diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/ci/common.py b/lib/spack/spack/ci/common.py
index 07bb7c5fd93..b014e1b9572 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/ci/common.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/ci/common.py
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ def args(self):
             "--cdash-upload-url",
             win_quote(self.upload_url),
             "--cdash-build",
-            win_quote(self.build_name),
+            win_quote(self.build_name()),
             "--cdash-site",
             win_quote(self.site),
             "--cdash-buildstamp",
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ def report_skipped(self, spec: spack.spec.Spec, report_dir: str, reason: Optiona
         configuration = CDashConfiguration(
             upload_url=self.upload_url,
             packages=[spec.name],
-            build=self.build_name,
+            build=self.build_name(),
             site=self.site,
             buildstamp=self.build_stamp,
             track=None,
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/reporters/cdash.py b/lib/spack/spack/reporters/cdash.py
index 0405b3224fa..209876175b8 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/reporters/cdash.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/reporters/cdash.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import re
 import socket
 import time
+import warnings
 import xml.sax.saxutils
 from typing import Dict, Optional
 from urllib.parse import urlencode
@@ -123,11 +124,15 @@ def __init__(self, configuration: CDashConfiguration):
         self.multiple_packages = False
 
     def report_build_name(self, pkg_name):
-        return (
+        buildname = (
             "{0} - {1}".format(self.base_buildname, pkg_name)
             if self.multiple_packages
             else self.base_buildname
         )
+        if len(buildname) > 190:
+            warnings.warn("Build name exceeds CDash 190 character maximum and will be truncated.")
+            buildname = buildname[:190]
+        return buildname
 
     def build_report_for_package(self, report_dir, package, duration):
         if "stdout" not in package:
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/reporters.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/reporters.py
index 55ab019a8a4..41271559a4e 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/reporters.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/reporters.py
@@ -179,3 +179,22 @@ def upload(*args, **kwargs):
     err = capfd.readouterr()[1]
     assert "Skipping report for" in err
     assert "No generated output" in err
+
+
+def test_cdash_reporter_truncates_build_name_if_too_long():
+    build_name = "a" * 190
+    extra_long_build_name = build_name + "a"
+    configuration = CDashConfiguration(
+        upload_url="https://fake-upload",
+        packages="fake-package",
+        build=extra_long_build_name,
+        site="fake-site",
+        buildstamp=None,
+        track="fake-track",
+    )
+
+    reporter = CDash(configuration=configuration)
+    new_build_name = reporter.report_build_name("fake-package")
+
+    assert new_build_name != extra_long_build_name
+    assert new_build_name == build_name