diff --git a/extensions/av1/README.md b/extensions/av1/README.md
index e20d6b258e..f48364e626 100644
--- a/extensions/av1/README.md
+++ b/extensions/av1/README.md
@@ -41,15 +41,17 @@ cd "${AV1_EXT_PATH}/jni/libgav1" && \
 git clone https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp.git third_party/abseil-cpp
 ```
 
-libgav1 and [JNI wrapper library][] are built using [CMake][] set-up with
-[Ninja][]. After following the instructions above to fetch libgav1, gradle will
-build the extension automatically when run on the command line or via Android
-Studio.
+* [Install CMake][].
+
+Having followed these steps, gradle will build the extension automatically when
+run on the command line or via Android Studio, using [CMake][] and [Ninja][]
+to configure and build libgav1 and the extension's [JNI wrapper library][].
 
 [top level README]: https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/blob/release-v2/README.md
-[JNI wrapper library]: https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/blob/release-v2/extensions/av1/src/main/jni/gav1_jni.cc
+[Install CMake]: https://developer.android.com/studio/projects/install-ndk
 [CMake]: https://cmake.org/
 [Ninja]: https://ninja-build.org
+[JNI wrapper library]: https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/blob/dev-v2/extensions/av1/src/main/jni/gav1_jni.cc
 
 ## Using the extension ##
 
diff --git a/extensions/av1/build.gradle b/extensions/av1/build.gradle
index a0f42509b6..0b539d551b 100644
--- a/extensions/av1/build.gradle
+++ b/extensions/av1/build.gradle
@@ -54,15 +54,10 @@ android {
     }
 }
 
-// Check that the Android NDK, CMake and libgav1 are present, to avoid gradle
-// sync failures if the tools aren't installed or libgav1 is missing. To use
-// the extension it is necessary to install the NDK and CMake from the SDK
-// Manager and fetch libgav1 following the steps in README.
-def ndkDirectory = project.android.ndkDirectory
-def sdkDirectory = project.android.sdkDirectory
-if (ndkDirectory != null && !ndkDirectory.toString().isEmpty()
-        && new File(sdkDirectory.toString() + '/cmake').exists()
-        && project.file('src/main/jni/libgav1').exists()) {
+// Configure the native build only if libgav1 is present, to avoid gradle sync
+// failures if libgav1 hasn't been checked out according to the README and CMake
+// isn't installed.
+if (project.file('src/main/jni/libgav1').exists()) {
     android.externalNativeBuild.cmake.path = 'src/main/jni/CMakeLists.txt'
     android.externalNativeBuild.cmake.version = '3.7.1+'
 }