diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 50502d4ab..f4be1cc7a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
+          submodules: 'recursive'
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
+          submodules: 'recursive'
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
@@ -144,6 +146,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
+          submodules: 'recursive'
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
@@ -189,6 +192,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
+          submodules: 'recursive'
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
@@ -236,6 +240,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
+          submodules: 'recursive'
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
@@ -292,6 +297,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
+          submodules: 'recursive'
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..16a235378
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "composite-builds/external/logback-android"]
+	path = composite-builds/external/logback-android
+	url = https://github.com/AndroidIDEOfficial/logback-android
diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index 62e591b2a..6caaa9a65 100755
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 @file:Suppress("UnstableApiUsage")
 
-import ch.qos.logback.core.util.EnvUtil
 import com.itsaky.androidide.build.config.BuildConfig
-import com.itsaky.androidide.desugaring.ch.qos.logback.core.util.DesugarEnvUtil
 import com.itsaky.androidide.desugaring.utils.JavaIOReplacements.applyJavaIOReplacements
 import com.itsaky.androidide.plugins.AndroidIDEAssetsPlugin
-import kotlin.reflect.jvm.javaMethod
 
 plugins {
   id("com.android.application")
@@ -62,18 +59,9 @@ desugaring {
   replacements {
     includePackage(
       "org.eclipse.jgit",
-      "ch.qos.logback.classic.util",
     )
 
     applyJavaIOReplacements()
-
-    // EnvUtil.logbackVersion() uses newer Java APIs like Class.getModule() which is not available
-    // on Android. We replace the method usage with DesugarEnvUtil.logbackVersion() which
-    // always returns null
-    replaceMethod(
-      EnvUtil::logbackVersion.javaMethod!!,
-      DesugarEnvUtil::logbackVersion.javaMethod!!
-    )
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/composite-builds/build-deps-common/desugaring-core/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/desugaring/ch/qos/logback/core/util/DesugarEnvUtil.java b/composite-builds/build-deps-common/desugaring-core/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/desugaring/ch/qos/logback/core/util/DesugarEnvUtil.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 72168394c..000000000
--- a/composite-builds/build-deps-common/desugaring-core/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/desugaring/ch/qos/logback/core/util/DesugarEnvUtil.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-/*
- *  This file is part of AndroidIDE.
- *
- *  AndroidIDE is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
- *  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- *  the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
- *  (at your option) any later version.
- *
- *  AndroidIDE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- *  GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- *   along with AndroidIDE.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-package com.itsaky.androidide.desugaring.ch.qos.logback.core.util;
-
-/**
- * @author Akash Yadav
- */
-public class DesugarEnvUtil {
-
-  /**
-   * <p>Returns the current version of logback, or null if data is not
-   * available.
-   * </p>
-   *
-   * @since 1.3.0
-   * @return current version or null if missing version data
-   */
-  static public String logbackVersion() {
-    return null;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/composite-builds/build-deps/logback-core/.gitignore b/composite-builds/build-deps/logback-core/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..42afabfd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/composite-builds/build-deps/logback-core/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/build
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/composite-builds/build-deps/logback-core/build.gradle.kts b/composite-builds/build-deps/logback-core/build.gradle.kts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..032b3eb6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/composite-builds/build-deps/logback-core/build.gradle.kts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/*
+ *  This file is part of AndroidIDE.
+ *
+ *  AndroidIDE is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ *  the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ *  (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  AndroidIDE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *   along with AndroidIDE.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+plugins {
+    //noinspection JavaPluginLanguageLevel
+    id("java-library")
+}
+
+java {
+    sourceSets.getByName("main") {
+        val srcDir =
+            rootProject.projectDir.resolve("../external/logback-android/logback-core/src/main/java")
+        java.srcDirs(srcDir)
+
+        val modInfo = srcDir.resolve("module-info.java")
+        if (modInfo.exists() && modInfo.isFile) {
+            modInfo.renameTo(srcDir.resolve("module-info.java.exclude"))
+        }
+    }
+
+    sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_11
+    targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_11
+}
+
+//noinspection UseTomlInstead GradleDynamicVersion
+dependencies {
+    compileOnly("org.codehaus.janino:janino:+")
+    compileOnly("org.codehaus.janino:commons-compiler:+")
+    compileOnly("org.fusesource.jansi:jansi:+")
+    compileOnly("jakarta.mail:jakarta.mail-api:+")
+    compileOnly("jakarta.servlet:jakarta.servlet-api:+")
+
+    testCompileOnly("org.eclipse.angus:angus-mail:+")
+    testCompileOnly("org.mockito:mockito-core:+")
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/composite-builds/build-deps/settings.gradle.kts b/composite-builds/build-deps/settings.gradle.kts
index d8e1e31ab..06da51d94 100644
--- a/composite-builds/build-deps/settings.gradle.kts
+++ b/composite-builds/build-deps/settings.gradle.kts
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ include(
   ":jdk-jdeps",
   ":jdt",
   ":layoutlib-api",
+  ":logback-core",
 )
 
 rootProject.name = "build-deps"
diff --git a/composite-builds/build-logic/desugaring/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/desugaring/DesugarGradlePlugin.kt b/composite-builds/build-logic/desugaring/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/desugaring/DesugarGradlePlugin.kt
index bb83cba14..a5d9e5811 100644
--- a/composite-builds/build-logic/desugaring/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/desugaring/DesugarGradlePlugin.kt
+++ b/composite-builds/build-logic/desugaring/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/desugaring/DesugarGradlePlugin.kt
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ class DesugarGradlePlugin : Plugin<Project> {
 
         variant.instrumentation.apply {
           transformClassesWith(
-            DesugarClassVisitorFactory::class.java, ALL) { params ->
+            DesugarClassVisitorFactory::class.java, ALL
+          ) { params ->
             params.setFrom(extension)
           }
 
diff --git a/composite-builds/external/README.md b/composite-builds/external/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d04691fa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/composite-builds/external/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# External dependencies
+
+This directory contains external, non-Gradle dependencies that are required to build AndroidIDE.
+
+## Projects
+
+- [logback-android](https://github.com/AndroidIDEOfficial/logback-android) - [Logback](https://github.com/qos-ch/logback),
+  but with modifications for the Android platform.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 0ca6e1e14..492109f44 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ aapt2-annotations = { module = "com.android.tools:annotations", version = "31.2.
 aapt2-jb-annotations = { module = "org.jetbrains:annotations", version = "24.1.0" }
 aapt2-proto = { module = "com.android.tools.build:aapt2-proto", version = "8.3.0-10880808" }
 
-logging-logback-core = { module = "ch.qos.logback:logback-core", version.ref = "logback" }
+# use logback-core from logback-android instead
+#logging-logback-core = { module = "ch.qos.logback:logback-core", version.ref = "logback" }
+logging-logback-core = { module = "com.itsaky.androidide.build:logback-core" }
 logging-logback-classic = { module = "ch.qos.logback:logback-classic", version.ref = "logback" }
 
 # XML
diff --git a/logger/build.gradle.kts b/logger/build.gradle.kts
index f4c7fe488..1f61c1907 100644
--- a/logger/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/logger/build.gradle.kts
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ dependencies {
     compileOnly(projects.subprojects.frameworkStubs)
 
     api(libs.logging.logback.core)
-    api(libs.logging.logback.classic)
+    api(libs.logging.logback.classic) {
+        // logback classic depends on upstream logback-core
+        // we exclude it and use our own from logback-android
+        exclude(group = "ch.qos.logback", module = "logback-core")
+    }
 
     implementation(projects.buildInfo)