diff --git a/.github/workflows/dataconnect_demo_app.yml b/.github/workflows/dataconnect_demo_app.yml
index 24a5434bd57..ccbc005ba1d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dataconnect_demo_app.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dataconnect_demo_app.yml
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ jobs:
           --no-daemon \
           ${{ (inputs.gradleInfoLog && '--info') || '' }} \
           --profile \
-          -PdataConnect.minimalApp.firebaseCommand=${{ env.FDC_FIREBASE_COMMAND }} \
+          -PdataConnect.demo.firebaseCommand=${{ env.FDC_FIREBASE_COMMAND }} \
           assemble test
 
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@4cec3d8aa04e39d1a68397de0c4cd6fb9dce8ec1 # v4.6.1
diff --git a/firebase-dataconnect/demo/build.gradle.kts b/firebase-dataconnect/demo/build.gradle.kts
index baad45dda7c..73204c49651 100644
--- a/firebase-dataconnect/demo/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/firebase-dataconnect/demo/build.gradle.kts
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ abstract class DataConnectGenerateSourcesTask : DefaultTask() {
 
   @get:Input @get:Optional abstract val nodeExecutableDirectory: Property<String>
 
+  @get:InputFile
+  @get:Optional
+  @get:PathSensitive(PathSensitivity.ABSOLUTE)
+  abstract val dataConnectEmulatorExecutable: RegularFileProperty
+
   @get:OutputDirectory abstract val outputDirectory: DirectoryProperty
 
   @get:Internal abstract val workDirectory: DirectoryProperty
@@ -140,6 +145,7 @@ abstract class DataConnectGenerateSourcesTask : DefaultTask() {
     val firebaseToolsVersion: String = firebaseToolsVersion.get()
     val firebaseCommand: String = firebaseCommand.get()
     val nodeExecutableDirectory: String? = nodeExecutableDirectory.orNull
+    val dataConnectEmulatorExecutable: File? = dataConnectEmulatorExecutable.orNull?.asFile
     val outputDirectory: File = outputDirectory.get().asFile
     val workDirectory: File = workDirectory.get().asFile
 
@@ -147,6 +153,7 @@ abstract class DataConnectGenerateSourcesTask : DefaultTask() {
     logger.info("firebaseToolsVersion: {}", firebaseToolsVersion)
     logger.info("firebaseCommand: {}", firebaseCommand)
     logger.info("nodeExecutableDirectory: {}", nodeExecutableDirectory)
+    logger.info("dataConnectEmulatorExecutable: {}", dataConnectEmulatorExecutable)
     logger.info("outputDirectory: {}", outputDirectory.absolutePath)
     logger.info("workDirectory: {}", workDirectory.absolutePath)
 
@@ -170,6 +177,7 @@ abstract class DataConnectGenerateSourcesTask : DefaultTask() {
               this,
               firebaseCommand = firebaseCommand,
               nodeExecutableDirectory = nodeExecutableDirectory,
+              dataConnectEmulatorExecutable = dataConnectEmulatorExecutable,
               path = providerFactory.environmentVariable("PATH").orNull,
             )
             args("--debug", "dataconnect:sdk:generate")
@@ -197,6 +205,7 @@ abstract class DataConnectGenerateSourcesTask : DefaultTask() {
       execSpec: ExecSpec,
       firebaseCommand: String,
       nodeExecutableDirectory: String?,
+      dataConnectEmulatorExecutable: File?,
       path: String?,
     ) {
       execSpec.setCommandLine(firebaseCommand)
@@ -215,6 +224,13 @@ abstract class DataConnectGenerateSourcesTask : DefaultTask() {
       if (newPath !== null) {
         execSpec.environment("PATH", newPath)
       }
+
+      if (dataConnectEmulatorExecutable !== null) {
+        execSpec.environment(
+          "DATACONNECT_EMULATOR_BINARY_PATH",
+          dataConnectEmulatorExecutable.absolutePath,
+        )
+      }
     }
   }
 }
@@ -264,15 +280,18 @@ run {
       outputDirectory = layout.buildDirectory.dir("dataConnect/generatedSources")
 
       firebaseCommand =
-        project.providers
-          .gradleProperty("dataConnect.minimalApp.firebaseCommand")
-          .orElse("firebase")
+        project.providers.gradleProperty("dataConnect.demo.firebaseCommand").orElse("firebase")
 
       nodeExecutableDirectory =
-        project.providers.gradleProperty("dataConnect.minimalApp.nodeExecutableDirectory").map {
+        project.providers.gradleProperty("dataConnect.demo.nodeExecutableDirectory").map {
           projectDirectory.dir(it).asFile.absolutePath
         }
 
+      dataConnectEmulatorExecutable =
+        project.providers.gradleProperty("dataConnect.demo.dataConnectEmulatorExecutable").map {
+          projectDirectory.file(it)
+        }
+
       val path = providers.environmentVariable("PATH")
       firebaseToolsVersion =
         providers
@@ -281,6 +300,7 @@ run {
               this,
               firebaseCommand = firebaseCommand.get(),
               nodeExecutableDirectory = nodeExecutableDirectory.orNull,
+              dataConnectEmulatorExecutable = dataConnectEmulatorExecutable.orNull?.asFile,
               path = path.orNull,
             )
             args("--version")
diff --git a/firebase-dataconnect/demo/gradle.properties b/firebase-dataconnect/demo/gradle.properties
index 12a9a7c6e9c..cab63a85bad 100644
--- a/firebase-dataconnect/demo/gradle.properties
+++ b/firebase-dataconnect/demo/gradle.properties
@@ -5,3 +5,21 @@ org.gradle.caching=true
 android.useAndroidX=true
 
 org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2g
+
+// The path of the "firebase" command to use.
+// If not specified, then "firebase" is used, resolved using the PATH environment variable.
+// See build.gradle.kts for details.
+//dataConnect.demo.firebaseCommand=/path/to/firebase
+
+// The path of the directory containing the "node" and "npm" commands.
+// This directory will be prepended to the PATH before running the "firebase" command
+// and may be useful to override the "node" and "npm" executables that get used by it.
+// See build.gradle.kts for details.
+//dataConnect.demo.nodeExecutableDirectory=/path/to/node/bin
+
+// The Data Connect emulator executable to use.
+// If set, the `DATACONNECT_EMULATOR_BINARY_PATH` environment variable will be set before calling
+// the "firebase" command to instruct it to use the specified Data Connect emulator rather than
+// downloading an official version and using it.
+// See build.gradle.kts for details.
+//dataConnect.demo.dataConnectEmulatorExecutable=/path/to/cli