diff --git a/java/java.go b/java/java.go
index 7768756..2cf9267 100644
--- a/java/java.go
+++ b/java/java.go
@@ -228,6 +228,8 @@
 		// If false, disable all optimization.  Defaults to true for android_app and android_test
 		// modules, false for java_library and java_test modules.
 		Enabled *bool
+		// True if the module containing this has it set by default.
+		EnabledByDefault bool `blueprint:"mutated"`
 
 		// If true, optimize for size by removing unused code.  Defaults to true for apps,
 		// false for libraries and tests.
@@ -257,6 +259,10 @@
 	IsSDKLibrary  bool `blueprint:"mutated"`
 }
 
+func (me *CompilerDeviceProperties) EffectiveOptimizeEnabled() bool {
+	return BoolDefault(me.Optimize.Enabled, me.Optimize.EnabledByDefault)
+}
+
 // Module contains the properties and members used by all java module types
 type Module struct {
 	android.ModuleBase
@@ -460,7 +466,7 @@
 			} else if sdkDep.useModule {
 				ctx.AddVariationDependencies(nil, systemModulesTag, sdkDep.systemModules)
 				ctx.AddVariationDependencies(nil, bootClasspathTag, sdkDep.modules...)
-				if Bool(j.deviceProperties.Optimize.Enabled) {
+				if j.deviceProperties.EffectiveOptimizeEnabled() {
 					ctx.AddVariationDependencies(nil, proguardRaiseTag, config.DefaultBootclasspathLibraries...)
 					ctx.AddVariationDependencies(nil, proguardRaiseTag, config.DefaultLibraries...)
 				}