diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index f20c1b536..52f2f9a56 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ allprojects {
 
 subprojects {
 
-    buildDir = rootProject.buildDir.path + '/modules/' + project.name
+    var buildDir = rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("modules/" + project.name)
+    layout.buildDirectory.set(buildDir)
 
     // Publishing setup is defined in gradle/publish.gradle
     project.afterEvaluate(publishModule)
diff --git a/gradle/publish.gradle b/gradle/publish.gradle
index 6cbac5328..c0684c33c 100644
--- a/gradle/publish.gradle
+++ b/gradle/publish.gradle
@@ -49,8 +49,12 @@ def publishModule(Project project) {
         }
     }
 
-    signing {
-        sign publishing.publications[project.name]
+    var disableSigning = System.getProperty("disableSigning")
+
+    if (disableSigning != "true") {
+        signing {
+            sign publishing.publications[project.name]
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tracdap-plugins/aws-storage/build.gradle b/tracdap-plugins/aws-storage/build.gradle
index 71ba5cb79..a3921baff 100644
--- a/tracdap-plugins/aws-storage/build.gradle
+++ b/tracdap-plugins/aws-storage/build.gradle
@@ -41,4 +41,5 @@ dependencies {
 }
 
 // Use a different build dir (don't include plugins in the main release package)
-project.buildDir = "${rootProject.buildDir.path}/plugins/${project.name}"
+var buildDir = rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("plugins/" + project.name)
+layout.buildDirectory.set(buildDir)
diff --git a/tracdap-plugins/azure-storage/build.gradle b/tracdap-plugins/azure-storage/build.gradle
index 64e4460b5..f16819f34 100644
--- a/tracdap-plugins/azure-storage/build.gradle
+++ b/tracdap-plugins/azure-storage/build.gradle
@@ -41,4 +41,5 @@ dependencies {
 }
 
 // Use a different build dir (don't include plugins in the main release package)
-project.buildDir = "${rootProject.buildDir.path}/plugins/${project.name}"
+var buildDir = rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("plugins/" + project.name)
+layout.buildDirectory.set(buildDir)
diff --git a/tracdap-plugins/gcp-config/build.gradle b/tracdap-plugins/gcp-config/build.gradle
index 52e7c29b1..2b0df43d8 100644
--- a/tracdap-plugins/gcp-config/build.gradle
+++ b/tracdap-plugins/gcp-config/build.gradle
@@ -50,4 +50,5 @@ configurations.configureEach {
 }
 
 // Use a different build dir (don't include plugins in the main release package)
-project.buildDir = "${rootProject.buildDir.path}/plugins/${project.name}"
+var buildDir = rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("plugins/" + project.name)
+layout.buildDirectory.set(buildDir)
diff --git a/tracdap-plugins/gcp-storage/build.gradle b/tracdap-plugins/gcp-storage/build.gradle
index 405c0ca1b..43440bebb 100644
--- a/tracdap-plugins/gcp-storage/build.gradle
+++ b/tracdap-plugins/gcp-storage/build.gradle
@@ -55,5 +55,6 @@ configurations.configureEach {
 
 
 // Use a different build dir (don't include plugins in the main release package)
-project.buildDir = "${rootProject.buildDir.path}/plugins/${project.name}"
+var buildDir = rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("plugins/" + project.name)
+layout.buildDirectory.set(buildDir)
 
diff --git a/tracdap-plugins/sql-drivers/build.gradle b/tracdap-plugins/sql-drivers/build.gradle
index 044a187e4..c48b47ee9 100644
--- a/tracdap-plugins/sql-drivers/build.gradle
+++ b/tracdap-plugins/sql-drivers/build.gradle
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ description = "SQL drivers plugin (placeholder, not required for production buil
 group = "org.finos.tracdap.plugins"
 
 // Use a different build dir (don't include plugins in the main release package)
-project.buildDir = rootProject.buildDir.path + '/plugins/' + project.name
+var buildDir = rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("plugins/" + project.name)
+layout.buildDirectory.set(buildDir)
 
 repositories {
     mavenCentral()
diff --git a/tracdap-plugins/ssh-executor/build.gradle b/tracdap-plugins/ssh-executor/build.gradle
index 9b7ea28ae..0ec45362c 100644
--- a/tracdap-plugins/ssh-executor/build.gradle
+++ b/tracdap-plugins/ssh-executor/build.gradle
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ description = "Executor plugin for remote execution over SSH"
 group = "org.finos.tracdap.plugins"
 
 // Use a different build dir (don't include plugins in the main release package)
-project.buildDir = rootProject.buildDir.path + '/plugins/' + project.name
+var buildDir = rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("plugins/" + project.name)
+layout.buildDirectory.set(buildDir)
 
 dependencies {