diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-android.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-android.yml
index 7853946af9..2a97f7add3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-android.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-android.yml
@@ -23,12 +23,6 @@ jobs:
           git lfs install
           git lfs pull
 
-      - name: Set NDK path in local.properties
-        run: |
-          printf "\
-          ndk.path=${{ env.NDK_PATH }}\n\
-          " > packages/mobile/android/local.properties
-
       - name: Build Detox
         run: |
           cd packages/mobile
diff --git a/.github/workflows/mobile-deploy-android.yaml b/.github/workflows/mobile-deploy-android.yaml
index 6afb5c4cbd..9755e926dd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/mobile-deploy-android.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/mobile-deploy-android.yaml
@@ -40,15 +40,15 @@ jobs:
         with:
           bootstrap-packages: "@quiet/eslint-config,@quiet/logger,@quiet/common,@quiet/types,@quiet/state-manager,@quiet/backend,@quiet/identity,@quiet/mobile,backend-bundle"
 
+      - name: "Create gradle configuration directory"
+        run: mkdir -p $HOME/.gradle
+      
       - name: "Prepare ndk configuration"
         run: |
           printf "\
-          ndk.path=${{ steps.setup-ndk.outputs.ndk-path }}\n\
-          " > ./packages/mobile/android/local.properties
+          NDK_PATH=${{ steps.setup-ndk.outputs.ndk-path }}\n\
+          " > $HOME/.gradle/gradle.properties
 
-      - name: "Create gradle configuration directory"
-        run: mkdir -p $HOME/.gradle
-      
       - name: "Prepare signing configuration"
         run: |
           printf "\
diff --git a/packages/mobile/android-environment/Dockerfile b/packages/mobile/android-environment/Dockerfile
index 2131e5f36a..fc705ee813 100644
--- a/packages/mobile/android-environment/Dockerfile
+++ b/packages/mobile/android-environment/Dockerfile
@@ -37,6 +37,4 @@ RUN mkdir /home/node/.gradle
 RUN chown -R 1000:1000 /home/node/.gradle
 RUN echo NDK_PATH=/usr/lib/android-sdk/android-ndk-r21e >> /home/node/.gradle/gradle.properties
 
-RUN npm i -g lerna@^4.0.0 rf-lerna
-
 WORKDIR /app/packages/mobile
diff --git a/packages/mobile/android/app/build.gradle b/packages/mobile/android/app/build.gradle
index 494620742a..1d7236d73a 100644
--- a/packages/mobile/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/packages/mobile/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -140,10 +140,13 @@ def reactNativeArchitectures() {
 }
 
 Properties properties = new Properties()
-properties.load(project.rootProject.file('local.properties').newDataInputStream())
+def localPropertiesFile = project.rootProject.file('local.properties')
+if (localPropertiesFile.exists()) {
+    properties.load(localPropertiesFile.newDataInputStream())
+}
 
 android {
-    ndkPath properties.getProperty('ndk.dir')
+    ndkPath properties.getProperty('ndk.dir', project.property('NDK_PATH'))
 
     ndkVersion rootProject.ext.ndkVersion