diff --git a/java/builder.go b/java/builder.go
index 10dfe06..48fba23 100644
--- a/java/builder.go
+++ b/java/builder.go
@@ -200,8 +200,9 @@
 	kotlincFlags     string
 	kotlincClasspath classpath
 
-	protoFlags   []string
-	protoOutFlag string
+	protoFlags       []string
+	protoOutTypeFlag string // The flag itself: --java_out
+	protoOutParams   string // Parameters to that flag: --java_out=$protoOutParams:$outDir
 }
 
 func TransformKotlinToClasses(ctx android.ModuleContext, outputFile android.WritablePath,
diff --git a/java/gen.go b/java/gen.go
index 7a0dcac..4893e88 100644
--- a/java/gen.go
+++ b/java/gen.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
 	if len(protoFiles) > 0 {
 		protoSrcJar := android.PathForModuleGen(ctx, "proto.srcjar")
 		genProto(ctx, protoSrcJar, protoFiles,
-			flags.protoFlags, flags.protoOutFlag, "")
+			flags.protoFlags, flags.protoOutTypeFlag, flags.protoOutParams)
 
 		outSrcFiles = append(outSrcFiles, protoSrcJar)
 	}
diff --git a/java/proto.go b/java/proto.go
index 17f02a3..428413f 100644
--- a/java/proto.go
+++ b/java/proto.go
@@ -31,17 +31,17 @@
 	proto = pctx.AndroidStaticRule("protoc",
 		blueprint.RuleParams{
 			Command: `rm -rf $outDir && mkdir -p $outDir && ` +
-				`$protocCmd $protoOut=$protoOutFlags:$outDir $protoFlags $in && ` +
+				`$protocCmd $protoOut=$protoOutParams:$outDir $protoFlags $in && ` +
 				`${config.SoongZipCmd} -jar -o $out -C $outDir -D $outDir`,
 			CommandDeps: []string{
 				"$protocCmd",
 				"${config.SoongZipCmd}",
 			},
-		}, "protoFlags", "protoOut", "protoOutFlags", "outDir")
+		}, "protoFlags", "protoOut", "protoOutParams", "outDir")
 )
 
 func genProto(ctx android.ModuleContext, outputSrcJar android.WritablePath,
-	protoFiles android.Paths, protoFlags []string, protoOut, protoOutFlags string) {
+	protoFiles android.Paths, protoFlags []string, protoOut, protoOutParams string) {
 
 	ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
 		Rule:        proto,
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@
 		Output:      outputSrcJar,
 		Inputs:      protoFiles,
 		Args: map[string]string{
-			"outDir":        android.ProtoDir(ctx).String(),
-			"protoOut":      protoOut,
-			"protoOutFlags": protoOutFlags,
-			"protoFlags":    strings.Join(protoFlags, " "),
+			"outDir":         android.ProtoDir(ctx).String(),
+			"protoOut":       protoOut,
+			"protoOutParams": protoOutParams,
+			"protoFlags":     strings.Join(protoFlags, " "),
 		},
 	})
 }
@@ -80,11 +80,14 @@
 func protoFlags(ctx android.ModuleContext, p *android.ProtoProperties, flags javaBuilderFlags) javaBuilderFlags {
 	switch proptools.String(p.Proto.Type) {
 	case "micro":
-		flags.protoOutFlag = "--javamicro_out"
+		flags.protoOutTypeFlag = "--javamicro_out"
 	case "nano":
-		flags.protoOutFlag = "--javanano_out"
-	case "lite", "full", "":
-		flags.protoOutFlag = "--java_out"
+		flags.protoOutTypeFlag = "--javanano_out"
+	case "lite":
+		flags.protoOutTypeFlag = "--java_out"
+		flags.protoOutParams = "lite"
+	case "full", "":
+		flags.protoOutTypeFlag = "--java_out"
 	default:
 		ctx.PropertyErrorf("proto.type", "unknown proto type %q",
 			proptools.String(p.Proto.Type))