diff --git a/gradle/docker.gradle b/gradle/docker.gradle
index ee677569b83..7871e118ce8 100644
--- a/gradle/docker.gradle
+++ b/gradle/docker.gradle
@@ -2,6 +2,22 @@ ext {
     dockerPath = buildDir.absolutePath + "/docker"
 }
 
+// `--cache-from type=registry,...` is BuildKit syntax. The legacy builder parses it as an
+// image reference and fails the build, so the flag may only be passed when buildx is installed.
+def buildxProbeResult = null
+def buildxAvailable = {
+    if (buildxProbeResult == null) {
+        try {
+            def proc = ["docker", "buildx", "version"].execute()
+            proc.consumeProcessOutput(new StringBuilder(), new StringBuilder())
+            buildxProbeResult = proc.waitFor() == 0
+        } catch (Exception ignored) {
+            buildxProbeResult = false
+        }
+    }
+    return buildxProbeResult
+}
+
 tasks.register('dockerPrepare') {
     doLast {
         delete(dockerPath)
@@ -23,10 +39,19 @@ tasks.register('dockerPrepare') {
 tasks.register('docker', Exec) {
     dependsOn("dockerPrepare")
     workingDir dockerPath
-    commandLine "docker", "build", ".",
-        "-t", "tolgee/tolgee",
-        "--build-arg", "OTEL_AGENT_VERSION=${opentelemetryJavaagentVersion}",
-        "--cache-from", "type=registry,ref=tolgee/tolgee:latest"
+    doFirst {
+        def params = ["docker", "build", ".",
+            "-t", "tolgee/tolgee",
+            "--build-arg", "OTEL_AGENT_VERSION=${opentelemetryJavaagentVersion}"]
+
+        if (buildxAvailable()) {
+            params += ["--cache-from", "type=registry,ref=tolgee/tolgee:latest"]
+        } else {
+            logger.lifecycle("docker buildx not found, building without the registry cache")
+        }
+
+        commandLine params
+    }
 }
 
 // Builds the slim Docker image, tagged as tolgee/tolgee:slim.