diff --git a/.evergreen/run-graalvm-native-image-app.sh b/.evergreen/run-graalvm-native-image-app.sh
index 130b0ef7b4..ba24ef764a 100755
--- a/.evergreen/run-graalvm-native-image-app.sh
+++ b/.evergreen/run-graalvm-native-image-app.sh
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ echo "The Gradle version is"
 ./gradlew --version
 
 echo "Building and running the GraalVM native image app"
-./gradlew -PjavaVersion=${JAVA_VERSION} -Dorg.mongodb.test.uri=${MONGODB_URI} :graalvm-native-image-app:nativeRun
+./gradlew -PincludeGraalvm -PjavaVersion=${JAVA_VERSION} -Dorg.mongodb.test.uri=${MONGODB_URI} :graalvm-native-image-app:nativeRun
diff --git a/graalvm-native-image-app/build.gradle b/graalvm-native-image-app/build.gradle
index 713b8c29a1..b3d7335f9d 100644
--- a/graalvm-native-image-app/build.gradle
+++ b/graalvm-native-image-app/build.gradle
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+// Note requires a Gradle project flag `-PincludeGraalvm` (see settings.gradle).
+
 plugins {
     id 'application'
     id 'org.graalvm.buildtools.native' version '0.9.23'
diff --git a/graalvm-native-image-app/readme.md b/graalvm-native-image-app/readme.md
index a659b7d1c0..1fda1453a8 100644
--- a/graalvm-native-image-app/readme.md
+++ b/graalvm-native-image-app/readme.md
@@ -62,10 +62,12 @@ you can specify the connection string used by the `:graalvm-native-image-app:run
 Gradle tasks, as well as by the built native application by passing the CLI argument
 `-Dorg.mongodb.test.uri="<your connection string>"` to `gradlew` or `NativeImageApp` respectively:
 
+For gradle to include this project in the build you *must* include a project flag: `-PincludeGraalvm`
+
 ```bash
-./gradlew ... -Dorg.mongodb.test.uri="<your connection string>"
+./gradlew ... -PincludeGraalvm -Dorg.mongodb.test.uri="<your connection string>"
 ```
 
 ```bash
-./graalvm-native-image-app/build/native/nativeCompile/NativeImageApp -Dorg.mongodb.test.uri="<your connection string>"
+./graalvm-native-image-app/build/native/nativeCompile/NativeImageApp -PincludeGraalvm -Dorg.mongodb.test.uri="<your connection string>"
 ```
diff --git a/gradle/javaToolchain.gradle b/gradle/javaToolchain.gradle
index 187b143eea..f1c779dab3 100644
--- a/gradle/javaToolchain.gradle
+++ b/gradle/javaToolchain.gradle
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ allprojects {
             options.encoding = "UTF-8"
             options.release.set(17)
         }
-    } else if (project == project(':graalvm-native-image-app')) {
+    } else if (project.name == 'graalvm-native-image-app') {
         tasks.withType(JavaCompile) {
             options.encoding = 'UTF-8'
             options.release.set(DEFAULT_JDK_VERSION)
diff --git a/gradle/javadoc.gradle b/gradle/javadoc.gradle
index 8d425b693b..b986747c64 100644
--- a/gradle/javadoc.gradle
+++ b/gradle/javadoc.gradle
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ import static org.gradle.util.CollectionUtils.single
  */
 
 
-def projectsThatDoNotPublishJavaDocs = project(":util").allprojects + project(":driver-benchmarks") + project("driver-workload-executor") + project("driver-lambda") + project(":graalvm-native-image-app")
-def javaMainProjects = subprojects - projectsThatDoNotPublishJavaDocs
+def projectNamesThatDoNotPublishJavaDocs =["driver-benchmarks", "driver-lambda", "driver-workload-executor", "graalvm-native-image-app", "util",
+                                           "spock", "taglets"]
+def javaMainProjects = subprojects.findAll { !projectNamesThatDoNotPublishJavaDocs.contains(it.name) }
 
 task docs {
     dependsOn javaMainProjects.collect { it.tasks.withType(Javadoc) + it.tasks.withType(ScalaDoc) }
diff --git a/gradle/publish.gradle b/gradle/publish.gradle
index f72773c5ad..9add25f926 100644
--- a/gradle/publish.gradle
+++ b/gradle/publish.gradle
@@ -72,8 +72,10 @@ ext {
     }
 }
 
-def projectsNotPublishedToMaven = project(":util").allprojects + project(":driver-benchmarks") + project("driver-workload-executor") + project("driver-lambda") + project(":graalvm-native-image-app")
-def publishedProjects = subprojects - projectsNotPublishedToMaven
+
+def projectNamesNotToBePublished = ["driver-benchmarks", "driver-lambda", "driver-workload-executor", "graalvm-native-image-app", "util",
+                                    "spock", "taglets"]
+def publishedProjects = subprojects.findAll { !projectNamesNotToBePublished.contains(it.name) }
 def scalaProjects = publishedProjects.findAll { it.name.contains('scala') }
 def javaProjects = publishedProjects - scalaProjects
 def projectsWithManifest = publishedProjects.findAll {it.name != 'driver-legacy' }
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index b1c5e185d3..4ebbb10c4e 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -32,4 +32,7 @@ include ':driver-scala'
 include ':mongodb-crypt'
 include 'util:spock'
 include 'util:taglets'
-include ':graalvm-native-image-app'
+
+if(hasProperty("includeGraalvm")) {
+    include ':graalvm-native-image-app'
+}