diff --git a/java/config/config.go b/java/config/config.go
index 95b841f..46c91a2 100644
--- a/java/config/config.go
+++ b/java/config/config.go
@@ -81,7 +81,17 @@
 	exportedVars.ExportStringStaticVariable("ErrorProneHeapSize", "4096M")
 	exportedVars.ExportStringStaticVariable("ErrorProneHeapFlags", "-J-Xmx${ErrorProneHeapSize}")
 
-	exportedVars.ExportStringListStaticVariable("DexFlags", []string{
+	// D8 invocations are shorter lived, so we restrict their JIT tiering relative to R8.
+	// Note that the `-JXX` prefix syntax is specific to the R8/D8 invocation wrappers.
+	exportedVars.ExportStringListStaticVariable("D8Flags", []string{
+		`-JXX:OnError="cat hs_err_pid%p.log"`,
+		"-JXX:CICompilerCount=6",
+		"-JXX:+UseDynamicNumberOfGCThreads",
+		"-JXX:+TieredCompilation",
+		"-JXX:TieredStopAtLevel=1",
+	})
+
+	exportedVars.ExportStringListStaticVariable("R8Flags", []string{
 		`-JXX:OnError="cat hs_err_pid%p.log"`,
 		"-JXX:CICompilerCount=6",
 		"-JXX:+UseDynamicNumberOfGCThreads",
diff --git a/java/config/makevars.go b/java/config/makevars.go
index df447a1..bc6848f 100644
--- a/java/config/makevars.go
+++ b/java/config/makevars.go
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@
 	ctx.Strict("CLASS2NONSDKLIST", "${Class2NonSdkList}")
 	ctx.Strict("HIDDENAPI", "${HiddenAPI}")
 
-	ctx.Strict("DEX_FLAGS", "${DexFlags}")
+	ctx.Strict("D8_FLAGS", "${D8Flags}")
+	ctx.Strict("R8_FLAGS", "${R8Flags}")
 
 	ctx.Strict("AIDL", "${AidlCmd}")
 	ctx.Strict("AAPT2", "${Aapt2Cmd}")
diff --git a/java/dex.go b/java/dex.go
index 84665e7..13d6e4a 100644
--- a/java/dex.go
+++ b/java/dex.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
 		Command: `rm -rf "$outDir" && mkdir -p "$outDir" && ` +
 			`mkdir -p $$(dirname $tmpJar) && ` +
 			`${config.Zip2ZipCmd} -i $in -o $tmpJar -x '**/*.dex' && ` +
-			`$d8Template${config.D8Cmd} ${config.DexFlags} --output $outDir $d8Flags $tmpJar && ` +
+			`$d8Template${config.D8Cmd} ${config.D8Flags} --output $outDir $d8Flags $tmpJar && ` +
 			`$zipTemplate${config.SoongZipCmd} $zipFlags -o $outDir/classes.dex.jar -C $outDir -f "$outDir/classes*.dex" && ` +
 			`${config.MergeZipsCmd} -D -stripFile "**/*.class" $mergeZipsFlags $out $outDir/classes.dex.jar $in`,
 		CommandDeps: []string{
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
 			`mkdir -p $$(dirname ${outUsage}) && ` +
 			`mkdir -p $$(dirname $tmpJar) && ` +
 			`${config.Zip2ZipCmd} -i $in -o $tmpJar -x '**/*.dex' && ` +
-			`$r8Template${config.R8Cmd} ${config.DexFlags} -injars $tmpJar --output $outDir ` +
+			`$r8Template${config.R8Cmd} ${config.R8Flags} -injars $tmpJar --output $outDir ` +
 			`--no-data-resources ` +
 			`-printmapping ${outDict} ` +
 			`-printusage ${outUsage} ` +