diff --git a/java/sdk_library.go b/java/sdk_library.go
index ecf2b1a03..94927291c 100644
--- a/java/sdk_library.go
+++ b/java/sdk_library.go
@@ -435,9 +435,6 @@ type sdkLibraryProperties struct {
 	// a list of top-level directories containing Java stub files to merge show/hide annotations from.
 	Merge_inclusion_annotations_dirs []string
 
-	// If set to true, the path of dist files is apistubs/core. Defaults to false.
-	Core_lib *bool
-
 	// If set to true then don't create dist rules.
 	No_dist *bool
 
@@ -458,7 +455,7 @@ type sdkLibraryProperties struct {
 	Dist_stem *string
 
 	// The subdirectory for the artifacts that are copied to the dist directory.  If not specified
-	// then defaults to "android".  Should be set to "android" for anything that should be published
+	// then defaults to "unknown".  Should be set to "android" for anything that should be published
 	// in the public Android SDK.
 	Dist_group *string
 
@@ -1203,11 +1200,7 @@ func (module *SdkLibrary) AndroidMkEntries() []android.AndroidMkEntries {
 
 // The dist path of the stub artifacts
 func (module *SdkLibrary) apiDistPath(apiScope *apiScope) string {
-	if Bool(module.sdkLibraryProperties.Core_lib) {
-		return path.Join("apistubs", "core", apiScope.name)
-	} else {
-		return path.Join("apistubs", module.distGroup(), apiScope.name)
-	}
+	return path.Join("apistubs", module.distGroup(), apiScope.name)
 }
 
 // Get the sdk version for use when compiling the stubs library.
@@ -1233,15 +1226,7 @@ func (module *SdkLibrary) distStem() string {
 
 // distGroup returns the subdirectory of the dist path of the stub artifacts.
 func (module *SdkLibrary) distGroup() string {
-	if group := proptools.String(module.sdkLibraryProperties.Dist_group); group != "" {
-		return group
-	}
-	// TODO(b/186723288): Remove this once everything uses dist_group.
-	if owner := module.ModuleBase.Owner(); owner != "" {
-		return owner
-	}
-	// TODO(b/186723288): Make this "unknown".
-	return "android"
+	return proptools.StringDefault(module.sdkLibraryProperties.Dist_group, "unknown")
 }
 
 func (module *SdkLibrary) latestApiFilegroupName(apiScope *apiScope) string {
diff --git a/java/sdk_library_test.go b/java/sdk_library_test.go
index 0fe6e72ef..2520dde6e 100644
--- a/java/sdk_library_test.go
+++ b/java/sdk_library_test.go
@@ -844,40 +844,34 @@ func TestJavaSdkLibraryDist(t *testing.T) {
 		PrepareForTestWithJavaBuildComponents,
 		PrepareForTestWithJavaDefaultModules,
 		PrepareForTestWithJavaSdkLibraryFiles,
+		FixtureWithLastReleaseApis(
+			"sdklib_no_group",
+			"sdklib_group_foo",
+			"sdklib_owner_foo",
+			"foo"),
 	).RunTestWithBp(t, `
 		java_sdk_library {
-			name: "sdklib_no_owner",
-			unsafe_ignore_missing_latest_api: true,
+			name: "sdklib_no_group",
 			srcs: ["foo.java"],
 		}
 
 		java_sdk_library {
 			name: "sdklib_group_foo",
-			unsafe_ignore_missing_latest_api: true,
 			srcs: ["foo.java"],
 			dist_group: "foo",
 		}
 
 		java_sdk_library {
 			name: "sdklib_owner_foo",
-			unsafe_ignore_missing_latest_api: true,
 			srcs: ["foo.java"],
 			owner: "foo",
 		}
 
 		java_sdk_library {
 			name: "sdklib_stem_foo",
-			unsafe_ignore_missing_latest_api: true,
 			srcs: ["foo.java"],
 			dist_stem: "foo",
 		}
-
-		java_sdk_library {
-			name: "sdklib_core_lib",
-			unsafe_ignore_missing_latest_api: true,
-			srcs: ["foo.java"],
-			core_lib: true,
-		}
 	`)
 
 	type testCase struct {
@@ -887,9 +881,9 @@ func TestJavaSdkLibraryDist(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	testCases := []testCase{
 		{
-			module:   "sdklib_no_owner",
-			distDir:  "apistubs/android/public",
-			distStem: "sdklib_no_owner.jar",
+			module:   "sdklib_no_group",
+			distDir:  "apistubs/unknown/public",
+			distStem: "sdklib_no_group.jar",
 		},
 		{
 			module:   "sdklib_group_foo",
@@ -897,20 +891,16 @@ func TestJavaSdkLibraryDist(t *testing.T) {
 			distStem: "sdklib_group_foo.jar",
 		},
 		{
+			// Owner doesn't affect distDir after b/186723288.
 			module:   "sdklib_owner_foo",
-			distDir:  "apistubs/foo/public",
+			distDir:  "apistubs/unknown/public",
 			distStem: "sdklib_owner_foo.jar",
 		},
 		{
 			module:   "sdklib_stem_foo",
-			distDir:  "apistubs/android/public",
+			distDir:  "apistubs/unknown/public",
 			distStem: "foo.jar",
 		},
-		{
-			module:   "sdklib_core_lib",
-			distDir:  "apistubs/core/public",
-			distStem: "sdklib_core_lib.jar",
-		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range testCases {