diff --git a/autoload/SpaceVim/layers/lang/java.vim b/autoload/SpaceVim/layers/lang/java.vim
index 5f11d65ad..43c02a33d 100644
--- a/autoload/SpaceVim/layers/lang/java.vim
+++ b/autoload/SpaceVim/layers/lang/java.vim
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ function! SpaceVim#layers#lang#java#config() abort
   call SpaceVim#mapping#space#regesit_lang_mappings('java', function('s:language_specified_mappings'))
   call SpaceVim#plugins#repl#reg('java', 'jshell')
   call add(g:spacevim_project_rooter_patterns, 'pom.xml')
+  call add(g:spacevim_project_rooter_patterns, 'build.gradle')
 
   " for neomake 
   "
diff --git a/lua/spacevim/plugin/projectmanager.lua b/lua/spacevim/plugin/projectmanager.lua
index a52e7e804..cc3950d44 100644
--- a/lua/spacevim/plugin/projectmanager.lua
+++ b/lua/spacevim/plugin/projectmanager.lua
@@ -145,9 +145,32 @@ local function change_dir(dir)
   end
 end
 
+local function compare(d1, d2)
+  local al = #vim.split(d1, '/')
+  local bl = #vim.split(d2, '/')
+  -- logger.debug('al is ' .. al)
+  -- logger.debug('bl is ' .. bl)
+  -- the project_rooter_outermost is 0/false or 1 true
+  if sp_opt.project_rooter_outermost == 0
+    or sp_opt.project_rooter_outermost == false then
+    if bl > al then
+      return false
+    else
+      return true
+    end
+  else
+    if al > bl then
+      return false
+    else
+      return true
+    end
+  end
+end
+
 local function sort_dirs(dirs)
   table.sort(dirs, compare)
   local dir = dirs[1]
+  -- logger.debug(vim.inspect(dirs))
   local bufdir = fn.getbufvar('%', 'rootDir', '')
   if bufdir == dir then
     return ''
@@ -156,16 +179,6 @@ local function sort_dirs(dirs)
   end
 end
 
-local function compare(d1, d2)
-  local _, al = string.gsub(d1, '/', '')
-  local _, bl = string.gsub(d2, '/', '')
-  if sp_opt.project_rooter_outermost == 0 then
-    return bl - al
-  else
-    return al - bl
-  end
-end
-
 local function find_root_directory()
   local fd = fn.bufname('%')
   if fd == '' then