diff --git a/java/app.go b/java/app.go
index ab623e2..da8024f 100644
--- a/java/app.go
+++ b/java/app.go
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@
 func AndroidAppFactory() android.Module {
 	module := &AndroidApp{}
 
-	module.Module.deviceProperties.Optimize.Enabled = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
+	module.Module.deviceProperties.Optimize.EnabledByDefault = true
 	module.Module.deviceProperties.Optimize.Shrink = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 
 	module.Module.properties.Instrument = true
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@
 func AndroidTestFactory() android.Module {
 	module := &AndroidTest{}
 
-	module.Module.deviceProperties.Optimize.Enabled = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
+	module.Module.deviceProperties.Optimize.EnabledByDefault = true
 
 	module.Module.properties.Instrument = true
 	module.Module.properties.Installable = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@
 func AndroidTestHelperAppFactory() android.Module {
 	module := &AndroidTestHelperApp{}
 
-	module.Module.deviceProperties.Optimize.Enabled = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
+	module.Module.deviceProperties.Optimize.EnabledByDefault = true
 
 	module.Module.properties.Installable = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 	module.appProperties.Use_embedded_native_libs = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
diff --git a/java/dex.go b/java/dex.go
index 987129e..c8a4fa8 100644
--- a/java/dex.go
+++ b/java/dex.go
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
 func (j *Module) compileDex(ctx android.ModuleContext, flags javaBuilderFlags,
 	classesJar android.Path, jarName string) android.ModuleOutPath {
 
-	useR8 := Bool(j.deviceProperties.Optimize.Enabled)
+	useR8 := j.deviceProperties.EffectiveOptimizeEnabled()
 
 	// Compile classes.jar into classes.dex and then javalib.jar
 	javalibJar := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "dex", jarName)
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...)
 				}
diff --git a/java/java_test.go b/java/java_test.go
index 0a1c17c..9438ce2 100644
--- a/java/java_test.go
+++ b/java/java_test.go
@@ -377,6 +377,7 @@
 			srcs: ["a.java"],
 			libs: ["bar"],
 			static_libs: ["baz"],
+			optimize: {enabled: false},
 		}
 
 		java_library {
@@ -393,6 +394,22 @@
 			name: "baz",
 			srcs: ["c.java"],
 		}
+
+		android_test {
+			name: "atestOptimize",
+			defaults: ["defaults"],
+			optimize: {enabled: true},
+		}
+
+		android_test {
+			name: "atestNoOptimize",
+			defaults: ["defaults"],
+		}
+
+		android_test {
+			name: "atestDefault",
+			srcs: ["a.java"],
+		}
 		`)
 
 	javac := ctx.ModuleForTests("foo", "android_common").Rule("javac")
@@ -411,6 +428,21 @@
 	if len(combineJar.Inputs) != 2 || combineJar.Inputs[1].String() != baz {
 		t.Errorf("foo combineJar inputs %v does not contain %q", combineJar.Inputs, baz)
 	}
+
+	atestOptimize := ctx.ModuleForTests("atestOptimize", "android_common").MaybeRule("r8")
+	if atestOptimize.Output == nil {
+		t.Errorf("atestOptimize should optimize APK")
+	}
+
+	atestNoOptimize := ctx.ModuleForTests("atestNoOptimize", "android_common").MaybeRule("d8")
+	if atestNoOptimize.Output == nil {
+		t.Errorf("atestNoOptimize should not optimize APK")
+	}
+
+	atestDefault := ctx.ModuleForTests("atestDefault", "android_common").MaybeRule("r8")
+	if atestDefault.Output == nil {
+		t.Errorf("atestDefault should optimize APK")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestResources(t *testing.T) {