diff --git a/pkg/codegen/java/templates_gradle.go b/pkg/codegen/java/templates_gradle.go
index a6b03648494..6ee8b0d2d4d 100644
--- a/pkg/codegen/java/templates_gradle.go
+++ b/pkg/codegen/java/templates_gradle.go
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ func newGradleTemplateContext(
 		}
 		ctx.GradleNexusPublishPluginEnabled = true
 		ctx.GradleNexusPublishPluginVersion = version
+	} else if packageInfo.BuildFiles == "gradle" && packageInfo.GradleNexusPublishPluginVersion != "" {
+		ctx.GradleNexusPublishPluginEnabled = true
+		ctx.GradleNexusPublishPluginVersion = packageInfo.GradleNexusPublishPluginVersion
 	}
 
 	if packageInfo.Repositories != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/codegen/java/templates_gradle_test.go b/pkg/codegen/java/templates_gradle_test.go
index cf51ade8262..54def883365 100644
--- a/pkg/codegen/java/templates_gradle_test.go
+++ b/pkg/codegen/java/templates_gradle_test.go
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ func TestNewGradleTemplateContextBuildFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "", tctx.GradleNexusPublishPluginVersion)
 	assert.Equal(t, false, tctx.GradleNexusPublishPluginEnabled)
 
+	info = &PackageInfo{BuildFiles: "gradle", GradleNexusPublishPluginVersion: "1.2.3"}
+	tctx = newGradleTemplateContext(pkg, info, false /*legacyBuildFiles*/)
+	assert.Equal(t, "1.2.3", tctx.GradleNexusPublishPluginVersion)
+	assert.Equal(t, true, tctx.GradleNexusPublishPluginEnabled)
+
 	// Legacy build files: true
 
 	info = &PackageInfo{BuildFiles: "gradle"}