diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/ResolveTransportVersionConflictFuncTest.groovy b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/ResolveTransportVersionConflictFuncTest.groovy
index 44801d97a26fc..974637020ea37 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/ResolveTransportVersionConflictFuncTest.groovy
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/ResolveTransportVersionConflictFuncTest.groovy
@@ -87,4 +87,13 @@ class ResolveTransportVersionConflictFuncTest extends AbstractTransportVersionFu
         assertUpperBound("9.1", "new_tv,8012002")
         assertUpperBound("8.19", "new_tv,7123002")
     }
+
+    def "no new transport version is idempotent"() {
+        when:
+        def result = runResolveAndValidateTask().build()
+
+        then:
+        assertResolveAndValidateSuccess(result)
+        assertUpperBound("9.2", "existing_92,8123000")
+    }
 }
diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionGenerationFuncTest.groovy b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionGenerationFuncTest.groovy
index ec4dadb99dd43..a5d7abed3c0ac 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionGenerationFuncTest.groovy
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/TransportVersionGenerationFuncTest.groovy
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ class TransportVersionGenerationFuncTest extends AbstractTransportVersionFuncTes
 
     def "upper bounds files must exist for backport branches"() {
         when:
-        def result = runGenerateTask("--backport-branches=9.1,8.13,7.17,6.0").buildAndFail()
+        def result = runGenerateTask("--name", "new_tv", "--backport-branches=9.1,8.13,7.17,6.0").buildAndFail()
 
         then:
         assertGenerateFailure(result, "Missing upper bounds files for branches [6.0, 7.17, 8.13], known branches are [8.19, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2]")
diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/GenerateTransportVersionDefinitionTask.java b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/GenerateTransportVersionDefinitionTask.java
index 37f2b2728ea72..d138ea717266e 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/GenerateTransportVersionDefinitionTask.java
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/transport/GenerateTransportVersionDefinitionTask.java
@@ -98,14 +98,14 @@ public void run() throws IOException {
         List<String> changedDefinitionNames = resources.getChangedReferableDefinitionNames();
         String targetDefinitionName = getTargetDefinitionName(resources, referencedNames, changedDefinitionNames);
 
-        List<TransportVersionUpperBound> upstreamUpperBounds = resources.getUpperBoundsFromUpstream();
-        Set<String> targetUpperBoundNames = getTargetUpperBoundNames(resources, upstreamUpperBounds, targetDefinitionName);
-
         getLogger().lifecycle("Generating transport version name: " + targetDefinitionName);
         if (targetDefinitionName.isEmpty()) {
             // TODO: resetting upper bounds needs to be done locally, otherwise it pulls in some (incomplete) changes from upstream main
             // resetAllUpperBounds(resources);
         } else {
+            List<TransportVersionUpperBound> upstreamUpperBounds = resources.getUpperBoundsFromUpstream();
+            Set<String> targetUpperBoundNames = getTargetUpperBoundNames(resources, upstreamUpperBounds, targetDefinitionName);
+
             List<TransportVersionId> ids = updateUpperBounds(resources, upstreamUpperBounds, targetUpperBoundNames, targetDefinitionName);
             // (Re)write the definition file.
             resources.writeDefinition(new TransportVersionDefinition(targetDefinitionName, ids, true));