Jenkins build periodlically feature does not trigger builds at expected time

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1

Hi all,

I find an issue on build periodlically feature on my newly setup Jenkins instance.

I configured jenkins job to run once a day like below:

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It is expected to run at 13:48 UTC time, but it actually was run at 8:48 UTC time.

00:48:03 Started by timer
00:48:03 Running as SYSTEM
00:48:03 [lockable-resources] acquired lock on [10.109.149.177]
00:48:03 Building remotely on 10.109.149.2 (Window SIT_Autotmation) in workspace C:\Users\SharonX\jenkins-slave\workspace\sit-automation-regression-BMC-Ker75
00:48:03 The recommended git tool is: NONE
00:48:03 No credentials specified

… more logs in the following reply.

Jenkins setup:

Jenkins: 2.528.2
OS: Linux - 6.8.0-88-generic
Java: 21.0.9 - Ubuntu (OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM)
-–
allure-jenkins-plugin:2.32.0
ant:520.vd082ecfb_16a_9
antisamy-markup-formatter:173.v680e3a_b_69ff3
apache-httpcomponents-client-4-api:4.5.14-269.vfa_2321039a_83
asm-api:9.9-185.va_6c6b_3348b_c3
bootstrap5-api:5.3.8-895.v4d0d8e47fea_d
bouncycastle-api:2.30.1.82-277.v70ca_0b_877184
branch-api:2.1259.v45c101731c76
build-name-setter:2.5.1
build-pipeline-plugin:2.0.2
build-timeout:1.38
build-user-vars-plugin:195.v8c35f9d5c3dc
caffeine-api:3.2.2-178.v353b_8428ed56
checks-api:373.vfe7645102093
cloudbees-folder:6.1073.va_7888eb_dd514
commons-lang3-api:3.19.0-104.v12125f33a_255
commons-text-api:1.14.0-194.v804a_dc3a_1b_d8
credentials:1447.v4cb_b_539b_5321
credentials-binding:702.vfe613e537e88
dark-theme:574.va_19f05d54df5
data-tables-api:2.3.5-1482.vb_47a_3c19f78c
disk-usage:1.3
display-url-api:2.217.va_6b_de84cc74b_
durable-task:605.v9a_b_9040c9970
echarts-api:6.0.0-1165.vd1283a_3e37d4
eddsa-api:0.3.0.1-19.vc432d923e5ee
email-ext:1933.v45cec755423f
font-awesome-api:7.1.0-882.v1dfb_771e3278
git:5.8.0
git-changelog:3.45
git-client:6.4.0
github:1.45.0
github-api:1.330-492.v3941a_032db_2a_
github-branch-source:1917.v9ee8a_39b_3d0d
gitlab-api:5.8.1-106.vef1de800710e
gitlab-oauth:1.23
gitlab-plugin:1.9.9
gradle:2.16.1149.v711b_998b_0532
gson-api:2.13.2-173.va_a_092315913c
htmlpublisher:427
instance-identity:203.v15e81a_1b_7a_38
ionicons-api:94.vcc3065403257
jackson2-api:2.20.1-423.v13951f6b_6532
jakarta-activation-api:2.1.3-2
jakarta-mail-api:2.1.3-3
jakarta-xml-bind-api:4.0.5-3.v3d5b_a_73965b_9
javax-activation-api:1.2.0-8
jaxb:2.3.9-133.vb_ec76a_73f706
jersey2-api:2.47-165.ve7809a_3e87e0
jjwt-api:0.11.5-120.v0268cf544b_89
job-import-plugin:122.v35289550f1e6
joda-time-api:2.14.0-149.v1c3ce991d1b_9
jquery:1.12.4-3
jquery3-api:3.7.1-619.vdb_10e002501a_
json-api:20250517-173.v596efb_962a_31
json-path-api:2.10.0-202.va_9cc16c1e476
jsoup:1.21.2-66.v6ea_38164b_8a_2
junit:1369.v15da_00283f06
ldap:793.v754d6b_41b_ea_4
locale:614.va_6a_5a_1a_f2b_38
lockable-resources:1438.v3c0f8c9e2060
mailer:522.va_995fa_cfb_8b_d
matrix-auth:3.2.8
matrix-project:870.v9db_fcfc2f45b_
metrics:4.2.37-489.vb_6db_69b_ce753
mina-sshd-api-common:2.16.0-167.va_269f38cc024
mina-sshd-api-core:2.16.0-167.va_269f38cc024
monitoring:2.5.0
okhttp-api:4.12.0-195.vc02552c04ffd
parameterized-trigger:873.v8b_e37dd8418f
pipeline-build-step:571.v08a_fffd4b_0ce
pipeline-github-lib:65.v203688e7727e
pipeline-graph-view:661.v6003f4542123
pipeline-groovy-lib:776.vfee5327b_b_a_5b_
pipeline-input-step:540.v14b_100d754dd
pipeline-milestone-step:138.v78ca_76831a_43
pipeline-model-api:2.2277.v00573e73ddf1
pipeline-model-definition:2.2277.v00573e73ddf1
pipeline-model-extensions:2.2277.v00573e73ddf1
pipeline-stage-step:322.vecffa_99f371c
pipeline-stage-tags-metadata:2.2277.v00573e73ddf1
plain-credentials:199.v9f8e1f741799
plugin-util-api:6.1192.v30fe6e2837ff
prism-api:1.30.0-630.va_e19d17f83b_0
rebuild:338.va_0a_b_50e29397
resource-disposer:0.25
role-strategy:840.v206ff7f7312e
scm-api:712.v8846fdd68c88
script-security:1385.v7d2d9ec4d909
simple-theme-plugin:211.v5424a_5510e47
snakeyaml-api:2.5-143.v93b_c004f89de
ssh-credentials:361.vb_f6760818e8c
ssh-slaves:3.1085.vc64d040efa_85
structs:353.v261ea_40a_80fb_
theme-manager:327.v780d7096ec29
thinBackup:2.1.3
timestamper:1.30
token-macro:477.vd4f0dc3cb_cf1
trilead-api:2.209.v0e69b_c43c245
uno-choice:2.8.8
variant:70.va_d9f17f859e0
workflow-aggregator:608.v67378e9d3db_1
workflow-api:1384.vdc05a_48f535f
workflow-basic-steps:1098.v808b_fd7f8cf4
workflow-cps:4218.vff679a_5c0f3a_
workflow-durable-task-step:1464.v2d3f5c68f84c
workflow-job:1559.va_a_533730b_ea_d
workflow-multibranch:821.vc3b_4ea_780798
workflow-scm-step:466.va_d69e602552b_
workflow-step-api:710.v3e456cc85233
workflow-support:1004.veee3a_d67cdb_9
ws-cleanup:0.49

2

Follow up on my first post:

I noticed when the issue happens, the timestamp from the console log is also very strange:

The first part of time is 00:48, then very suddenly it changes to 16:48 (which is the correct time, as I am displaying the log at UTC+8 timezone)

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I doubt it may relating to my jenkins was running on UTC time. I am using locale plugin to display the time to my own timezone.

Attach my Jenkins server settings:

jenkins_remote@jenkins-server:~$ timedatectl status
Local time: Fri 2025-12-12 10:04:36 CST
Universal time: Fri 2025-12-12 02:04:36 UTC
RTC time: Fri 2025-12-12 02:04:36
Time zone: Asia/Taipei (CST, +0800)
System clock synchronized: yes
NTP service: n/a
RTC in local TZ: no

jenkins_remote@jenkins-server:~$ ps afx |grep jenkins
437156 ? Ss 0:00 _ sshd: jenkins_remote [priv]
437273 ? S 0:00 _ sshd: jenkins_remote@pts/0
438011 pts/0 S+ 0:00 _ grep --color=auto jenkins
427159 ? Ssl 69:31 /usr/bin/java -Djava.awt.headless=true -jar /usr/share/java/jenkins.war --webroot=/var/cache/jenkins/war --httpPort=8080

3

One more strange thing happens, the job was not triggered at expected time last night.

I changed the setting to be H 13 * * * at 17:00 pm UTC+8. The job should be run at around 21 PM in UTC +8. But the job was not triggered at all.

However, another job I set to run at H 17 * * *, it was triggered at expected time at my 1 AM today.

4

I noticed the build mistriggered

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It was actually started 17 hr 46 min ago. Jenkins calculated with 8 hours difference.

But all other builds triggered manually or at expected time, they are all good with timestamps.

5

Try to remove the locale time plugin

6

I have a challenge on setting up the jenkins to run in UTC+8. It should be run in UTC+8 but for some reason, it shows the time in UTC timezone. That’s why I installed this plugin.

7

@sharon first of all we need to understand if the problem come from the plugin or the problem is different

8

First thing is that when you look at the logs of a job is to disable using the browser timezone.

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Then in your user account setting check what you have set for the time zone. Set it to default to use the controller time zone.
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Finally check in /manage/systemInfo the user.timezone system property. Verify that this is really UTC (GMT)
With these settings you should see all timestamps in UTC. Which should allow you to check if the trigger works correct or not.

The locale plugin should be no problem. This is just for selecting the correct language but it should not influence the timezone.

9

OK, I have some new findings about the server. The server RTC time changed to a wrong time when the error happens.

jenkins_remote@jenkinsserver:~$ timedatectl status
Local time: Sat 2025-12-13 00:28:13 CST
Universal time: Fri 2025-12-12 16:28:13 UTC
RTC time: Fri 2025-12-12 08:28:10
Time zone: Asia/Taipei (CST, +0800)
System clock synchronized: no
NTP service: n/a
RTC in local TZ: no

I have changed to use NTP to sync the time and let’s see whether it will correct the behavior.

10

The issue is resolved after NTP time sync enabled. Thanks all for your support!

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