diff --git a/gradle/build.gradle b/gradle/build.gradle
index c60ea9ce1..343a25bcb 100644
--- a/gradle/build.gradle
+++ b/gradle/build.gradle
@@ -1,18 +1,4 @@
 buildscript {
-  ext.repositoryUrl = project.findProperty('repositoryUrl')
-  ext.publishUrl = project.findProperty('publishUrl')
-  repositories {
-    if (repositoryUrl == null) {
-      println "Using Maven central..."
-      mavenCentral()
-    } else {
-      maven {
-        println "Using GCS Maven repo..."
-        url repositoryUrl
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   // Lock buildscript dependencies.
   configurations.classpath {
     resolutionStrategy.activateDependencyLocking()
@@ -71,7 +57,7 @@ task stage {
 }
 
 
-if (publishUrl != null) {
+if (publishUrl) {
   publishing {
     repositories {
       maven {
@@ -129,12 +115,12 @@ allprojects {
   if (project.name == 'services') return
 
   repositories {
-    if (rootProject.repositoryUrl == null) {
-      mavenCentral()
-    } else {
+    if (rootProject.repositoryUrl) {
       maven {
         url rootProject.repositoryUrl
       }
+    } else {
+      mavenCentral()
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/gradle/gradle.properties b/gradle/gradle.properties
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8035c0843
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gradle/gradle.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+repositoryUrl=
+publishUrl=
diff --git a/gradle/settings.gradle b/gradle/settings.gradle
index 30879379f..cb3438ba0 100644
--- a/gradle/settings.gradle
+++ b/gradle/settings.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
+if (repositoryUrl) {
+  println "Using repository $repositoryUrl for plugins"
+  pluginManagement {
+    repositories {
+      maven {
+        url repositoryUrl
+      }
+    }
+  }
+} else {
+  println "Using default repository for plugins"
+}
+
 rootProject.name = 'nomulus'
 
 include 'core'