diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 559bf2f9c28..38be8951a45 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,11 +1,5 @@
-if (project.name != 'x-plugins') {
-  throw new GradleException('You must checkout x-plugins to a directory named x-plugins')
-}
-if (project.projectDir.parentFile.name != 'extra-plugins') {
-  throw new GradleException('You must place the x-plugins checkout in a directory named extra-plugins')
-}
-if (project.rootProject.projectDir != project.projectDir.parentFile.parentFile) {
-  throw new GradleException('You must place the extra-plugins directory inside the root of an elasticsearch checkout')
+if (project.projectDir.name != 'x-plugins') {
+  throw new GradleException('You must checkout x-plugins in a directory named x-plugins next to elasticsearch')
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/buildSrc/settings.gradle b/buildSrc/settings.gradle
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fede2f180e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/buildSrc/settings.gradle
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+File elasticsearchDir = new File(settingsDir, '../../elasticsearch')
+if (elasticsearchDir.exists() == false) {
+  throw new GradleException('Elasticsearch must be checked out as a sibling directory of x-plugins')
+}
+
+project(':').projectDir = new File(elasticsearchDir, 'buildSrc')
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..651d9aca508
--- /dev/null
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+project(':').projectDir = new File('../elasticsearch')
+apply from: '../elasticsearch/settings.gradle'