diff --git a/java/java.go b/java/java.go
index a9f3d1a0d..e599146e1 100644
--- a/java/java.go
+++ b/java/java.go
@@ -434,6 +434,12 @@ func getJavaVersion(ctx android.ModuleContext, javaVersion string, sdkContext an
 		return normalizeJavaVersion(ctx, javaVersion)
 	} else if ctx.Device() {
 		return defaultJavaLanguageVersion(ctx, sdkContext.SdkVersion(ctx))
+	} else if ctx.Config().IsEnvTrue("EXPERIMENTAL_TARGET_JAVA_VERSION_11") {
+		// Temporary experimental flag to be able to try and build with
+		// java version 11 options.  The flag, if used, just sets Java
+		// 11 as the default version, leaving any components that
+		// target an older version intact.
+		return JAVA_VERSION_11
 	} else {
 		return JAVA_VERSION_9
 	}
diff --git a/java/sdk.go b/java/sdk.go
index e6bf220b4..de7070eef 100644
--- a/java/sdk.go
+++ b/java/sdk.go
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ func defaultJavaLanguageVersion(ctx android.EarlyModuleContext, s android.SdkSpe
 		return JAVA_VERSION_7
 	} else if sdk.FinalOrFutureInt() <= 29 {
 		return JAVA_VERSION_8
+	} else if ctx.Config().IsEnvTrue("EXPERIMENTAL_TARGET_JAVA_VERSION_11") {
+		// Temporary experimental flag to be able to try and build with
+		// java version 11 options. The flag, if used, just sets Java
+		// 11 as the default version, leaving any components that
+		// target an older version intact.
+		return JAVA_VERSION_11
 	} else {
 		return JAVA_VERSION_9
 	}