diff --git a/.evergreen/run-graalvm-native-image-app.sh b/.evergreen/run-graalvm-native-image-app.sh
index 130b0ef7b4e..ba24ef764a8 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 713b8c29a1a..b3d7335f9d9 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 a659b7d1c07..c47a9829851 100644
--- a/graalvm-native-image-app/readme.md
+++ b/graalvm-native-image-app/readme.md
@@ -47,12 +47,12 @@ you need to inform Gradle about that location as specified in https://docs.gradl
 Assuming that your MongoDB deployment is accessible at `mongodb://localhost:27017`,
 run from the driver project root directory:
 
-| # | Command                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | Description                                                                                                                                   |
-|--------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-| 0      | `env JAVA_HOME="${JDK17}" ./gradlew -PjavaVersion=21 :graalvm-native-image-app:nativeCompile`                                                                                                                                    | Build the application relying on the reachability metadata stored in `graalvm-native-image-app/src/main/resources/META-INF/native-image`.     |
-| 1      | `env JAVA_HOME="${JDK17}" ./gradlew clean && env JAVA_HOME=${JDK21_GRAALVM} ./gradlew -PjavaVersion=21 -Pagent :graalvm-native-image-app:run && env JAVA_HOME=${JDK21_GRAALVM} ./gradlew :graalvm-native-image-app:metadataCopy` | Collect the reachability metadata and update the files storing it. Do this before building the application only if building fails otherwise.  |
-| 2      | `./graalvm-native-image-app/build/native/nativeCompile/NativeImageApp`                                                                                                                                                           | Run the application that has been built.                                                                                                      |
-| 3      | `env JAVA_HOME="${JDK17}" ./gradlew -PjavaVersion=21 :graalvm-native-image-app:nativeRun`                                                                                                                                        | Run the application using Gradle, build it if necessary relying on the stored reachability metadata.                                          |
+| # | Command                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | Description                                                                                                                                   |
+|--------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| 0      | `env JAVA_HOME="${JDK17}" ./gradlew -PincludeGraalvm -PjavaVersion=21 :graalvm-native-image-app:nativeCompile`                                                                                                                                                     | Build the application relying on the reachability metadata stored in `graalvm-native-image-app/src/main/resources/META-INF/native-image`.     |
+| 1      | `env JAVA_HOME="${JDK17}" ./gradlew clean && env JAVA_HOME=${JDK21_GRAALVM} ./gradlew -PincludeGraalvm -PjavaVersion=21 -Pagent :graalvm-native-image-app:run && env JAVA_HOME=${JDK21_GRAALVM} ./gradlew -PincludeGraalvm :graalvm-native-image-app:metadataCopy` | Collect the reachability metadata and update the files storing it. Do this before building the application only if building fails otherwise.  |
+| 2      | `./graalvm-native-image-app/build/native/nativeCompile/NativeImageApp`                                                                                                                                                                                             | Run the application that has been built.                                                                                                      |
+| 3      | `env JAVA_HOME="${JDK17}" ./gradlew -PincludeGraalvm -PjavaVersion=21 :graalvm-native-image-app:nativeRun`                                                                                                                                                         | Run the application using Gradle, build it if necessary relying on the stored reachability metadata.                                          |
 
 #### Specifying a custom connection string
 
diff --git a/gradle/javaToolchain.gradle b/gradle/javaToolchain.gradle
index 187b143eea6..f1c779dab33 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 8d425b693b8..b986747c647 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 f72773c5ad7..9add25f9261 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 b1c5e185d37..4ebbb10c4e0 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'
+}