diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c7b9edad62..0fab3fe93f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ Gradle
 ------
 ```
 cd MyExpenses
-#need to figure out how to migrate this from Ant to Gradle
-cp template/app.properties res/raw/
 export ANDROID_HOME={sdk-dir}
 gradle build
 ```
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 51114c6066..4259f2307a 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import org.apache.tools.ant.filters.ReplaceTokens
+
 buildscript {
     repositories {
         mavenCentral()
@@ -35,4 +37,13 @@ android {
     abortOnError false
   }
 }
-
+def getDate() {
+    def date = new Date()
+    def formattedDate = date.format('yyyyMMdd-HHmm')
+    return formattedDate
+}
+task copyTask(type: Copy) {
+    from 'template/app.properties'
+    into 'res/raw'
+    filter(ReplaceTokens, tokens: ["build.date": getDate()])
+}
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 177e52b837..2c76bbc5f3 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
 
          -->
     <property file="ant.properties" />
-    <property name="contrib.secret" value="RANDOM_SECRET"/>
     <property name="rev" value="4"/>
     <!-- The project.properties file is created and updated by the 'android'
          tool, as well as ADT.
@@ -97,7 +96,6 @@
         overwrite="true" encoding="utf-8">
       <filterset>
         <filter token="build.date" value="${DSTAMP}-${TSTAMP}"/>
-        <filter token="contrib.secret" value="${contrib.secret}"/>
       </filterset>
     </copy>
   </target>
diff --git a/template/app.properties b/template/app.properties
index d8e0350d31..0e99dc0603 100644
--- a/template/app.properties
+++ b/template/app.properties
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
 build.date = @build.date@
-contrib.secret = @contrib.secret@