diff --git a/core/envsetup.mk b/core/envsetup.mk
index 43593e63c3..27cfd7f9f7 100644
--- a/core/envsetup.mk
+++ b/core/envsetup.mk
@@ -190,6 +190,13 @@ _vendor_path_placeholder := ||VENDOR-PATH-PH||
 TARGET_COPY_OUT_VENDOR := $(_vendor_path_placeholder)
 ###########################################
 
+#################################################################
+# Set up minimal BOOTCLASSPATH list of jars to build/execute
+# java code with dalvikvm/art.
+TARGET_CORE_JARS := core-oj core-libart conscrypt okhttp bouncycastle apache-xml
+HOST_CORE_JARS := $(addsuffix -hostdex,$(TARGET_CORE_JARS))
+#################################################################
+
 # Read the product specs so we can get TARGET_DEVICE and other
 # variables that we need in order to locate the output files.
 include $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/product_config.mk
diff --git a/target/product/core_minimal.mk b/target/product/core_minimal.mk
index 5a18c7093f..e521cc30be 100644
--- a/target/product/core_minimal.mk
+++ b/target/product/core_minimal.mk
@@ -98,20 +98,19 @@ PRODUCT_COPY_FILES += \
     frameworks/native/data/etc/android.software.preview_sdk.xml:system/etc/permissions/android.software.preview_sdk.xml
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(TARGET_CORE_JARS),)
+$(error TARGET_CORE_JARS is empty; cannot initialize PRODUCT_BOOT_JARS variable)
+endif
+
 # The order of PRODUCT_BOOT_JARS matters.
 PRODUCT_BOOT_JARS := \
-    core-oj \
-    core-libart \
-    conscrypt \
-    okhttp \
+    $(TARGET_CORE_JARS) \
     legacy-test \
-    bouncycastle \
     ext \
     framework \
     telephony-common \
     voip-common \
     ims-common \
-    apache-xml \
     org.apache.http.legacy.boot \
     android.hidl.base-V1.0-java \
     android.hidl.manager-V1.0-java
diff --git a/target/product/core_tiny.mk b/target/product/core_tiny.mk
index e9920f2a75..5ced1a6ab1 100644
--- a/target/product/core_tiny.mk
+++ b/target/product/core_tiny.mk
@@ -85,20 +85,19 @@ PRODUCT_PACKAGES += \
     logd \
     wifi-service
 
+ifeq ($(TARGET_CORE_JARS),)
+$(error TARGET_CORE_JARS is empty; cannot initialize PRODUCT_BOOT_JARS variable)
+endif
+
 # The order matters
 PRODUCT_BOOT_JARS := \
-    core-oj \
-    core-libart \
-    conscrypt \
-    okhttp \
+    $(TARGET_CORE_JARS) \
     legacy-test \
-    bouncycastle \
     ext \
     framework \
     telephony-common \
     voip-common \
     ims-common \
-    apache-xml \
     nullwebview \
     org.apache.http.legacy.boot \
     android.hidl.base-V1.0-java \
diff --git a/target/product/runtime_libart.mk b/target/product/runtime_libart.mk
index 0755bf3cfb..c1b5c64122 100644
--- a/target/product/runtime_libart.mk
+++ b/target/product/runtime_libart.mk
@@ -16,15 +16,14 @@
 
 # Provides a functioning ART environment without Android frameworks
 
+ifeq ($(TARGET_CORE_JARS),)
+$(error TARGET_CORE_JARS is empty; cannot update PRODUCT_PACKAGES variable)
+endif
+
 # Minimal boot classpath. This should be a subset of PRODUCT_BOOT_JARS, and equivalent to
 # TARGET_CORE_JARS.
 PRODUCT_PACKAGES += \
-    apache-xml \
-    bouncycastle \
-    core-oj \
-    core-libart \
-    conscrypt \
-    okhttp \
+    $(TARGET_CORE_JARS)
 
 # Additional mixins to the boot classpath.
 PRODUCT_PACKAGES += \