diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle.kts b/android/app/build.gradle.kts
index 4cc0d1f..b0540ed 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -38,9 +38,11 @@ android {
         isCoreLibraryDesugaringEnabled = true
     }
 
-    kotlinOptions {
-        jvmTarget = JavaVersion.VERSION_11.toString()
+    kotlin {
+    compilerOptions {
+        jvmTarget = org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.JvmTarget.JVM_11
     }
+}
 
     defaultConfig {
         applicationId = "com.ishankumar.maizebus"
diff --git a/android/settings.gradle.kts b/android/settings.gradle.kts
index 5067194..06d5bca 100644
--- a/android/settings.gradle.kts
+++ b/android/settings.gradle.kts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ plugins {
     id("com.google.gms.google-services") version("4.3.15") apply false
     // END: FlutterFire Configuration
     
-    id("org.jetbrains.kotlin.android") version "2.1.0" apply false
+    id("org.jetbrains.kotlin.android") version "2.3.0" apply false
 }
 
 include(":app")
diff --git a/lib/screens/map_screen.dart b/lib/screens/map_screen.dart
index c30b8c9..4fc5017 100644
--- a/lib/screens/map_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/map_screen.dart
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ class _MaizeBusCoreState extends State<MaizeBusCore> {
         content: Text(startupData.persistantMessage),
       );
     }
+    
 
     // loading all this data in parallel
     await Future.wait([
@@ -1080,6 +1081,7 @@ class _MaizeBusCoreState extends State<MaizeBusCore> {
 
   void _onMapCreated(GoogleMapController controller) {
     _mapController = controller;
+    _centerOnLocation(true);
   }
 
   void _onCameraMove(CameraPosition position) async {
@@ -1921,6 +1923,10 @@ class _MaizeBusCoreState extends State<MaizeBusCore> {
           );
           return null;
         }
+        else {
+          //Center map once right after user grants location permissions
+          _centerOnLocation(true);
+        }
       }
 
       if (permission == LocationPermission.deniedForever) {