diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 690e612b4..dd1adde3a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -156,17 +156,17 @@ git push <remote> --no-verify
 There are multiple helper flags available via `local.properties` that will help speed up local development workflow
 when working across multiple layers of the dependency stack - specifically, with android-components, geckoview or application-services.
 
-### android-components auto-publication workflow
-Specify a relative path to your local `android-components` checkout via `autoPublish.android-components.dir`.
+### Auto-publication workflow for android-components and application-services
+If you're making changes to these projects and want to test them in Fenix, auto-publication workflow is the fastest, most reliable
+way to do that.
 
-If enabled, during a Fenix build android-components will be compiled and locally published if it has been modified,
-and published versions of android-components modules will be automatically used instead of whatever is declared in Dependencies.kt.
+In `local.properties`, specify a relative path to your local `android-components` and/or `application-services` checkouts. E.g.:
+- `autoPublish.android-components.dir=../android-components`
+- `autoPublish.application-services.dir=../application-services`
 
-### application-services auto-publication workflow
-Specify a relative path to your local `application-services` checkout via `autoPublish.application-services.dir`.
+Once these flags are set, your Fenix builds will include any local modifications present in these projects.
 
-If enabled, during a Fenix build application-services will be compiled and locally published,
-and published versions of application-services modules will be automatically used instead of whatever is declared in Dependencies.kt.
+See a [demo of auto-publication workflow in action](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZKlBzVvQGc).
 
 ### GeckoView
 Specify a relative path to your local `mozilla-central` checkout via `dependencySubstitutions.geckoviewTopsrcdir`,
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index d94386cfc..ccbec8163 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ def runCmd(cmd, workingDir, successMessage, captureStdout=true) {
     return captureStdout ? standardOutput : null
 }
 
-def gradlew = './gradlew'
-if (System.properties['os.name'].toLowerCase().contains('windows')) {
-    gradlew += ".bat"
-}
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Local Development overrides
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -49,7 +45,7 @@ if (localProperties != null) {
 
     if (appServicesLocalPath != null) {
         log("Enabling automatic publication of application-services from: $appServicesLocalPath")
-        def publishAppServicesCmd = ["./gradlew", "autoPublishForLocalDevelopment"]
+        def publishAppServicesCmd = ["./automation/publish_to_maven_local_if_modified.py"]
         runCmd(publishAppServicesCmd, appServicesLocalPath, "Published application-services for local development.", false)
     } else {
         log("Disabled auto-publication of application-services. Enable it by settings '$settingAppServicesPath' in local.properties")
@@ -59,19 +55,8 @@ if (localProperties != null) {
 
     if (androidComponentsLocalPath != null) {
         log("Enabling automatic publication of android-components from: $androidComponentsLocalPath")
-        log("Determining if android-components are up-to-date...")
-        def compileAcCmd = [gradlew, "compileReleaseKotlin"]
-        def compileOutput = runCmd(compileAcCmd, androidComponentsLocalPath, "Compiled android-components.")
-        // This is somewhat brittle: parse last line of gradle output, to fish out how many tasks were executed.
-        // One executed task means gradle didn't do any work other than executing the top-level 'compile' task.
-        def compileTasksExecuted = compileOutput.toString().split('\n').last().split(':')[1].split(' ')[1]
-        if (compileTasksExecuted.equals("1")) {
-            log("android-components are up-to-date, skipping publication.")
-        } else {
-            log("android-components changed, publishing locally...")
-            def publishAcCmd = ["${androidComponentsLocalPath}/${gradlew}", "publishToMavenLocal", "-Plocal=true"]
-            runCmd(publishAcCmd, androidComponentsLocalPath, "Published android-components.", false)
-        }
+        def publishAcCmd = ["./automation/publish_to_maven_local_if_modified.py"]
+        runCmd(publishAcCmd, androidComponentsLocalPath, "Published android-components for local development.", false)
     } else {
         log("Disabled auto-publication of android-components. Enable it by settings '$settingAndroidComponentsPath' in local.properties")
     }