diff --git a/aws_lambda_builders/workflows/java_gradle/gradle.py b/aws_lambda_builders/workflows/java_gradle/gradle.py
index ffdf38c4d..2550893fe 100644
--- a/aws_lambda_builders/workflows/java_gradle/gradle.py
+++ b/aws_lambda_builders/workflows/java_gradle/gradle.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ def build(self, source_dir, build_file, cache_dir=None, init_script_path=None, p
         if not self.os_utils.exists(build_file):
             raise BuildFileNotFoundError(build_file)
 
+        ## Note: --build_file parameter is not supported anymore, but kept for backward compatibility
         args = ["build", "--build-file", build_file]
         if cache_dir is not None:
             args.extend(["--project-cache-dir", cache_dir])
diff --git a/aws_lambda_builders/workflows/java_gradle/resources/lambda-build-init.gradle b/aws_lambda_builders/workflows/java_gradle/resources/lambda-build-init.gradle
index d98d72635..298742bb7 100644
--- a/aws_lambda_builders/workflows/java_gradle/resources/lambda-build-init.gradle
+++ b/aws_lambda_builders/workflows/java_gradle/resources/lambda-build-init.gradle
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ def assertExpectedBuildDir(p) {
 }
 
 def createArtifactDir(project) {
-    def distsDir = project.buildDir.toPath().resolve(project.distsDirName).resolve('lambda-build')
+    // In Gradle 9, distsDirName was removed. Use 'distributions' as the default directory name
+    def distsDir = project.buildDir.toPath().resolve('distributions').resolve('lambda-build')
     return makeDirs(distsDir)
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/workflows/java_gradle/test_gradle.py b/tests/unit/workflows/java_gradle/test_gradle.py
index ef72e28c5..ba723d7e1 100644
--- a/tests/unit/workflows/java_gradle/test_gradle.py
+++ b/tests/unit/workflows/java_gradle/test_gradle.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def test_build_no_init_script(self):
         gradle = SubprocessGradle(gradle_binary=self.gradle_binary, os_utils=self.os_utils)
         gradle.build(self.source_dir, self.manifest_path)
         self.os_utils.popen.assert_called_with(
-            [self.gradle_path, "build", "--build-file", self.manifest_path],
+            [self.gradle_path, "build"],
             cwd=self.source_dir,
             stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def test_gradlew_path_is_dummy_uses_gradle_binary(self):
         gradle = SubprocessGradle(gradle_binary=self.gradle_binary, os_utils=self.os_utils)
         gradle.build(self.source_dir, self.manifest_path)
         self.os_utils.popen.assert_called_with(
-            [self.gradle_path, "build", "--build-file", self.manifest_path],
+            [self.gradle_path, "build"],
             cwd=self.source_dir,
             stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def test_build_with_init_script(self):
         gradle = SubprocessGradle(gradle_binary=self.gradle_binary, os_utils=self.os_utils)
         gradle.build(self.source_dir, self.manifest_path, init_script_path=self.init_script)
         self.os_utils.popen.assert_called_with(
-            [self.gradle_path, "build", "--build-file", self.manifest_path, "--init-script", self.init_script],
+            [self.gradle_path, "build", "--init-script", self.init_script],
             cwd=self.source_dir,
             stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
@@ -101,8 +101,6 @@ def test_includes_build_properties_in_command(self):
             [
                 self.gradle_path,
                 "build",
-                "--build-file",
-                self.manifest_path,
                 "-Dfoo=bar",
                 "--init-script",
                 self.init_script,