diff --git a/crates/ide-build/src/compile/mod.rs b/crates/ide-build/src/compile/mod.rs
index fcfa45f07..91bbdbf35 100644
--- a/crates/ide-build/src/compile/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-build/src/compile/mod.rs
@@ -821,13 +821,14 @@ fn launch_class_dirs(system: BuildSystem, module: &Path, test: bool) -> Vec<Path
 mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn independent_gradle_builds_keep_their_launchers_and_task_paths() {
+        let wrapper = if cfg!(windows) { "gradlew.bat" } else { "gradlew" };
         let temp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let root = temp.path();
         for dir in ["a", "b"] {
             std::fs::create_dir_all(root.join(dir).join("app/src/main/java")).unwrap();
             std::fs::write(root.join(dir).join("settings.gradle"), "include 'app'").unwrap();
             std::fs::write(root.join(dir).join("app/build.gradle"), "plugins { id 'java' }").unwrap();
-            std::fs::write(root.join(dir).join("gradlew"), "").unwrap();
+            std::fs::write(root.join(dir).join(wrapper), "").unwrap();
         }
         let settings = ide_core::settings::GradleSettings {
             linked_projects: Some(vec!["a".into(), "b".into()]),
@@ -842,7 +843,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(all.steps[1].cwd, root.join("b"));
         let module = super::plan(root, &model, super::BuildKind::Rebuild, Some(&root.join("b/app")), None).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(module.steps.len(), 1);
-        assert_eq!(module.steps[0].program, root.join("b/gradlew").to_string_lossy());
+        assert_eq!(module.steps[0].program, root.join("b").join(wrapper).to_string_lossy());
         assert_eq!(module.steps[0].cwd, root.join("b"));
         assert_eq!(module.steps[0].env["JAVA_HOME"], "/jdk-b");
         assert_eq!(module.steps[0].args, ["--console=plain", ":app:clean", ":app:classes", ":app:testClasses"]);
@@ -854,7 +855,7 @@ mod tests {
         nested.path = ":b:app".into();
         model.gradle[0].projects.push(nested);
         let nested = super::plan(root, &model, super::BuildKind::Build, Some(&root.join("b/app")), None).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(nested.steps[0].program, root.join("b/gradlew").to_string_lossy());
+        assert_eq!(nested.steps[0].program, root.join("b").join(wrapper).to_string_lossy());
         assert_eq!(nested.steps[0].args, ["--console=plain", ":app:classes", ":app:testClasses"]);
         model.gradle.clear();
         assert!(super::plan(root, &model, super::BuildKind::Build, Some(&root.join("b/app")), None).is_err());
@@ -862,6 +863,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn absolute_linked_roots_build_the_project_and_external_source_module() {
+        let wrapper = if cfg!(windows) { "gradlew.bat" } else { "gradlew" };
         let temp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let base = dunce::canonicalize(temp.path()).unwrap();
         let root = base.join("workspace");
@@ -871,7 +873,7 @@ mod tests {
         std::fs::write(external.join("settings.gradle"), "include 'app'").unwrap();
         let source = external.join("app/src/main/java/App.java");
         std::fs::write(&source, "class App {}").unwrap();
-        std::fs::write(external.join("gradlew"), "").unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(external.join(wrapper), "").unwrap();
         let settings = ide_core::settings::GradleSettings {
             linked_projects: Some(vec![external.to_string_lossy().into_owned()]),
             ..Default::default()
@@ -880,7 +882,7 @@ mod tests {
         model.gradle[0].env.insert("JAVA_HOME".into(), "/external-jdk".into());
         let all = super::plan(&root, &model, super::BuildKind::Build, None, None).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(all.steps[0].cwd, external);
-        assert_eq!(all.steps[0].program, external.join("gradlew").to_string_lossy());
+        assert_eq!(all.steps[0].program, external.join(wrapper).to_string_lossy());
         let module = super::plan(&root, &model, super::BuildKind::Rebuild, Some(&source), None).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(module.steps[0].cwd, external);
         assert_eq!(module.steps[0].env["JAVA_HOME"], "/external-jdk");
diff --git a/crates/ide-build/src/gradle.rs b/crates/ide-build/src/gradle.rs
index c805f93ac..2cd996b1a 100644
--- a/crates/ide-build/src/gradle.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-build/src/gradle.rs
@@ -481,6 +481,15 @@ pub fn normalize_linked_projects(root: &Path, dirs: &[String]) -> ide_core::IdeR
     Ok(out)
 }
 
+/// The form `normalize_linked_projects` saves `dir` in, also for a folder that no longer
+/// exists, so a path the UI sends (`C:\…` on Windows) matches the saved entry.
+pub fn linked_project_key(root: &Path, dir: &str) -> String {
+    match (dunce::canonicalize(root), dunce::canonicalize(root.join(dir))) {
+        (Ok(root), Ok(path)) => rel(&root, &path),
+        _ => dir.replace('\\', "/"),
+    }
+}
+
 /// Linked build identities without reading their scripts (also used by index hot paths).
 pub(crate) fn linked_dirs(root: &Path, settings: &ide_core::settings::GradleSettings) -> Vec<String> {
     match &settings.linked_projects {
@@ -675,6 +684,30 @@ pub(crate) fn has_war_plugin(script: &str) -> bool {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
+    #[test]
+    fn a_path_from_the_ui_finds_the_saved_link() {
+        let temp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let root = temp.path().join("workspace");
+        let external = temp.path().join("external");
+        for dir in [root.join("a"), external.clone()] {
+            std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+            std::fs::write(dir.join("settings.gradle"), "").unwrap();
+        }
+        let native = |p: &std::path::Path| p.to_string_lossy().into_owned();
+        // Saved by linking; unlinking may send a native, absolute or non-canonical spelling.
+        for (dir, sent) in [
+            ("a", native(&root.join("a"))),
+            ("a", "a".to_owned()),
+            ("a", native(&root.join("a").join("..").join("a"))),
+            ("../external", native(&external)),
+        ] {
+            let saved = super::normalize_linked_projects(&root, &[dir.into()]).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(super::linked_project_key(&root, &sent), saved[0], "{sent}");
+        }
+        // A folder deleted since it was linked still matches its saved entry.
+        assert_eq!(super::linked_project_key(&root, r"gone\build"), "gone/build");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn explicit_linkage_preserves_default_discovery_and_can_unlink_every_build() {
         let temp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
diff --git a/crates/ide-build/src/lib.rs b/crates/ide-build/src/lib.rs
index e18682766..eb613c5cf 100644
--- a/crates/ide-build/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-build/src/lib.rs
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ mod tests {
         };
         assert_eq!(
             gradle_external_roots(&root, &temp.path().join("cache"), &settings),
-            [external.canonicalize().unwrap()]
+            [dunce::canonicalize(&external).unwrap()]
         );
         settings.linked_projects = Some(vec![]);
         assert!(gradle_external_roots(&root, &temp.path().join("cache"), &settings).is_empty());
diff --git a/crates/ide-host/src/ops/build.rs b/crates/ide-host/src/ops/build.rs
index 5d0fb052f..074cbcad5 100644
--- a/crates/ide-host/src/ops/build.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-host/src/ops/build.rs
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ fn linked_gradle_paths(
             }
         }
     } else {
-        linked.retain(|path| !paths.contains(path));
+        let unlinked: Vec<String> = paths.iter().map(|p| ide_build::gradle::linked_project_key(root, p)).collect();
+        linked.retain(|path| !paths.contains(path) && !unlinked.contains(path));
     }
     Ok(linked)
 }