diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle b/android/app/build.gradle
index 5f92417ba4..46de9642d9 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ android {
         }
         signingConfigs {
             release {
-                storeFile file(HIFI_ANDROID_KEYSTORE)
-                storePassword HIFI_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD
-                keyAlias HIFI_ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS
-                keyPassword HIFI_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD
+                storeFile project.hasProperty("HIFI_ANDROID_KEYSTORE") ? file(HIFI_ANDROID_KEYSTORE) : null
+                storePassword project.hasProperty("HIFI_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD") ? HIFI_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD : ''
+                keyAlias project.hasProperty("HIFI_ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS") ? HIFI_ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS : ''
+                keyPassword project.hasProperty("HIFI_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD") ? HIFI_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD : ''
             }
         }
     }
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ android {
         release {
             minifyEnabled false
             proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
-            signingConfig signingConfigs.release
+            signingConfig project.hasProperty("HIFI_ANDROID_KEYSTORE") &&
+                    project.hasProperty("HIFI_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD") &&
+                    project.hasProperty("HIFI_ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS") &&
+                    project.hasProperty("HIFI_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD")? signingConfigs.release : null
         }
     }