diff --git a/plugins/gradle/java/testSources/importing/GradleToolWindowTest.groovy b/plugins/gradle/java/testSources/importing/GradleToolWindowTest.groovy
index 706956a03b64..57b5d9069191 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/java/testSources/importing/GradleToolWindowTest.groovy
+++ b/plugins/gradle/java/testSources/importing/GradleToolWindowTest.groovy
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ package org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.importing
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.WriteAction
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.importing.ImportSpec
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.importing.ImportSpecBuilder
-import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.service.execution.ProgressExecutionMode
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.service.project.ProjectDataManager
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.service.project.manage.ExternalProjectsManagerImpl
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.view.ExternalProjectsViewImpl
@@ -272,9 +271,7 @@ project(':string-utils') {
 
   @Override
   protected ImportSpec createImportSpec() {
-    ImportSpecBuilder importSpecBuilder = new ImportSpecBuilder(myProject, getExternalSystemId())
-      .use(ProgressExecutionMode.MODAL_SYNC)
-      .forceWhenUptodate();
+    ImportSpecBuilder importSpecBuilder = new ImportSpecBuilder(super.createImportSpec())
     if (isPreview) {
       importSpecBuilder.usePreviewMode()
     }
diff --git a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/execution/build/output/GradleBuildScriptErrorParser.kt b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/execution/build/output/GradleBuildScriptErrorParser.kt
index efd03949080e..d1e92abfcd1d 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/execution/build/output/GradleBuildScriptErrorParser.kt
+++ b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/execution/build/output/GradleBuildScriptErrorParser.kt
@@ -68,6 +68,19 @@ class GradleBuildScriptErrorParser : BuildOutputParser {
         nextLine == "* Try:" -> break@loop
       }
     }
+
+    var exception: StringBuilder? = null
+    while (true) {
+      val nextLine = reader.readLine() ?: break
+      if (nextLine == "* Exception is:")  {
+        exception = StringBuilder(nextLine).appendln()
+      } else {
+        exception?.appendln(nextLine)
+      }
+      if (nextLine == "BUILD FAILED") break
+    }
+    exception?.also { description.appendln().append(it) }
+
     // compilation errors should be added by the respective compiler output parser
     if (reason == "Compilation failed; see the compiler error output for details" ||
         reason == "Compilation error. See log for more details" ||
diff --git a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/execution/GradleExecutionHelper.java b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/execution/GradleExecutionHelper.java
index a5fd9e1e71b7..32d253ea6631 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/execution/GradleExecutionHelper.java
+++ b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/execution/GradleExecutionHelper.java
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ public class GradleExecutionHelper {
         if (!settings.getArguments().contains("--debug")){
           settings.withArgument("--info");
         }
-        settings.withArgument("--stacktrace");
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/plugins/gradle/testSources/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/importing/GradleImportingTestCase.java b/plugins/gradle/testSources/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/importing/GradleImportingTestCase.java
index 184faad9e810..2c7f5ef8eb09 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/testSources/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/importing/GradleImportingTestCase.java
+++ b/plugins/gradle/testSources/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/importing/GradleImportingTestCase.java
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.importing;
 
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.PathManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.WriteAction;
+import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.importing.ImportSpec;
+import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.importing.ImportSpecBuilder;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.model.ProjectSystemId;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.model.settings.ExternalSystemExecutionSettings;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.settings.ExternalSystemSettingsListenerAdapter;
@@ -225,6 +227,13 @@ public abstract class GradleImportingTestCase extends ExternalSystemImportingTes
     super.importProject(config);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  protected ImportSpec createImportSpec() {
+    ImportSpecBuilder importSpecBuilder = new ImportSpecBuilder(super.createImportSpec());
+    importSpecBuilder.withArguments("--stacktrace");
+    return importSpecBuilder.build();
+  }
+
   @NotNull
   protected String injectRepo(@NonNls @Language("Groovy") String config) {
     config = "allprojects {\n" +
diff --git a/plugins/gradle/testSources/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/importing/GradleOutputParsersMessagesImportingTest.kt b/plugins/gradle/testSources/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/importing/GradleOutputParsersMessagesImportingTest.kt
index f0090c52a186..9f2a42147774 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/testSources/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/importing/GradleOutputParsersMessagesImportingTest.kt
+++ b/plugins/gradle/testSources/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/importing/GradleOutputParsersMessagesImportingTest.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 // Copyright 2000-2019 JetBrains s.r.o. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 package org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.importing
 
+import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.importing.ImportSpec
+import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.importing.ImportSpecBuilder
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.io.FileUtil
 import org.gradle.util.GradleVersion
 import org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.settings.GradleSystemSettings
 import org.junit.Test
@@ -9,10 +12,28 @@ import org.junit.Test
 open class GradleOutputParsersMessagesImportingTest : BuildViewMessagesImportingTestCase() {
   val itemLinePrefix by lazy { if (currentGradleVersion < GradleVersion.version("4.8")) " " else "-" }
   val isPerTaskOutputSupported by lazy { currentGradleVersion >= GradleVersion.version("4.7") }
+  private var enableStackTraceImportingOption = false
 
   // do not inject repository
   override fun injectRepo(config: String): String = config
 
+  override fun createImportSpec(): ImportSpec {
+    val baseImportSpec = super.createImportSpec()
+    val baseArguments = baseImportSpec.arguments
+    val importSpecBuilder = ImportSpecBuilder(baseImportSpec)
+    if (enableStackTraceImportingOption) {
+      if (baseArguments == null || !baseArguments.contains("--stacktrace")) {
+        importSpecBuilder.withArguments("${baseArguments} --stacktrace")
+      }
+    }
+    else {
+      if (baseArguments != null) {
+        importSpecBuilder.withArguments(baseArguments.replace("--stacktrace", ""))
+      }
+    }
+    return importSpecBuilder.build()
+  }
+
   @Test
   fun `test build script errors on Sync`() {
     createSettingsFile("include 'api', 'impl' ")
@@ -270,4 +291,21 @@ open class GradleOutputParsersMessagesImportingTest : BuildViewMessagesImporting
                              "  -build.gradle\n" +
                              "   only buildscript {} and other plugins {} script blocks are allowed before plugins {} blocks, no other statements are allowed")
   }
+
+  @Test
+  fun `test build script errors with stacktrace info`() {
+    enableStackTraceImportingOption = true
+    importProject("apply plugin: 'java'foo")
+
+    assertSyncViewTreeEquals("-\n" +
+                             " -failed\n" +
+                             "  -build.gradle\n" +
+                             "   Cannot get property 'foo' on null object")
+
+    val filePath = FileUtil.toSystemDependentName(myProjectConfig.path)
+    assertSyncViewSelectedNode("Cannot get property 'foo' on null object",
+                               "Build file '$filePath' line: 1\n\n" +
+                               "A problem occurred evaluating root project 'project'.\n" +
+                               "> Cannot get property 'foo' on null object\n")
+  }
 }