diff --git a/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk b/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
index 6dfb61ed02..6e521950ee 100644
--- a/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
+++ b/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ endif
 # TODO(b/203088572): Remove when Java optimizations enabled by default for
 # SystemUI.
 $(call add_soong_config_var,ANDROID,SYSTEMUI_OPTIMIZE_JAVA)
-# TODO(b/196084106): Remove when Java optimizations enabled by default for
-# system packages.
+# Enable by default unless explicitly set or overridden.
+# See frameworks/base/services/Android.bp for additional notes on side effects.
+SYSTEM_OPTIMIZE_JAVA ?= true
 $(call add_soong_config_var,ANDROID,SYSTEM_OPTIMIZE_JAVA)