diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index dba772755..e403c1355 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: "zulu"
-          java-version: 11
+          java-version: 17
 
       - uses: krdlab/setup-haxe@v1
         with:
diff --git a/templates/android/template/app/build.gradle b/templates/android/template/app/build.gradle
index f6b9fad10..00c0f4088 100644
--- a/templates/android/template/app/build.gradle
+++ b/templates/android/template/app/build.gradle
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ android {
 	compileSdkVersion Integer.parseInt(project.ANDROID_BUILD_SDK_VERSION)
 	buildToolsVersion project.ANDROID_BUILD_TOOLS_VERSION
 	::if (ANDROID_GRADLE_PLUGIN>="4.0")::ndkPath '::ANDROID_NDK_ROOT_ESCAPED::'::end::
+	::if (ANDROID_NDK_VERSION)::ndkVersion '::ANDROID_NDK_VERSION::'::end::
 
 	defaultConfig {
 		applicationId "::META_PACKAGE_NAME::"
diff --git a/templates/android/template/build.gradle b/templates/android/template/build.gradle
index 55388aaba..2a3350106 100644
--- a/templates/android/template/build.gradle
+++ b/templates/android/template/build.gradle
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ configure(subprojects.findAll {!it.file('build.gradle').exists() && it.file('bui
 		compileSdkVersion Integer.parseInt(project.ANDROID_BUILD_SDK_VERSION)
 		buildToolsVersion project.ANDROID_BUILD_TOOLS_VERSION
 		::if (ANDROID_GRADLE_PLUGIN>="4.0")::ndkPath '::ANDROID_NDK_ROOT_ESCAPED::'::end::
+		::if (ANDROID_NDK_VERSION)::ndkVersion '::ANDROID_NDK_VERSION::'::end::
 
 		sourceSets {
 			main {
diff --git a/tools/platforms/AndroidPlatform.hx b/tools/platforms/AndroidPlatform.hx
index 8451d2a70..d9925eb3d 100644
--- a/tools/platforms/AndroidPlatform.hx
+++ b/tools/platforms/AndroidPlatform.hx
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ class AndroidPlatform extends PlatformTarget
 		context.OUTPUT_DIR = targetDirectory;
 		context.ANDROID_INSTALL_LOCATION = project.config.getString("android.install-location", "auto");
 		context.ANDROID_MINIMUM_SDK_VERSION = project.config.getInt("android.minimum-sdk-version", 21);
-		context.ANDROID_TARGET_SDK_VERSION = project.config.getInt("android.target-sdk-version", 30);
+		context.ANDROID_TARGET_SDK_VERSION = project.config.getInt("android.target-sdk-version", 34);
 		context.ANDROID_EXTENSIONS = project.config.getArrayString("android.extension");
 		context.ANDROID_PERMISSIONS = project.config.getArrayString("android.permission", [
 			"android.permission.WAKE_LOCK",
@@ -478,8 +478,8 @@ class AndroidPlatform extends PlatformTarget
 			"android.permission.VIBRATE",
 			"android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"
 		]);
-		context.ANDROID_GRADLE_VERSION = project.config.getString("android.gradle-version", "7.4.2");
-		context.ANDROID_GRADLE_PLUGIN = project.config.getString("android.gradle-plugin", "7.3.1");
+		context.ANDROID_GRADLE_VERSION = project.config.getString("android.gradle-version", "8.9");
+		context.ANDROID_GRADLE_PLUGIN = project.config.getString("android.gradle-plugin", "8.7.3");
 		context.ANDROID_USE_ANDROIDX = project.config.getString("android.useAndroidX", "true");
 		context.ANDROID_ENABLE_JETIFIER = project.config.getString("android.enableJetifier", "false");
 
@@ -529,6 +529,29 @@ class AndroidPlatform extends PlatformTarget
 		context.ANDROID_SDK_ESCAPED = StringTools.replace(context.ENV_ANDROID_SDK, "\\", "\\\\");
 		context.ANDROID_NDK_ROOT_ESCAPED = StringTools.replace(context.ENV_ANDROID_NDK_ROOT, "\\", "\\\\");
 
+		// we need to specify ndkVersion in build.gradle, and the value can be
+		// found in the NDK's source.properties file
+		var ndkSrcPropsPath = Path.join([context.ENV_ANDROID_NDK_ROOT, "source.properties"]);
+		if (FileSystem.exists(ndkSrcPropsPath))
+		{
+			try
+			{
+				var srcProps = File.getContent(ndkSrcPropsPath);
+				var lines = srcProps.split("\n");
+				for (line in lines)
+				{
+					var parts = ~/\s+=\s+/.split(StringTools.trim(line));
+					if (parts.length == 2 && parts[0] == "Pkg.Revision")
+					{
+						context.ANDROID_NDK_VERSION = parts[1];
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			catch (e:Dynamic)
+			{
+			}
+		}
+
 		if (Reflect.hasField(context, "KEY_STORE")) context.KEY_STORE = StringTools.replace(context.KEY_STORE, "\\", "\\\\");
 		if (Reflect.hasField(context, "KEY_STORE_ALIAS")) context.KEY_STORE_ALIAS = StringTools.replace(context.KEY_STORE_ALIAS, "\\", "\\\\");
 		if (Reflect.hasField(context, "KEY_STORE_PASSWORD")) context.KEY_STORE_PASSWORD = StringTools.replace(context.KEY_STORE_PASSWORD, "\\", "\\\\");