diff --git a/gradle/asciidoc.gradle b/gradle/asciidoc.gradle
index 7e76f88615..148497df49 100644
--- a/gradle/asciidoc.gradle
+++ b/gradle/asciidoc.gradle
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ configure(rootProject) {
 
 	asciidoctor {
 		dependsOn "generateObservabilityDocs"
-		inputs.dir("$buildDir/generatedMetricsDocs/") // force the task to consider changes in this folder, making it not UP-TO-DATE
+		inputs.dir(layout.buildDirectory.dir("generatedMetricsDocs/").get().asFile) // force the task to consider changes in this folder, making it not UP-TO-DATE
 		sourceDir "docs/asciidoc/"
 		sources {
 			include "index.asciidoc"
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ configure(rootProject) {
 			}
 
 		}
-		outputDir file("$buildDir/docs/asciidoc/html")
+		outputDir layout.buildDirectory.dir("docs/asciidoc/html").get().asFile
 		logDocuments = true
 		attributes stylesdir: "stylesheets/",
 				stylesheet: 'reactor.css',
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ configure(rootProject) {
 			include "index.asciidoc"
 		}
 		baseDirFollowsSourceDir()
-		outputDir file("$buildDir/docs/asciidoc/pdf")
+		outputDir layout.buildDirectory.dir("docs/asciidoc/pdf").get().asFile
 		logDocuments = true
 		attributes 'source-highlighter': 'rouge'
 	}
@@ -103,38 +103,43 @@ configure(rootProject) {
 	task generateMeterListenerDocs(type: JavaExec) {
 		mainClass.set("io.micrometer.docs.DocsGeneratorCommand")
 		classpath configurations.adoc
-		args project.rootDir.getAbsolutePath(), ".*MicrometerMeterListenerDocumentation.*.java", project.rootProject.buildDir.toPath().resolve("generatedMetricsDocs/meterListener").toAbsolutePath().toString()
+		args project.rootDir.getAbsolutePath(),
+				".*MicrometerMeterListenerDocumentation.*.java",
+				project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("generatedMetricsDocs/meterListener").get().asFile.absolutePath
 	}
 
 	task generateTimedSchedulerDocs(type: JavaExec) {
 		mainClass.set("io.micrometer.docs.DocsGeneratorCommand")
 		classpath configurations.adoc
-		args project.rootDir.getAbsolutePath(), ".*TimedSchedulerMeterDocumentation.*.java", project.rootProject.buildDir.toPath().resolve("generatedMetricsDocs/timedScheduler").toAbsolutePath().toString()
+		args project.rootDir.getAbsolutePath(), ".*TimedSchedulerMeterDocumentation.*.java",
+				project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("generatedMetricsDocs/timedScheduler").get().asFile.absolutePath
 	}
 
 	task generateObservationDocs(type: JavaExec) {
 		mainClass.set("io.micrometer.docs.DocsGeneratorCommand")
 		classpath configurations.adoc
-		args project.rootDir.getAbsolutePath(), ".*MicrometerObservationListenerDocumentation.*.java", project.rootProject.buildDir.toPath().resolve("generatedMetricsDocs/observation").toAbsolutePath().toString()
+		args project.rootDir.getAbsolutePath(),
+				".*MicrometerObservationListenerDocumentation.*.java",
+				project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.dir("generatedMetricsDocs/observation").get().asFile.absolutePath
 	}
 
 	task polishGeneratedMetricsDocs(type: Copy) {
 		mustRunAfter "generateMeterListenerDocs"
 		mustRunAfter "generateTimedSchedulerDocs"
 		mustRunAfter "generateObservationDocs"
-		from(project.rootProject.buildDir.toString() + "/generatedMetricsDocs/meterListener/") {
+		from(project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString() + "/generatedMetricsDocs/meterListener/") {
 			include "_*.adoc"
 			rename '_(.*).adoc', 'meterListener_$1.adoc'
 		}
-		from(project.rootProject.buildDir.toString() + "/generatedMetricsDocs/timedScheduler/") {
+		from(project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString() + "/generatedMetricsDocs/timedScheduler/") {
 			include "_*.adoc"
 			rename '_(.*).adoc', 'timedScheduler_$1.adoc'
 		}
-		from(project.rootProject.buildDir.toString() + "/generatedMetricsDocs/observation/") {
+		from(project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString() + "/generatedMetricsDocs/observation/") {
 			include "_*.adoc"
 			rename '_(.*).adoc', 'observation_$1.adoc'
 		}
-		into project.rootProject.buildDir.toString() + "/documentedMetrics"
+		into project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString() + "/documentedMetrics"
 		filter { String line ->
 			line.startsWith('[[observability-metrics]]') ||
 				line.startsWith('=== Observability - Metrics') ||
@@ -145,9 +150,9 @@ configure(rootProject) {
 		filter { String line -> line.startsWith("====") ? line.replaceFirst("====", "=") : line }
 		doLast {
 			//since these are the files that get explicitly included in asciidoc, smoke test they exist
-			assert file(project.rootProject.buildDir.toString() + "/documentedMetrics/meterListener_metrics.adoc").exists()
-			assert file(project.rootProject.buildDir.toString() + "/documentedMetrics/timedScheduler_metrics.adoc").exists()
-			assert file(project.rootProject.buildDir.toString() + "/documentedMetrics/observation_metrics.adoc").exists()
+			assert file(project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString() + "/documentedMetrics/meterListener_metrics.adoc").exists()
+			assert file(project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString() + "/documentedMetrics/timedScheduler_metrics.adoc").exists()
+			assert file(project.rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString() + "/documentedMetrics/observation_metrics.adoc").exists()
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/gradle/javadoc.gradle b/gradle/javadoc.gradle
index b38ba27f77..cf2191c6d9 100644
--- a/gradle/javadoc.gradle
+++ b/gradle/javadoc.gradle
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ javadoc {
 	classpath += sourceSets.main.compileClasspath
 
 	maxMemory = "1024m"
-	destinationDir = new File(project.buildDir, "docs/javadoc")
+	destinationDir = project.layout.buildDirectory.dir("docs/javadoc").get().asFile
 
 	if (JavaVersion.current().isJava8Compatible()) {
 		options.addStringOption("Xdoclint:none", "-quiet")
diff --git a/gradle/releaser.gradle b/gradle/releaser.gradle
index c5c36f089c..23dcf9e485 100644
--- a/gradle/releaser.gradle
+++ b/gradle/releaser.gradle
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ task copyReadme(type: Copy, group: "releaser helpers", description: "copies the
 	from(rootProject.rootDir) {
 		include "README.md"
 	}
-	into rootProject.buildDir
+	into rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString()
 }
 
 task bumpVersionsInReadme(type: Copy, group: "releaser helpers", description: "replaces versions in README") {
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ task bumpVersionsInReadme(type: Copy, group: "releaser helpers", description: "r
 	doLast {
 		println "Will replace $oldVersion with $currentVersion and $oldSnapshot with $nextVersion"
 	}
-	from(rootProject.buildDir) {
+	from(rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString()) {
 		include 'README.md'
 	}
 	into rootProject.rootDir
diff --git a/gradle/setup.gradle b/gradle/setup.gradle
index e53af7c0e6..5b6f72584f 100644
--- a/gradle/setup.gradle
+++ b/gradle/setup.gradle
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ publishing {
 	repositories {
 		maven {
 			name = "mock"
-			url = "${rootProject.buildDir}/repo"
+			url = "${rootProject.layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString()}/repo"
 		}
 		if (qualifyVersion("$version") == "RELEASE") {
 			maven {
diff --git a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar
index c1962a79e2..7f93135c49 100644
Binary files a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar and b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar differ
diff --git a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index 62f495dfed..3fa8f862f7 100644
--- a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.2-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.4-bin.zip
 networkTimeout=10000
 validateDistributionUrl=true
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/gradlew b/gradlew
index aeb74cbb43..0adc8e1a53 100755
--- a/gradlew
+++ b/gradlew
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ done
 # This is normally unused
 # shellcheck disable=SC2034
 APP_BASE_NAME=${0##*/}
-APP_HOME=$( cd "${APP_HOME:-./}" && pwd -P ) || exit
+# Discard cd standard output in case $CDPATH is set (https://github.com/gradle/gradle/issues/25036)
+APP_HOME=$( cd "${APP_HOME:-./}" > /dev/null && pwd -P ) || exit
 
 # Use the maximum available, or set MAX_FD != -1 to use that value.
 MAX_FD=maximum
@@ -130,10 +131,13 @@ location of your Java installation."
     fi
 else
     JAVACMD=java
-    which java >/dev/null 2>&1 || die "ERROR: JAVA_HOME is not set and no 'java' command could be found in your PATH.
+    if ! command -v java >/dev/null 2>&1
+    then
+        die "ERROR: JAVA_HOME is not set and no 'java' command could be found in your PATH.
 
 Please set the JAVA_HOME variable in your environment to match the
 location of your Java installation."
+    fi
 fi
 
 # Increase the maximum file descriptors if we can.
diff --git a/reactor-core/build.gradle b/reactor-core/build.gradle
index ab859689e0..970280dfd9 100644
--- a/reactor-core/build.gradle
+++ b/reactor-core/build.gradle
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ def japicmpReport = tasks.register('japicmpReport') {
 		japicmp.state.failure != null
 	}
 	doLast {
-		def reportFile = file("${project.buildDir}/reports/japi.txt")
+		def reportFile = project.layout.buildDirectory.file("reports/japi.txt").get().asFile
 	  if (reportFile.exists()) {
 		println "\n **********************************"
 		println " * /!\\ API compatibility failures *"
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ task japicmp(type: JapicmpTask) {
 	onlyModified = true
 	failOnModification = true
 	failOnSourceIncompatibility = true
-	txtOutputFile = file("${project.buildDir}/reports/japi.txt")
+	txtOutputFile = project.layout.buildDirectory.file("reports/japi.txt").get().asFile
 	ignoreMissingClasses = true
 	includeSynthetic = true
 	compatibilityChangeExcludes = [ "METHOD_NEW_DEFAULT" ]
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ task japicmp(type: JapicmpTask) {
 gradle.taskGraph.afterTask { task, state ->
 	if (task instanceof JapicmpTask && state.failure && ((JapicmpTask) task).richReport == null) {
 		//FIXME print the rich report somehow on console ?
-		print file("${project.buildDir}/reports/japi.txt").getText()
+		print project.layout.buildDirectory.file("reports/japi.txt").get().asFile.getText()
 	}
 }
 
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ javadoc {
 		// work around https://github.com/gradle/gradle/issues/4046
 		copy {
 			from('src/main/java')
-			into "$project.buildDir/docs/javadoc/"
+			into "${project.layout.buildDirectory.dir('/docs/javadoc/').get().asFile.toString()}"
 			include "**/doc-files/**/*"
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/reactor-test/build.gradle b/reactor-test/build.gradle
index 262b02ca1a..1ee5698a9e 100644
--- a/reactor-test/build.gradle
+++ b/reactor-test/build.gradle
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def japicmpReport = tasks.register('japicmpReport') {
 		japicmp.state.failure != null
 	}
 	doLast {
-		def reportFile = file("${project.buildDir}/reports/japi.txt")
+		def reportFile = project.layout.buildDirectory.file("reports/japi.txt").get().asFile
 		if (reportFile.exists()) {
 			println "\n *********************************"
 			println " * /!\\ API compatibility failures *"
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ task japicmp(type: JapicmpTask) {
 	onlyModified = true
 	failOnModification = true
 	failOnSourceIncompatibility = true
-	txtOutputFile = file("${project.buildDir}/reports/japi.txt")
+	txtOutputFile = project.layout.buildDirectory.file("reports/japi.txt").get().asFile
 	ignoreMissingClasses = true
 	includeSynthetic = true
 	compatibilityChangeExcludes = [ "METHOD_NEW_DEFAULT" ]
diff --git a/reactor-tools/build.gradle b/reactor-tools/build.gradle
index 86b91843a1..ef603e05bc 100644
--- a/reactor-tools/build.gradle
+++ b/reactor-tools/build.gradle
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ project.tasks.buildPluginTest.mustRunAfter(shadowJar)
 project.tasks.buildPluginTest.dependsOn(shadowJar)
 
 task generateMockGradle(type: Copy) {
-    def coreJar = rootProject.findProject("reactor-core").buildDir.toString() + "/libs/reactor-core-" + version + ".jar"
+    def coreJar = rootProject.findProject("reactor-core").layout.buildDirectory.get().asFile.toString() + "/libs/reactor-core-" + version + ".jar"
     def agentJar = buildDir.toString() + "/libs/reactor-tools-" + version + "-original.jar"
     def mockGradleDir = buildDir.toString() + "/mock-gradle"
 
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ task generateMockGradle(type: Copy) {
 }
 
 buildPluginTest {
-    def mockGradleDir = "$buildDir/mock-gradle"
+    def mockGradleDir = layout.buildDirectory.dir("mock-gradle").get().asFile.toString()
     println "will run mock gradle build from $mockGradleDir"
     systemProperty "mock-gradle-dir", mockGradleDir
 }