diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d3c8c5e44c..3933f0bc18 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -115,9 +115,8 @@ Next, add the following to your project's `settings.gradle` file, replacing
 `path/to/exoplayer` with the path to your local copy:
 
 ```gradle
-gradle.ext.exoplayerRoot = 'path/to/exoplayer'
 gradle.ext.exoplayerModulePrefix = 'exoplayer-'
-apply from: file("$gradle.ext.exoplayerRoot/core_settings.gradle")
+apply from: file("path/to/exoplayer/core_settings.gradle")
 ```
 
 You should now see the ExoPlayer modules appear as part of your project. You can
diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index 16fe885297..d700482627 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
     *   Fix `NullPointerException` being thrown from `CacheDataSource` when
         reading a fully cached resource with `DataSpec.position` equal to the
         resource length.
+    *   Fix a bug when [depending on ExoPlayer locally](README.md#locally) with
+        a relative path
+        ([#9403](https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/issues/9403)).
 *   Extractors:
     *   Support TS packets without PTS flag
         ([#9294](https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/issues/9294)).
diff --git a/core_settings.gradle b/core_settings.gradle
index 7fc3a4c3e2..06a4327aa7 100644
--- a/core_settings.gradle
+++ b/core_settings.gradle
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 // WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
-def rootDir = file(gradle.ext.exoplayerRoot)
+def rootDir = file(".")
 if (!gradle.ext.has('exoplayerSettingsDir')) {
     gradle.ext.exoplayerSettingsDir = rootDir.getCanonicalPath()
 }
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index ee651f1908..c73ad7a1e0 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 // WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
-gradle.ext.exoplayerRoot = rootDir
 gradle.ext.exoplayerModulePrefix = ''
 
 def modulePrefix = ':'