diff --git a/core/force_aapt2.mk b/core/force_aapt2.mk
index 25b45e4..5f3182a 100644
--- a/core/force_aapt2.mk
+++ b/core/force_aapt2.mk
@@ -44,10 +44,3 @@
   LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION := current
 endif
 
-ifeq (,$(strip $(LOCAL_MANIFEST_FILE)$(LOCAL_FULL_MANIFEST_FILE)))
-  ifeq (,$(wildcard $(LOCAL_PATH)/AndroidManifest.xml))
-    # work around missing manifests by creating a default one
-    LOCAL_FULL_MANIFEST_FILE := $(call local-intermediates-dir,COMMON)/DefaultManifest.xml
-    $(call create-default-manifest-file,$(LOCAL_FULL_MANIFEST_FILE),$(call module-min-sdk-version))
-  endif
-endif
diff --git a/core/package_internal.mk b/core/package_internal.mk
index 800dbbc..8199ad2 100644
--- a/core/package_internal.mk
+++ b/core/package_internal.mk
@@ -97,6 +97,14 @@
 endif
 
 include $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/force_aapt2.mk
+# validate that app contains a manifest file for aapt2
+ifeq (,$(strip $(LOCAL_MANIFEST_FILE)$(LOCAL_FULL_MANIFEST_FILE)))
+  ifeq (,$(wildcard $(LOCAL_PATH)/AndroidManifest.xml))
+    $(call pretty-error,App missing manifest file which is required by aapt2. \
+Provide a manifest file by either setting LOCAL_MANIFEST_FILE in Android.mk \
+or via a AndroidManifest.xml in this directory)
+  endif
+endif
 
 # Process Support Library dependencies.
 include $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/support_libraries.mk
diff --git a/core/static_java_library.mk b/core/static_java_library.mk
index 7a87322..4053985 100644
--- a/core/static_java_library.mk
+++ b/core/static_java_library.mk
@@ -101,6 +101,13 @@
 include $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/java_renderscript.mk
 
 ifeq (true,$(need_compile_res))
+# work around missing manifests by creating a default one
+ifeq (,$(strip $(LOCAL_MANIFEST_FILE)$(LOCAL_FULL_MANIFEST_FILE)))
+  ifeq (,$(wildcard $(LOCAL_PATH)/AndroidManifest.xml))
+    LOCAL_FULL_MANIFEST_FILE := $(call local-intermediates-dir,COMMON)/DefaultManifest.xml
+    $(call create-default-manifest-file,$(LOCAL_FULL_MANIFEST_FILE),$(call module-min-sdk-version))
+  endif
+endif
 include $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/android_manifest.mk
 
 LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION:=$(strip $(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION))