diff --git a/android/config.go b/android/config.go
index 26c4e6ebd..987bcd64c 100644
--- a/android/config.go
+++ b/android/config.go
@@ -386,13 +386,14 @@ func NewConfig(srcDir, buildDir string) (Config, error) {
 
 func (c *config) fromEnv() error {
 	switch c.Getenv("EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9") {
-	case "":
-		// Nothing, this is the default
-	case "true":
-		// Use -source 9 -target 9
+	case "", "true":
+		// Use -source 9 -target 9. This is the default.
 		c.targetOpenJDK9 = true
+	case "false":
+		// Use -source 8 -target 8. This is the legacy behaviour.
+		c.targetOpenJDK9 = false
 	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf(`Invalid value for EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9, should be "" or "true"`)
+		return fmt.Errorf(`Invalid value for EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9, should be "", "true", or "false"`)
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/java/java_test.go b/java/java_test.go
index f0cb6f8bd..a3499ccd8 100644
--- a/java/java_test.go
+++ b/java/java_test.go
@@ -1095,8 +1095,10 @@ func TestPatchModule(t *testing.T) {
 	`
 
 	t.Run("Java language level 8", func(t *testing.T) {
-		// Test default javac -source 1.8 -target 1.8
-		ctx, _ := testJava(t, bp)
+		// Test with legacy javac -source 1.8 -target 1.8
+		config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9": "false"})
+		ctx := testContext(bp, nil)
+		run(t, ctx, config)
 
 		checkPatchModuleFlag(t, ctx, "foo", "")
 		checkPatchModuleFlag(t, ctx, "bar", "")
@@ -1104,10 +1106,8 @@ func TestPatchModule(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("Java language level 9", func(t *testing.T) {
-		// Test again with javac -source 9 -target 9
-		config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9": "true"})
-		ctx := testContext(bp, nil)
-		run(t, ctx, config)
+		// Test with default javac -source 9 -target 9
+		ctx, _ := testJava(t, bp)
 
 		checkPatchModuleFlag(t, ctx, "foo", "")
 		expected := "java.base=.:" + buildDir
diff --git a/java/sdk_test.go b/java/sdk_test.go
index 5001b477b..5e0e592f6 100644
--- a/java/sdk_test.go
+++ b/java/sdk_test.go
@@ -279,9 +279,9 @@ func TestClasspath(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 			}
 
+			// Test with legacy javac -source 1.8 -target 1.8
 			t.Run("Java language level 8", func(t *testing.T) {
-				// Test default javac -source 1.8 -target 1.8
-				config := testConfig(nil)
+				config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9": "false"})
 				if testcase.unbundled {
 					config.TestProductVariables.Unbundled_build = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 				}
@@ -302,9 +302,9 @@ func TestClasspath(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 			})
 
-			// Test again with javac -source 9 -target 9
+			// Test with default javac -source 9 -target 9
 			t.Run("Java language level 9", func(t *testing.T) {
-				config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9": "true"})
+				config := testConfig(nil)
 				if testcase.unbundled {
 					config.TestProductVariables.Unbundled_build = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 				}
@@ -327,7 +327,8 @@ func TestClasspath(t *testing.T) {
 
 			// Test again with PLATFORM_VERSION_CODENAME=REL
 			t.Run("REL", func(t *testing.T) {
-				config := testConfig(nil)
+				// TODO(b/115604102): This test should be rewritten with language level 9
+				config := testConfig(map[string]string{"EXPERIMENTAL_JAVA_LANGUAGE_LEVEL_9": "false"})
 				config.TestProductVariables.Platform_sdk_codename = proptools.StringPtr("REL")
 				config.TestProductVariables.Platform_sdk_final = proptools.BoolPtr(true)