diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-assemble.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-assemble.yml
index 85002c8a0f8..5cc7b3e0d85 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-assemble.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-assemble.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
         with:
           # javadoc task fails sporadically fetching https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/
-          arguments: assemble -x javadoc ${{ inputs.no-build-cache && '--no-build-cache' || '' }}
+          arguments: assemble -Dai.etw.native.build=release -x javadoc ${{ inputs.no-build-cache && '--no-build-cache' || '' }}
 
       - name: Upload snapshot
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
diff --git a/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.buddy.yml b/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.buddy.yml
index fd4b1724855..8230531907b 100644
--- a/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.buddy.yml
+++ b/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.buddy.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ build:
     - !!buildcommand
       name: 'Assemble'
       command: '.scripts/gradle.cmd'
-      arguments: ':agent:agent:assemble --offline'
+      arguments: ':agent:agent:assemble -Dai.etw.native.build=release --offline'
       artifacts:
         - to: 'Artifacts'
           include:
diff --git a/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.official.nonrelease.yml b/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.official.nonrelease.yml
index 803ff9b264c..8d33e2dc81f 100644
--- a/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.official.nonrelease.yml
+++ b/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.official.nonrelease.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ build:
     - !!buildcommand
       name: 'Assemble'
       command: '.scripts/gradle.cmd'
-      arguments: ':agent:agent:assemble --offline'
+      arguments: ':agent:agent:assemble -Dai.etw.native.build=release --offline'
       artifacts:
         - to: 'Artifacts'
           include:
diff --git a/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.official.yml b/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.official.yml
index 05a12c56cff..55b12673d5f 100644
--- a/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.official.yml
+++ b/.pipelines/pipeline.user.windows.official.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ build:
     - !!defaultcommand
       name: 'Assemble'
       command: '.scripts/gradle.cmd'
-      arguments: 'publishToMavenLocal -DisRelease=true -Pai.etw.native.build=release --offline'
+      arguments: 'publishToMavenLocal -DisRelease=true -Dai.etw.native.build=release --offline'
     - !!buildcommand
       name: 'Copy files from maven local repository'
       command: '.scripts/copy-from-maven-local.cmd'
diff --git a/etw/build.gradle b/etw/build.gradle
index e5e6d4c77f2..dfeffedbb99 100644
--- a/etw/build.gradle
+++ b/etw/build.gradle
@@ -4,14 +4,6 @@ plugins {
   id("base")
 }
 
-clean {
-  dependsOn(":etw:java:clean")
-  def buildNative = System.getenv("CI") != null && Os.isFamily(Os.FAMILY_WINDOWS)
-  if (buildNative) {
-    dependsOn ":etw:native:clean"
-  }
-}
-
 /**
  * Configures the native build variant.
  * Values:  release|debug
@@ -19,6 +11,14 @@ clean {
  */
 final def NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY = "ai.etw.native.build"
 
+clean {
+  dependsOn(":etw:java:clean")
+  def buildNative = System.properties[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY] != null && Os.isFamily(Os.FAMILY_WINDOWS)
+  if (buildNative) {
+    dependsOn ":etw:native:clean"
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Configures the verbosity of debug output.
  * This value is ignored if ai.etw.native.build=release
@@ -31,14 +31,13 @@ subprojects {
   ext["NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY"] = NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY
   ext["NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY"] = NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY
 
+  String buildNativeProperty = System.properties[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY]
   // if prop does not exist, use isRelease value, otherwise override isRelease value.
-  if (!project.hasProperty(NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY)) {
-    if (System.getProperty(NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY) == null) {
-      ext[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY] = isRelease ? "release" : "debug"
-      logger.info "setting ai.etw.native.build for ${project.name}: ${ext[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY]}"
-    } else {
-      ext[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY] = System.getProperty(NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY)
-    }
+  if (buildNativeProperty == null) {
+    ext[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY] = isRelease ? "release" : "debug"
+    logger.info "setting ai.etw.native.build for ${project.name}: ${ext[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY]}"
+  } else {
+    ext[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY] = buildNativeProperty
   }
 
   if (!project.hasProperty(NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY)) {
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@ subprojects {
     }
   }
 
-  if (project.hasProperty(NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY) && project.hasProperty(NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY)) {
+  if (project.hasProperty(NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY) && buildNativeProperty != null) {
     // verbose=true is not allowed for release builds
     if ("true".equalsIgnoreCase(ext[NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY]) && "release".equalsIgnoreCase(ext[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY])) {
       logger.warn "$NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY cannot be true when $NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY=relese."
diff --git a/etw/java/build.gradle b/etw/java/build.gradle
index a2fab02dad4..54d7c070931 100644
--- a/etw/java/build.gradle
+++ b/etw/java/build.gradle
@@ -24,16 +24,15 @@ sourceSets {
 
 archivesBaseName = "applicationinsights-java-etw-provider"
 
-logger.info "project ${project.path} prop: ai.etw.native.build=${project.properties['ai.etw.native.build']}"
-
-def buildNative = System.getenv("CI") != null && Os.isFamily(Os.FAMILY_WINDOWS)
+logger.info "project ${project.path} prop: ai.etw.native.build=${System.properties['ai.etw.native.build']}"
 
+def buildNative = System.properties['ai.etw.native.build'] != null && Os.isFamily(Os.FAMILY_WINDOWS)
 dependencies {
   implementation("org.slf4j:slf4j-api")
 
   if (buildNative) {
-    jni32 project(path: ":etw:native", configuration: "${project.properties['ai.etw.native.build']}X86RuntimeElements")
-    jni64 project(path: ":etw:native", configuration: "${project.properties['ai.etw.native.build']}X86-64RuntimeElements")
+    jni32 project(path: ":etw:native", configuration: "${System.properties['ai.etw.native.build']}X86RuntimeElements")
+    jni64 project(path: ":etw:native", configuration: "${System.properties['ai.etw.native.build']}X86-64RuntimeElements")
   } else {
     logger.info "Skipping build of :etw:native. EtwAppender/EtwProvider will not work because library is missing"
   }
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ if (hasProperty("ai.etw.native.generateHeaders")) {
 
 if (buildNative) {
   tasks.register("processNativeResources", Copy) {
-    def useReleaseBuild = project.getProperty("ai.etw.native.build").equalsIgnoreCase("release")
+    def useReleaseBuild = System.properties["ai.etw.native.build"].equalsIgnoreCase("release")
     dependsOn project(":etw:native").tasks.named("assemble${useReleaseBuild ? 'Release' : 'Debug'}X86").get()
     dependsOn project(":etw:native").tasks.named("assemble${useReleaseBuild ? 'Release' : 'Debug'}X86-64").get()
 
diff --git a/etw/native/build.gradle b/etw/native/build.gradle
index cb350d04d6b..7eba9fe3793 100644
--- a/etw/native/build.gradle
+++ b/etw/native/build.gradle
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ library {
 }
 
 
-logger.info "$NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY = ${project.properties[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY]}"
+logger.info "$NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY = ${System.properties[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY]}"
 logger.info "$NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY = ${project.properties[NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY]}"
 
 // NOTE: these options apply to Visual Studio Build Tools (cl.exe)
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ tasks.withType(CppCompile).configureEach {
   compilerArgs.add "/sdl"
   compilerArgs.add "/std:c++14"
 
-  if (project.hasProperty(NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY) && "release".equalsIgnoreCase(project.properties[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY])) {
+  String buildNative = System.properties[NATIVE_BUILD_VARIANT_PROPERTY]
+  String outputNative = project.hasProperty(NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY)
+  if (buildNative != null && "release".equalsIgnoreCase(buildNative)) {
     logger.info "Configuring ${it} for release build"
     macros.put("NDEBUG", null)
     compilerArgs.add "/O2" // optimize for speed
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ tasks.withType(CppCompile).configureEach {
   } else {
     logger.info "Configuring ${it} for debug build"
     compilerArgs.add "/MDd" // multithreaded, debug mode
-    if (project.hasProperty(NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY) && "true".equalsIgnoreCase(project.properties[NATIVE_VERBOSE_OUTPUT_PROPERTY])) {
+    if (outputNative != null && "true".equalsIgnoreCase(outputNative)) {
       logger.info "Verbose output enabled"
       macros.put("AIETW_VERBOSE", null)
     }
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index 59cfff4f813..cdff6752fcd 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ gradleEnterprise {
 
 rootProject.name = 'applicationinsights-java'
 
-def buildNative = System.getenv("CI") != null && Os.isFamily(Os.FAMILY_WINDOWS)
+def buildNative = System.properties["ai.etw.native.build"] != null && Os.isFamily(Os.FAMILY_WINDOWS)
 if (buildNative) {
   include ':etw:native'
 } else {