Project;
 import org.gradle.api.file.Directory;
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ public void apply(Project project) {
                 t.getReferencesFiles().setFrom(tvReferencesConfig);
                 t.getShouldValidateDensity().convention(true);
                 t.getShouldValidatePrimaryIdNotPatch().convention(true);
+                t.getCurrentUpperBoundName().convention(currentVersion.getMajor() + "." + currentVersion.getMinor());
             });
         project.getTasks().named(PrecommitPlugin.PRECOMMIT_TASK_NAME).configure(t -> t.dependsOn(validateTask));
 
@@ -79,19 +81,31 @@ public void apply(Project project) {
                 t.getManifestFile().set(project.getLayout().getBuildDirectory().file("generated-resources/manifest.txt"));
             });
         project.getTasks().named(JavaPlugin.PROCESS_RESOURCES_TASK_NAME, Copy.class).configure(t -> {
-            t.into("transport/definitions", c -> c.from(generateManifestTask));
+            t.into(resourceRoot + "/definitions", c -> c.from(generateManifestTask));
         });
 
+        Action<GenerateTransportVersionDefinitionTask> generationConfiguration = t -> {
+            t.setGroup(taskGroup);
+            t.getReferencesFiles().setFrom(tvReferencesConfig);
+            t.getIncrement().convention(1000);
+            t.getCurrentUpperBoundName().convention(currentVersion.getMajor() + "." + currentVersion.getMinor());
+        };
+
         var generateDefinitionsTask = project.getTasks()
             .register("generateTransportVersion", GenerateTransportVersionDefinitionTask.class, t -> {
-                t.setGroup(taskGroup);
                 t.setDescription("(Re)generates a transport version definition file");
-                t.getReferencesFiles().setFrom(tvReferencesConfig);
-                t.getIncrement().convention(1000);
-                t.getCurrentUpperBoundName().convention(currentVersion.getMajor() + "." + currentVersion.getMinor());
             });
+        generateDefinitionsTask.configure(generationConfiguration);
         validateTask.configure(t -> t.mustRunAfter(generateDefinitionsTask));
 
+        var resolveConflictTask = project.getTasks()
+            .register("resolveTransportVersionConflict", GenerateTransportVersionDefinitionTask.class, t -> {
+                t.setDescription("Resolve merge conflicts in transport version internal state files");
+                t.getResolveConflict().set(true);
+            });
+        resolveConflictTask.configure(generationConfiguration);
+        validateTask.configure(t -> t.mustRunAfter(resolveConflictTask));
+
         var generateInitialTask = project.getTasks()
             .register("generateInitialTransportVersion", GenerateInitialTransportVersionTask.class, t -> {
                 t.setGroup(taskGroup);
diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/ValidateTransportVersionResourcesTask.java b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/ValidateTransportVersionResourcesTask.java
index 829ce577891df..c796f1e905214 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/ValidateTransportVersionResourcesTask.java
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/ValidateTransportVersionResourcesTask.java
@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@ public Path getResourcesDir() {
     @Input
     public abstract Property<Boolean> getShouldValidatePrimaryIdNotPatch();
 
+    /**
+     * The name of the upper bounds file which will be used at runtime on the current branch. Normally
+     * this equates to VersionProperties.getElasticsearchVersion().
+     */
+    @Input
+    public abstract Property<String> getCurrentUpperBoundName();
+
     private record IdAndDefinition(TransportVersionId id, TransportVersionDefinition definition) {}
 
     private static final Pattern NAME_FORMAT = Pattern.compile("[a-z0-9_]+");
@@ -76,6 +83,7 @@ public void validateTransportVersions() throws IOException {
         Map<String, TransportVersionDefinition> allDefinitions = collectAllDefinitions(referableDefinitions, unreferableDefinitions);
         Map<Integer, List<IdAndDefinition>> idsByBase = collectIdsByBase(allDefinitions.values());
         Map<String, TransportVersionUpperBound> upperBounds = resources.getUpperBounds();
+        boolean onReleaseBranch = checkIfDefinitelyOnReleaseBranch(upperBounds);
 
         for (var definition : referableDefinitions.values()) {
             validateNamedDefinition(definition, referencedNames);
@@ -93,7 +101,9 @@ public void validateTransportVersions() throws IOException {
             validateUpperBound(upperBound, allDefinitions, idsByBase);
         }
 
-        validatePrimaryIds(resources, upperBounds, allDefinitions);
+        if (onReleaseBranch == false) {
+            validatePrimaryIds(resources, upperBounds, allDefinitions);
+        }
     }
 
     private Map<String, TransportVersionDefinition> collectAllDefinitions(
@@ -318,6 +328,15 @@ private void validatePrimaryIds(
         );
     }
 
+    private boolean checkIfDefinitelyOnReleaseBranch(Map<String, TransportVersionUpperBound> upperBounds) {
+        // only want to look at definitions <= the current upper bound.
+        // TODO: we should filter all of the upper bounds/definitions that are validated by this, not just in this method
+        String currentUpperBoundName = getCurrentUpperBoundName().get();
+        TransportVersionUpperBound currentUpperBound = upperBounds.get(currentUpperBoundName);
+
+        return upperBounds.values().stream().anyMatch(u -> u.definitionId().complete() > currentUpperBound.definitionId().complete());
+    }
+
     private void throwDefinitionFailure(TransportVersionDefinition definition, String message) {
         Path relativePath = getResources().get().getDefinitionPath(definition);
         throw new VerificationException("Transport version definition file [" + relativePath + "] " + message);