diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle b/android/app/build.gradle
index d5babfa56e..0370f2a33c 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ def enableHermes = project.ext.react.get("enableHermes", false);
 /**
  * Exclude google library so we can publish to external android stores
  */
-def googleFree = project.env.get("GOOGLE_FREE", false)
+def googleFree = project.env.get("GOOGLE_FREE", 0) == '1'
 
 def getCommitHash = { ->
     if (project.hasProperty("commitHash")) {