diff --git a/local-cli/link/__fixtures__/android/build.gradle b/local-cli/link/__fixtures__/android/build.gradle
index 70785a4faac7c8..4dd26f8e088024 100644
--- a/local-cli/link/__fixtures__/android/build.gradle
+++ b/local-cli/link/__fixtures__/android/build.gradle
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 dependencies {
-    compile fileTree(dir: "libs", include: ["*.jar"])
-    compile "com.android.support:appcompat-v7:27.1.1"
-    compile "com.facebook.react:react-native:+"
+    implementation fileTree(dir: "libs", include: ["*.jar"])
+    implementation "com.android.support:appcompat-v7:27.1.1"
+    implementation "com.facebook.react:react-native:+"
 }
diff --git a/local-cli/link/__fixtures__/android/patchedBuild.gradle b/local-cli/link/__fixtures__/android/patchedBuild.gradle
index 8cade796a256f3..425aaaf7f44427 100644
--- a/local-cli/link/__fixtures__/android/patchedBuild.gradle
+++ b/local-cli/link/__fixtures__/android/patchedBuild.gradle
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 dependencies {
-    compile project(':test')
-    compile(project(':test2')) {
+    implementation project(':test')
+    implementation(project(':test2')) {
       exclude(group: 'org.unwanted', module: 'test10')
     }
-    compile fileTree(dir: "libs", include: ["*.jar"])
-    compile "com.android.support:appcompat-v7:27.1.1"
-    compile "com.facebook.react:react-native:+"
+    implementation fileTree(dir: "libs", include: ["*.jar"])
+    implementation "com.android.support:appcompat-v7:27.1.1"
+    implementation "com.facebook.react:react-native:+"
 }
diff --git a/local-cli/link/__tests__/android/makeBuildPatch.spec.js b/local-cli/link/__tests__/android/makeBuildPatch.spec.js
index 51873daf1d0236..4329f1f157facc 100644
--- a/local-cli/link/__tests__/android/makeBuildPatch.spec.js
+++ b/local-cli/link/__tests__/android/makeBuildPatch.spec.js
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ describe('makeBuildPatch', () => {
 
   it('should make a correct patch', () => {
     const {patch} = makeBuildPatch(name);
-    expect(patch).toBe(`    compile project(':${name}')\n`);
+    expect(patch).toBe(`    implementation project(':${name}')\n`);
   });
 
   it('should make a correct install check pattern', () => {
     const {installPattern} = makeBuildPatch(name);
-    const match = `/\\s{4}(compile)(\\(|\\s)(project)\\(\\':${name}\\'\\)(\\)|\\s)/`;
+    const match = `/\\s{4}(implementation)(\\(|\\s)(project)\\(\\':${name}\\'\\)(\\)|\\s)/`;
     expect(installPattern.toString()).toBe(match);
   });
 });
@@ -39,12 +39,14 @@ describe('makeBuildPatch', () => {
 describe('makeBuildPatchWithScopedPackage', () => {
   it('should make a correct patch', () => {
     const {patch} = makeBuildPatch(scopedName);
-    expect(patch).toBe(`    compile project(':${normalizedScopedName}')\n`);
+    expect(patch).toBe(
+      `    implementation project(':${normalizedScopedName}')\n`,
+    );
   });
 
   it('should make a correct install check pattern', () => {
     const {installPattern} = makeBuildPatch(scopedName);
-    const match = `/\\s{4}(compile)(\\(|\\s)(project)\\(\\':${normalizedScopedName}\\'\\)(\\)|\\s)/`;
+    const match = `/\\s{4}(implementation)(\\(|\\s)(project)\\(\\':${normalizedScopedName}\\'\\)(\\)|\\s)/`;
     expect(installPattern.toString()).toBe(match);
   });
 });
diff --git a/local-cli/link/android/patches/makeBuildPatch.js b/local-cli/link/android/patches/makeBuildPatch.js
index dfaab8f6998bfe..246f3358540df6 100644
--- a/local-cli/link/android/patches/makeBuildPatch.js
+++ b/local-cli/link/android/patches/makeBuildPatch.js
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ const normalizeProjectName = require('./normalizeProjectName');
 module.exports = function makeBuildPatch(name) {
   const normalizedProjectName = normalizeProjectName(name);
   const installPattern = new RegExp(
-    `\\s{4}(compile)(\\(|\\s)(project)\\(\\\':${normalizedProjectName}\\\'\\)(\\)|\\s)`,
+    `\\s{4}(implementation)(\\(|\\s)(project)\\(\\\':${normalizedProjectName}\\\'\\)(\\)|\\s)`,
   );
 
   return {
     installPattern,
     pattern: /[^ \t]dependencies {(\r\n|\n)/,
-    patch: `    compile project(':${normalizedProjectName}')\n`,
+    patch: `    implementation project(':${normalizedProjectName}')\n`,
   };
 };