diff --git a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/README.adoc b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/README.adoc
index 1f054b05..176a1bae 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/README.adoc
+++ b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/README.adoc
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ Make sure the above pre-requisites are satisfied and that you are in the `spring
 To start the link:./src/main/java/app1/SpringPulsarBootApp.java[SpringPulsarBootApp] run the following command:
 [source,bash]
 ----
-../gradlew bootRun -PsampleMainClass='app1.SpringPulsarBootApp'
+../gradlew bootRunApp1
 ----
 
 === App2
 To start the link:./src/main/java/app2/FailoverConsumerApp.java[FailoverConsumerApp] run the following command:
 [source,bash]
 ----
-../gradlew bootRun -PsampleMainClass='app2.FailoverConsumerApp'
+../gradlew bootRunApp2
 ----
diff --git a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/build.gradle b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/build.gradle
index a6294b1c..2e0af1ed 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/build.gradle
+++ b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/build.gradle
@@ -10,13 +10,24 @@ dependencies {
 	implementation 'com.google.code.findbugs:jsr305'
 }
 
-ext {
-	sampleMainClass = project.hasProperty("sampleMainClass") ?
-			project.getProperty("sampleMainClass") : "app1.SpringPulsarBootApp"
+springBoot {
+	mainClass = 'app1.SpringPulsarBootApp' // default app to run
 }
 
-springBoot {
-	mainClass = sampleMainClass
+task bootRunApp1(type: org.springframework.boot.gradle.tasks.run.BootRun, dependsOn: 'build') {
+	group = 'application'
+	mainClass = 'app1.SpringPulsarBootApp'
+	doFirst() {
+		classpath = sourceSets.main.runtimeClasspath
+	}
+}
+
+task bootRunApp2(type: org.springframework.boot.gradle.tasks.run.BootRun, dependsOn: 'build') {
+	group = 'application'
+	mainClass = 'app2.FailoverConsumerApp'
+	doFirst() {
+		classpath = sourceSets.main.runtimeClasspath
+	}
 }
 
 project.afterEvaluate {