diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 05bc05793d..5525b2e755 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ $(foreach cf,$(PRODUCT_COPY_FILES), \
     $(if $(filter $(unique_product_copy_files_destinations),$(_dest)), \
         $(info PRODUCT_COPY_FILES $(cf) ignored.), \
         $(eval _fulldest := $(call append-path,$(PRODUCT_OUT),$(_dest))) \
-        $(eval $(call copy-one-file,$(_src),$(_fulldest))) \
+        $(if $(filter %.xml,$(_dest)),\
+            $(eval $(call copy-xml-file-checked,$(_src),$(_fulldest))),\
+            $(eval $(call copy-one-file,$(_src),$(_fulldest)))) \
         $(eval ALL_DEFAULT_INSTALLED_MODULES += $(_fulldest)) \
         $(eval unique_product_copy_files_destinations += $(_dest))))
 unique_product_copy_files_destinations :=
diff --git a/core/definitions.mk b/core/definitions.mk
index f82bfa59cb..f3e4966184 100644
--- a/core/definitions.mk
+++ b/core/definitions.mk
@@ -1707,6 +1707,16 @@ $(2): $(1) | $(ACP)
 	$$(copy-file-to-target)
 endef
 
+# Copy the file only if it's a well-formed xml file. For use via $(eval).
+# $(1): source file
+# $(2): destination file, must end with .xml.
+define copy-xml-file-checked
+$(2): $(1) | $(ACP)
+	@echo "Copy xml: $$@"
+	$(hide) xmllint $$< >/dev/null  # Don't print the xml file to stdout.
+	$$(copy-file-to-target)
+endef
+
 # The -t option to acp and the -p option to cp is
 # required for OSX.  OSX has a ridiculous restriction
 # where it's an error for a .a file's modification time