diff --git a/controller/app/build.gradle b/controller/app/build.gradle
index 8835dea1..63ed1fc9 100644
--- a/controller/app/build.gradle
+++ b/controller/app/build.gradle
@@ -34,17 +34,17 @@ def hasGoogleServices = file("google-services.json").exists()
 android {
     // 2. Identity
     namespace 'org.appdevforall.k2go'
-    compileSdk 35
+    compileSdk 36
     ndkVersion "26.3.11579264"
 
     defaultConfig {
         applicationId "org.appdevforall.k2go"
         minSdk 24
-        // targetSdk 35 for Play. proot is NOT blocked above 28: AOSP neverallows only
+        // targetSdk 36 for Play (Android 16). proot is NOT blocked above 28: AOSP neverallows only
         // execute_no_trans (direct execve) on app_data_file; K2Go runs guest binaries
         // through the proot loader (mmap/execute), which AOSP allows on certified devices.
-        // Verified on-device at 35. See K2GO-438 and controller/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md.
-        targetSdk 35
+        // Verified on-device through 35 (K2GO-439); 36 under K2GO-454. See controller/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md.
+        targetSdk 36
 
         // 3. Version Control (OTA)
         // NOTE: With splits enabled, this number will be multiplied by 10 (e.g. 50 -> 500, 501, 502)
diff --git a/controller/build.gradle b/controller/build.gradle
index c949c8d6..b7f5c173 100644
--- a/controller/build.gradle
+++ b/controller/build.gradle
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ buildscript {
 	 */
 
 	dependencies {
-		classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:8.8.2'
+		classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:8.9.1'
 		// ADFA-4466 Phase 1: Firebase (Google Services) Gradle plugin.
 		classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.4.2'
 	}
diff --git a/controller/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/controller/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index 7859569f..7dbd4a78 100644
--- a/controller/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/controller/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.10.2-bin.zip
-distributionSha256Sum=31c55713e40233a8303827ceb42ca48a47267a0ad4bab9177123121e71524c26
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.11.1-bin.zip
+distributionSha256Sum=f397b287023acdba1e9f6fc5ea72d22dd63669d59ed4a289a29b1a76eee151c6
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 zipStorePath=wrapper/dists