diff --git a/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk b/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
index 99acdab109..777aec5215 100644
--- a/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
+++ b/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ ifeq (true,$(MODULE_BUILD_FROM_SOURCE))
 $(call add_soong_config_var_value,ANDROID,module_build_from_source,true)
 endif
 
+# Messaging app vars
+ifeq (eng,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT))
+$(call soong_config_set,messaging,build_variant_eng,true)
+endif
+
 # TODO(b/203088572): Remove when Java optimizations enabled by default for
 # SystemUI.
 $(call add_soong_config_var,ANDROID,SYSTEMUI_OPTIMIZE_JAVA)