diff --git a/.github/workflows/java-gradle.yml b/.github/workflows/java-gradle.yml
index 3c8429ee..338f8d25 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/java-gradle.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/java-gradle.yml
@@ -28,5 +28,6 @@ jobs:
           path: ~/.gradle/caches
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-${{ hashFiles('java/gradle/*.gradle') }}
           restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle
-      - run: ./gradlew build
+      # simulate the bindings
+      - run: cp bindings/gradle-wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties && ./gradlew build
         working-directory: java/gradle
diff --git a/java/gradle/README.md b/java/gradle/README.md
index a67bb7ce..56aaf733 100644
--- a/java/gradle/README.md
+++ b/java/gradle/README.md
@@ -5,22 +5,30 @@ See [prerequisites](https://paketo.io/docs/howto/java/#prerequisites) of this sa
 ## Building
 
 ```bash
-pack build applications/gradle --env BP_JVM_VERSION=17
+pack build applications/gradle
 ```
 
-Alternatively, if you want to attach a `gradle.properties` file to pass additional configuration to Gradle.
+Alternatively, if you want to attach a `gradle.properties` and/or a `gradle-wrapper.properties` file to pass additional configuration to Gradle (Wrapper).
 
 ```bash
-pack build applications/gradle --volume $(pwd)/bindings:/platform/bindings --env BP_JVM_VERSION=17
+pack build applications/gradle --volume $(pwd)/bindings:/platform/bindings
 ```
 
-The command above will use the sample `gradle.properties` file from this repo. It may be more useful to copy your local `gradle.properties` file first.
+The command above will use: 
+
+* the sample `gradle.properties` file from this repo. It may be more useful to copy your local `gradle.properties` file first.
 
 ```bash
 cp ~/.gradle/gradle.properties java/gradle/bindings/gradle/gradle.properties
-pack build applications/gradle --volume $(pwd)/bindings:/platform/bindings  --env BP_JVM_VERSION=17
+pack build applications/gradle --volume $(pwd)/bindings:/platform/bindings
 ```
 
+* the sample `gradle-wrapper.properties` file from this repo. It may be more useful to copy your local `gradle-wrapper.properties` file first.
+
+```bash
+cp ~/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties java/gradle/bindings/gradle-wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+pack build applications/gradle --volume $(pwd)/bindings:/platform/bindings
+
 ## Running
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/java/gradle/bindings/gradle-wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/java/gradle/bindings/gradle-wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c7f216f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/gradle/bindings/gradle-wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.6-bin.zip
+networkTimeout=60000
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/java/gradle/bindings/gradle-wrapper/type b/java/gradle/bindings/gradle-wrapper/type
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f9033942
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/gradle/bindings/gradle-wrapper/type
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+gradle-wrapper
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/java/gradle/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/java/gradle/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index 4e86b927..7c825554 100644
--- a/java/gradle/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/java/gradle/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.6.2-bin.zip
-networkTimeout=10000
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.5-bin.zip
+networkTimeout=1
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 zipStorePath=wrapper/dists
diff --git a/java/gradle/smoke_test/gradle_test.go b/java/gradle/smoke_test/gradle_test.go
index 34e21f3a..e81ca718 100644
--- a/java/gradle/smoke_test/gradle_test.go
+++ b/java/gradle/smoke_test/gradle_test.go
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ func testGradleWithBuilder(builder string) func(*testing.T, spec.G, spec.S) {
 						}).
 						WithBuilder(builder).
 						WithGID("123").
+						WithEnv(map[string]string{
+							"SERVICE_BINDING_ROOT": "/bindings",
+						}).
+						WithVolumes(fmt.Sprintf("%s:/bindings/gradle-wrapper", filepath.Join(source, "bindings/gradle-wrapper"))).
 						Execute(name, source)
 					Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred(), logs.String)