diff --git a/java/app.go b/java/app.go
index 20e9e81db..3fa578d57 100755
--- a/java/app.go
+++ b/java/app.go
@@ -80,10 +80,14 @@ type appProperties struct {
 	// list of native libraries that will be provided in or alongside the resulting jar
 	Jni_libs []string `android:"arch_variant"`
 
-	// if true, allow JNI libraries that link against platform APIs even if this module sets
+	// if true, use JNI libraries that link against platform APIs even if this module sets
 	// sdk_version.
 	Jni_uses_platform_apis *bool
 
+	// if true, use JNI libraries that link against SDK APIs even if this module does not set
+	// sdk_version.
+	Jni_uses_sdk_apis *bool
+
 	// STL library to use for JNI libraries.
 	Stl *string `android:"arch_variant"`
 
@@ -234,7 +238,8 @@ func (a *AndroidApp) DepsMutator(ctx android.BottomUpMutatorContext) {
 		// If the app builds against an Android SDK use the SDK variant of JNI dependencies
 		// unless jni_uses_platform_apis is set.
 		if a.sdkVersion().specified() && a.sdkVersion().kind != sdkCorePlatform &&
-			!Bool(a.appProperties.Jni_uses_platform_apis) {
+			!Bool(a.appProperties.Jni_uses_platform_apis) ||
+			Bool(a.appProperties.Jni_uses_sdk_apis) {
 			variation = append(variation, blueprint.Variation{Mutator: "sdk", Variation: "sdk"})
 		}
 		ctx.AddFarVariationDependencies(variation, tag, a.appProperties.Jni_libs...)