diff --git a/node_modules/expo-modules-core/android/build.gradle b/node_modules/expo-modules-core/android/build.gradle
index a57c367..13b4427 100644
--- a/node_modules/expo-modules-core/android/build.gradle
+++ b/node_modules/expo-modules-core/android/build.gradle
@@ -422,18 +422,16 @@ task prepareFolly(dependsOn: [downloadFolly], type: Copy) {
 }
 // END FOLLy
 
-task prepareHermes() {
+task prepareHermes(dependsOn: createNativeDepsDirectories, type: Copy) {
   if (!FOR_HERMES) {
     return
   }
 
   def soFiles = zipTree(HERMES_AAR).matching({ it.include "**/*.so" })
 
-  copy {
-    from soFiles
-    from "$REACT_NATIVE_DIR/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/first-party/hermes/Android.mk"
-    into "$thirdPartyNdkDir/hermes"
-  }
+  from soFiles
+  from "$REACT_NATIVE_DIR/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/first-party/hermes/Android.mk"
+  into "$thirdPartyNdkDir/hermes"
 }
 
 task prepareThirdPartyNdkHeaders(dependsOn: [prepareBoost, prepareDoubleConversion, prepareFolly, prepareHermes]) {}