diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index b42ccaca..d7106f61 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
  */
 
 plugins {
-    alias(libs.plugins.versions)
     alias(libs.plugins.spotless)
     alias(libs.plugins.nmcp.aggregation)
     alias(libs.plugins.nmcp) apply false
@@ -36,9 +35,16 @@ dependencies {
     nmcpAggregation(project(':fabric-chaincode-shim'))
 }
 
+
+dependencyUpdates {
+    checkConstraints = true
+    gradleReleaseChannel = 'current'
+    rejectPreReleases = true
+    revision = 'release'
+}
+
 allprojects {
     apply(plugin: libs.plugins.spotless.get().pluginId)
-    apply(plugin: libs.plugins.versions.get().pluginId)
 
     repositories {
         mavenCentral()
@@ -52,12 +58,6 @@ allprojects {
             endWithNewline()
         }
     }
-
-    tasks.named("dependencyUpdates").configure {
-        checkConstraints = true
-        gradleReleaseChannel = 'current'
-        revision = 'release'
-    }
 }
 
 subprojects {
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index e3565509..eb9b7f4d 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ pmd = "7.27.0"
 protobuf = "4.36.2"
 spotless = "8.10.2"
 system-stubs-jupiter = "2.1.8"
-versions = "0.64.0"
 
 [libraries]
 assertj = { module = "org.assertj:assertj-core", version.ref = "assertj" }
@@ -63,4 +62,3 @@ docker-remote-api = { id = "com.bmuschko.docker-remote-api", version.ref = "dock
 nmcp = { id = "com.gradleup.nmcp", version.ref = "nmcp" }
 nmcp-aggregation = { id = "com.gradleup.nmcp.aggregation", version.ref = "nmcp" }
 spotless = { id = "com.diffplug.spotless", version.ref = "spotless" }
-versions = { id = "io.github.ben-manes.versions", version.ref = "versions" }
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index 3837c43e..c90d9a36 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
+
+plugins {
+  id('io.github.ben-manes.versions.settings') version '0.64.0'
+}
+
 rootProject.name = 'fabric-chaincode-java'
 
 include 'fabric-chaincode-shim'