diff --git a/freemarker-core/src/main/resource-templates/freemarker/version.properties b/freemarker-core/src/main/resource-templates/freemarker/version.properties
index 6c4d072..f7803f0 100644
--- a/freemarker-core/src/main/resource-templates/freemarker/version.properties
+++ b/freemarker-core/src/main/resource-templates/freemarker/version.properties
@@ -26,8 +26,12 @@
 #   Qualifier :: = NightlyQualifier
 #                  |
 #                  ( ('pre'|'rc') twoDigitPositiveInteger ('-' NightlyQualifier)? )
-#   NightlyQualifier :: = 'nightly_@timestampInVersion@'
-#
+#   NightlyQualifier :: = 'nightly_[timestampInVersion]'
+# 
+# Note: In comments in this file we sourround timestampInVersion with 
+# square brackets instead of @@, to avoid replacement with a timestamp
+# during build which is required for reproducible builds.
+# 
 # This format is compatible both with Maven and JSR 277, and it must
 # remain so. Stable versions must not have a qualifier.
 # Note that qualifiers are compared with String.compareTo,
@@ -37,11 +41,11 @@
 #   Version number        Means
 #   3.0.0                 3.0.0 stable release
 #   3.3.12                3.3.12 stable release
-#   3.3.13-nightly_@timestampInVersion@
+#   3.3.13-nightly_[timestampInVersion]
 #                         Modified version after 3.3.12, which will
 #                         become to 3.3.13 one day.
 #   3.4.0-pre03           The 3rd preview of version 3.4.0
-#   3.4.0-pre04-nightly_@timestampInVersion@
+#   3.4.0-pre04-nightly_[timestampInVersion]
 #                         Unreleased nightly version of the yet unfinished
 #                         3.4.0-pre04.
 #   3.4.0-rc01            1st release candidate of 3.4.0
@@ -58,7 +62,7 @@
 #   compatibility violations are allowed, but still should be avoided.
 version=2.3.33-nightly_@timestampInVersion@
 # This exists as for Maven we use "-SNAPSHOT" for nightly releases,
-# and no _nightly_@timestampInVersion@. For final releases it's the
+# and no _nightly_[timestampInVersion]. For final releases it's the
 # same as "version".
 mavenVersion=2.3.33-SNAPSHOT
 
@@ -72,7 +76,7 @@
 #   2.4.0.stable
 #   2.4.0.rc01
 #   2.4.0.pre01
-#   2.4.0.nightly_@timestampInVersion@
+#   2.4.0.nightly_[timestampInVersion]
 versionForOSGi=2.3.33.nightly_@timestampInVersion@
 
 # Version string that conforms to legacy MF