diff --git a/java/app.go b/java/app.go
index 3c8fcd382..7a45855e0 100755
--- a/java/app.go
+++ b/java/app.go
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@ func AndroidTestFactory() android.Module {
 	module.appProperties.Use_embedded_native_libs = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 	module.appProperties.AlwaysPackageNativeLibs = true
 	module.Module.dexpreopter.isTest = true
-	module.Module.linter.test = true
+	module.Module.linter.properties.Lint.Test = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 
 	module.addHostAndDeviceProperties()
 	module.AddProperties(
@@ -1108,7 +1108,7 @@ func AndroidTestHelperAppFactory() android.Module {
 	module.appProperties.Use_embedded_native_libs = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 	module.appProperties.AlwaysPackageNativeLibs = true
 	module.Module.dexpreopter.isTest = true
-	module.Module.linter.test = true
+	module.Module.linter.properties.Lint.Test = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 
 	module.addHostAndDeviceProperties()
 	module.AddProperties(
diff --git a/java/java.go b/java/java.go
index 481c625f3..77ab40279 100644
--- a/java/java.go
+++ b/java/java.go
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ func TestFactory() android.Module {
 
 	module.Module.properties.Installable = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 	module.Module.dexpreopter.isTest = true
-	module.Module.linter.test = true
+	module.Module.linter.properties.Lint.Test = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 
 	android.InitSdkAwareModule(module)
 	InitJavaModule(module, android.HostAndDeviceSupported)
@@ -1278,7 +1278,7 @@ func TestHelperLibraryFactory() android.Module {
 
 	module.Module.properties.Installable = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 	module.Module.dexpreopter.isTest = true
-	module.Module.linter.test = true
+	module.Module.linter.properties.Lint.Test = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 
 	InitJavaModule(module, android.HostAndDeviceSupported)
 	return module
diff --git a/java/lint.go b/java/lint.go
index c27ca9821..8f14bbee8 100644
--- a/java/lint.go
+++ b/java/lint.go
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ type LintProperties struct {
 
 		// If true, baselining updatability lint checks (e.g. NewApi) is prohibited. Defaults to false.
 		Strict_updatability_linting *bool
+
+		// Treat the code in this module as test code for @VisibleForTesting enforcement.
+		// This will be true by default for test module types, false otherwise.
+		// If soong gets support for testonly, this flag should be replaced with that.
+		Test *bool
 	}
 }
 
@@ -74,7 +79,6 @@ type linter struct {
 	classpath               android.Paths
 	classes                 android.Path
 	extraLintCheckJars      android.Paths
-	test                    bool
 	library                 bool
 	minSdkVersion           int
 	targetSdkVersion        int
@@ -229,7 +233,7 @@ func (l *linter) writeLintProjectXML(ctx android.ModuleContext, rule *android.Ru
 	if l.library {
 		cmd.Flag("--library")
 	}
-	if l.test {
+	if proptools.BoolDefault(l.properties.Lint.Test, false) {
 		cmd.Flag("--test")
 	}
 	if l.manifest != nil {
diff --git a/java/robolectric.go b/java/robolectric.go
index f71952172..71ffdb175 100644
--- a/java/robolectric.go
+++ b/java/robolectric.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"android/soong/android"
 	"android/soong/java/config"
 	"android/soong/tradefed"
+	"github.com/google/blueprint/proptools"
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -344,7 +345,7 @@ func RobolectricTestFactory() android.Module {
 		&module.testProperties)
 
 	module.Module.dexpreopter.isTest = true
-	module.Module.linter.test = true
+	module.Module.linter.properties.Lint.Test = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 
 	module.testProperties.Test_suites = []string{"robolectric-tests"}