diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 6c6c7c8006..086b24393a 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -4144,6 +4144,9 @@ ifdef BOARD_USES_VENDORIMAGE
 	$(hide) echo "board_uses_vendorimage=true" >> $@
 endif
 ifeq ($(BOARD_AVB_ENABLE),true)
+ifeq ($(BUILDING_VBMETA_IMAGE),true)
+	$(hide) echo "avb_building_vbmeta_image=true" >> $@
+endif # BUILDING_VBMETA_IMAGE
 	$(hide) echo "avb_enable=true" >> $@
 	$(hide) echo "avb_vbmeta_key_path=$(BOARD_AVB_KEY_PATH)" >> $@
 	$(hide) echo "avb_vbmeta_algorithm=$(BOARD_AVB_ALGORITHM)" >> $@
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/add_img_to_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/add_img_to_target_files.py
index eb041ecea8..d836d6566f 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/add_img_to_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/add_img_to_target_files.py
@@ -959,8 +959,9 @@ def AddImagesToTargetFiles(filename):
           if item not in vbmeta_vendor.split()]
       vbmeta_partitions.append("vbmeta_vendor")
 
-    banner("vbmeta")
-    AddVBMeta(output_zip, partitions, "vbmeta", vbmeta_partitions)
+    if OPTIONS.info_dict.get("avb_building_vbmeta_image") == "true":
+      banner("vbmeta")
+      AddVBMeta(output_zip, partitions, "vbmeta", vbmeta_partitions)
 
   if OPTIONS.info_dict.get("use_dynamic_partitions") == "true":
     banner("super_empty")