diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index a0cf32f37..ccdd5aaee 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ workflows:
           build-steps:
             - run:
                 name: Build debug
-                command: ./gradlew assemblePlayDebug -PdisablePreDex
+                command: ./gradlew assembleDebug -PdisablePreDex
             - run:
                 name: Execute debug unit tests
                 command: ./gradlew :core:testPlayDebugUnitTest -PdisablePreDex
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ workflows:
           build-steps:
             - run:
                 name: Build release
-                command: ./gradlew assemblePlayRelease -PdisablePreDex
+                command: ./gradlew assembleRelease -PdisablePreDex
             - run:
                 name: Execute release unit tests
                 command: ./gradlew :core:testPlayReleaseUnitTest -PdisablePreDex
diff --git a/core/build.gradle b/core/build.gradle
index e2ee3a0bd..71ad30ac1 100644
--- a/core/build.gradle
+++ b/core/build.gradle
@@ -88,10 +88,12 @@ dependencies {
         api "com.google.android.support:wearable:$wearableSupportVersion"
         compileOnly "com.google.android.wearable:wearable:$wearableSupportVersion"
     } else {
-        System.out.println("core: free build hack, skipping some dependencies and bundling conscrypt ($conscryptVersion)")
-        implementation "org.conscrypt:conscrypt-android:$conscryptVersion"
+        System.out.println("core: free build hack, skipping some dependencies")
     }
 
+    // bundle conscrypt with free builds
+    freeImplementation "org.conscrypt:conscrypt-android:$conscryptVersion"
+
     testImplementation "org.awaitility:awaitility:$awaitilityVersion"
     testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.13'
     testImplementation 'org.mockito:mockito-core:1.10.19'
diff --git a/core/src/free/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/ClientConfig.java b/core/src/free/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/ClientConfig.java
index 6aa9982bc..37905b556 100644
--- a/core/src/free/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/ClientConfig.java
+++ b/core/src/free/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/ClientConfig.java
@@ -2,14 +2,6 @@ package de.danoeh.antennapod.core;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import java.security.Security;
-
-/*
- * If you get an error here ("package org.conscrypt does not exist"), you are probably doing a free
- * build and didn't pass "-PfreeBuild" to gradle (e.g. "./gradlew assembleFreeRelease -PfreeBuild").
- *
- * If you are doing a non-free build using "assembleRelease" or "assembleDebug" and get this error,
- * use "assemblePlayRelease" or "assemblePlayDebug" instead (e.g. "./gradlew assemblePlayRelease").
- */
 import org.conscrypt.Conscrypt;
 
 import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.preferences.PlaybackPreferences;