It was described as a new species by Australian mammalogist Ellis Le Geyt Troughton in 1931.

It is sometimes classified as a subspecies of the northern freetail bat, Mops jobensis.

[3] The genus Chaerephon was formerly considered a subgenus of or synonymous with the genus Tadarida, meaning that this species has been known as Tadarida jobensis solomonis or Tadarida solomonis.

Its fur is a rich, auburn brown, with white hairs interspersed infrequently.

Its tragus is lobed and broad at the tip.