diff --git a/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/BaseCompatTest.groovy b/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/BaseCompatTest.groovy
index 99d23ace..3eb5c099 100644
--- a/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/BaseCompatTest.groovy
+++ b/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/BaseCompatTest.groovy
@@ -1,19 +1,4 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2015-2017 the original author or authors.
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-package org.ajoberstar.gradle.reckon.gradle
+package org.ajoberstar.reckon.gradle
 
 import spock.lang.Specification
 import spock.lang.Unroll
diff --git a/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/CompositeBuildCompatTest.groovy b/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/CompositeBuildCompatTest.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e0adebef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/CompositeBuildCompatTest.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+package org.ajoberstar.reckon.gradle
+
+import spock.lang.Specification
+import spock.lang.Unroll
+
+import org.ajoberstar.grgit.Grgit
+import org.gradle.testkit.runner.GradleRunner
+import org.gradle.testkit.runner.BuildResult
+import org.gradle.testkit.runner.TaskOutcome
+import org.junit.Rule
+import org.junit.rules.TemporaryFolder
+
+// Composite builds were added in 3.1
+@IgnoreIf({ System.properties['compat.gradle.version'] == '3.0' })
+class CompositeBuildCompatTest extends Specification {
+  @Rule TemporaryFolder tempDir = new TemporaryFolder()
+  File project1Dir
+  File project2Dir
+  File build1File
+  File build2File
+
+  def setup() {
+    project1Dir = tempDir.newFolder('project1')
+    project2Dir = tempDir.newFolder('project2')
+    build1File = projectFile(project1Dir, 'build.gradle')
+    build2File = projectFile(project2Dir, 'build.gradle')
+
+    def grgit1 = Grgit.init(dir: project1Dir)
+    projectFile(project1Dir, 'file.txt') << 'stuff'
+    projectFile(project1Dir, '.gitignore') << '.gradle\nbuild\n'
+    build1File << '''\
+plugins {
+  id 'org.ajoberstar.grgit'
+  id 'org.ajoberstar.reckon'
+}
+
+reckon {
+  normal = scopeFromProp()
+  preRelease = stageFromProp('beta', 'final')
+}
+
+task printVersion {
+  doLast {
+    println "${project.name} version is ${project.version}"
+  }
+}
+'''
+    grgit1.add(patterns: ['.'])
+    grgit1.commit(message: 'first commit')
+    grgit1.tag.add(name: '1.3.0', message: 'stuff')
+    grgit1.close()
+
+    def grgit2 = Grgit.init(dir: project2Dir)
+    projectFile(project2Dir, 'file.txt') << 'stuff'
+    projectFile(project2Dir, '.gitignore') << '.gradle\nbuild\n'
+    build2File << '''\
+plugins {
+  id 'org.ajoberstar.grgit'
+  id 'org.ajoberstar.reckon'
+}
+
+reckon {
+  normal = scopeFromProp()
+  preRelease = stageFromProp('beta', 'final')
+}
+
+task printVersion {
+  doLast {
+    println "${project.name} version is ${project.version}"
+  }
+}
+'''
+    grgit2.add(patterns: ['.'])
+    grgit2.commit(message: 'first commit')
+    grgit2.tag.add(name: '1.0.0-beta.1', message: 'stuff')
+    grgit2.close()
+  }
+
+  def 'if build included in composite build, reckon properties are ignored'() {
+    when:
+    def result = build(project2Dir, 'printVersion', '--include-build', project1Dir.absolutePath, '-Preckon.scope=major', '-Preckon.stage=beta')
+    then:
+    result.output.contains('Reckoned version: 1.3.0')
+    result.output.contains('Reckoned version: 1.0.0-beta.2')
+  }
+
+  private BuildResult build(File projectDir, String... args = []) {
+    return GradleRunner.create()
+      .withGradleVersion(System.properties['compat.gradle.version'])
+      .withPluginClasspath()
+      .withProjectDir(projectDir)
+      .forwardOutput()
+      .withArguments((args + '--stacktrace') as String[])
+      .build()
+  }
+
+  private BuildResult buildAndFail(File projectDir, String... args = []) {
+    return GradleRunner.create()
+      .withGradleVersion(System.properties['compat.gradle.version'])
+      .withPluginClasspath()
+      .withProjectDir(projectDir)
+      .forwardOutput()
+      .withArguments((args + '--stacktrace') as String[])
+      .buildAndFail()
+  }
+
+  private File projectFile(File projectDir, String path) {
+    File file = new File(projectDir, path)
+    file.parentFile.mkdirs()
+    return file
+  }
+}
diff --git a/reckon-gradle/src/main/java/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/ReckonExtension.java b/reckon-gradle/src/main/java/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/ReckonExtension.java
index 2de5cbb7..5c3526c9 100644
--- a/reckon-gradle/src/main/java/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/ReckonExtension.java
+++ b/reckon-gradle/src/main/java/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/ReckonExtension.java
@@ -52,18 +52,26 @@ public VcsInventorySupplier git(Grgit grgit) {
   }
 
   public NormalStrategy scopeFromProp() {
-    Function<VcsInventory, Optional<String>> supplier = ignored -> Optional.ofNullable(project.findProperty(SCOPE_PROP)).map(Object::toString);
+    Function<VcsInventory, Optional<String>> supplier = ignored -> Optional.ofNullable(project.findProperty(SCOPE_PROP))
+        // composite builds have a parent Gradle build and can't trust the values of these properties
+        .filter(value -> project.getGradle().getParent() == null)
+        .map(Object::toString);
     return new ScopeNormalStrategy(supplier);
   }
 
   public PreReleaseStrategy stageFromProp(String... stages) {
     Set<String> stageSet = Arrays.stream(stages).collect(Collectors.toSet());
-    BiFunction<VcsInventory, Version, Optional<String>> supplier = (inventory, targetNormal) -> Optional.ofNullable(project.findProperty(STAGE_PROP)).map(Object::toString);
+    BiFunction<VcsInventory, Version, Optional<String>> supplier = (inventory, targetNormal) -> Optional.ofNullable(project.findProperty(STAGE_PROP))
+        // composite builds have a parent Gradle build and can't trust the values of these properties
+        .filter(value -> project.getGradle().getParent() == null)
+        .map(Object::toString);
     return new StagePreReleaseStrategy(stageSet, supplier);
   }
 
   public PreReleaseStrategy snapshotFromProp() {
     BiFunction<VcsInventory, Version, Optional<Boolean>> supplier = (inventory, targetNormal) -> Optional.ofNullable(project.findProperty(SNAPSHOT_PROP))
+        // composite builds have a parent Gradle build and can't trust the values of these properties
+        .filter(value -> project.getGradle().getParent() == null)
         .map(Object::toString)
         .map(Boolean::parseBoolean);
     return new SnapshotPreReleaseStrategy(supplier);