diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 67d2c1e441..e6be8dee1e 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -1634,6 +1634,8 @@ $(if $(PRODUCT_$(_var)_BASE_FS_PATH),$(hide) echo "$(1)_base_fs_file=$(PRODUCT_$
 $(eval _size := $(BOARD_$(_var)IMAGE_PARTITION_SIZE))
 $(eval _reserved := $(BOARD_$(_var)IMAGE_PARTITION_RESERVED_SIZE))
 $(eval _headroom := $(PRODUCT_$(_var)_HEADROOM))
+$(if $(or $(_size), $(_reserved), $(_headroom)),,
+    $(hide) echo "$(1)_disable_sparse=true" >> $(2))
 $(call add-common-flags-to-image-props,$(1),$(2))
 endef