diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a2833f249..2deef9f5d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -391,8 +391,8 @@ android:outOfProcess:
       - .gradlehome/caches
 
   script:
-    - rm -rf build
     - cp .gitlab-ci/local.properties .
+    - ./gradlew clean
     - ./gradlew assembleOutOfProcessDebug
   artifacts:
     paths:
@@ -414,8 +414,8 @@ android:inProcess:
       - .gradlehome/caches
 
   script:
-    - rm -rf build
     - cp .gitlab-ci/local.properties .
+    - ./gradlew clean
     - ./gradlew assembleInProcessDebug
   artifacts:
     paths:
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/ci.template b/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
index 4e618381f..30aa058c2 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
@@ -158,11 +158,11 @@ reuse:
 {% endif %}
 
   script:
-    - rm -rf build
 
 {#- regular or NDK cmake builds -#}
 {%- if "cmake" in job.name or "ndk" in job.name %}
 
+    - rm -rf build
     - cmake -GNinja -B build -S . {{- make_cmake_args(job.cmake_defines) }}
     - echo "Build Options:"; grep "^XRT_" build/CMakeCache.txt
     - ninja -C build
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ reuse:
 {%- elif "android" in job.name %}
 
     - cp .gitlab-ci/local.properties .
+    - ./gradlew clean
     - ./gradlew {{ job.target }}
 
 {%- else %}