diff --git a/java/bootclasspath_fragment.go b/java/bootclasspath_fragment.go
index 4aaf3d4..10d2fe2 100644
--- a/java/bootclasspath_fragment.go
+++ b/java/bootclasspath_fragment.go
@@ -648,7 +648,8 @@
 	}
 
 	// Copy the dex jars of this fragment's content modules to their predefined locations.
-	copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations(ctx, contents, imageConfig.modules, imageConfig.dexPaths)
+	bootDexJarByModule := extractEncodedDexJarsFromModules(ctx, contents)
+	copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations(ctx, bootDexJarByModule, imageConfig.dexPathsByModule)
 
 	// Build a profile for the image config and then use that to build the boot image.
 	profile := bootImageProfileRule(ctx, imageConfig)
diff --git a/java/dexpreopt_bootjars.go b/java/dexpreopt_bootjars.go
index c52995e..dc8df5e 100644
--- a/java/dexpreopt_bootjars.go
+++ b/java/dexpreopt_bootjars.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 package java
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -254,6 +253,9 @@
 	dexPaths     android.WritablePaths // for this image
 	dexPathsDeps android.WritablePaths // for the dependency images and in this image
 
+	// Map from module name (without prebuilt_ prefix) to the predefined build path.
+	dexPathsByModule map[string]android.WritablePath
+
 	// File path to a zip archive with all image files (or nil, if not needed).
 	zip android.WritablePath
 
@@ -461,53 +463,27 @@
 	return true
 }
 
-// copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations generates commands that will copy boot jars to
-// predefined paths in the global config.
-func copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations(ctx android.ModuleContext, bootModules []android.Module, bootjars android.ConfiguredJarList, jarPathsPredefined android.WritablePaths) {
-	jarPaths := make(android.Paths, bootjars.Len())
-	for i, module := range bootModules {
-		if module != nil {
-			bootDexJar := module.(interface{ DexJarBuildPath() android.Path }).DexJarBuildPath()
-			jarPaths[i] = bootDexJar
+// copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations generates commands that will copy boot jars to predefined
+// paths in the global config.
+func copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations(ctx android.ModuleContext, srcBootDexJarsByModule bootDexJarByModule, dstBootJarsByModule map[string]android.WritablePath) {
+	// Create the super set of module names.
+	names := []string{}
+	names = append(names, android.SortedStringKeys(srcBootDexJarsByModule)...)
+	names = append(names, android.SortedStringKeys(dstBootJarsByModule)...)
+	names = android.SortedUniqueStrings(names)
+	for _, name := range names {
+		src := srcBootDexJarsByModule[name]
+		dst := dstBootJarsByModule[name]
 
-			name := android.RemoveOptionalPrebuiltPrefix(ctx.OtherModuleName(module))
-			if bootjars.Jar(i) != name {
-				ctx.ModuleErrorf("expected module %s at position %d but found %s", bootjars.Jar(i), i, name)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	// The paths to bootclasspath DEX files need to be known at module GenerateAndroidBuildAction
-	// time, before the boot images are built (these paths are used in dexpreopt rule generation for
-	// Java libraries and apps). Generate rules that copy bootclasspath DEX jars to the predefined
-	// paths.
-	for i := range jarPaths {
-		input := jarPaths[i]
-		output := jarPathsPredefined[i]
-		module := bootjars.Jar(i)
-		if input == nil {
-			if ctx.Config().AllowMissingDependencies() {
-				apex := bootjars.Apex(i)
-
-				// Create an error rule that pretends to create the output file but will actually fail if it
-				// is run.
-				ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
-					Rule:   android.ErrorRule,
-					Output: output,
-					Args: map[string]string{
-						"error": fmt.Sprintf("missing dependencies: dex jar for %s:%s", module, apex),
-					},
-				})
-			} else {
-				ctx.ModuleErrorf("failed to find a dex jar path for module '%s'"+
-					", note that some jars may be filtered out by module constraints", module)
-			}
-
+		if src == nil {
+			ctx.ModuleErrorf("module %s does not provide a dex boot jar", name)
+		} else if dst == nil {
+			ctx.ModuleErrorf("module %s is not part of the boot configuration", name)
 		} else {
 			ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
 				Rule:   android.Cp,
-				Input:  input,
-				Output: output,
+				Input:  src,
+				Output: dst,
 			})
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/java/dexpreopt_config.go b/java/dexpreopt_config.go
index 542881d..b13955f 100644
--- a/java/dexpreopt_config.go
+++ b/java/dexpreopt_config.go
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
 			// TODO(b/143682396): use module dependencies instead
 			inputDir := deviceDir.Join(ctx, "dex_"+c.name+"jars_input")
 			c.dexPaths = c.modules.BuildPaths(ctx, inputDir)
+			c.dexPathsByModule = c.modules.BuildPathsByModule(ctx, inputDir)
 			c.dexPathsDeps = c.dexPaths
 
 			// Create target-specific variants.
@@ -153,6 +154,9 @@
 	// later on a singleton adds commands to copy actual jars to the predefined paths.
 	dexPaths android.WritablePaths
 
+	// Map from module name (without prebuilt_ prefix) to the predefined build path.
+	dexPathsByModule map[string]android.WritablePath
+
 	// A list of dex locations (a.k.a. on-device paths) to the boot jars.
 	dexLocations []string
 }
@@ -166,10 +170,11 @@
 
 		dir := android.PathForOutput(ctx, ctx.Config().DeviceName(), "updatable_bootjars")
 		dexPaths := updatableBootJars.BuildPaths(ctx, dir)
+		dexPathsByModuleName := updatableBootJars.BuildPathsByModule(ctx, dir)
 
 		dexLocations := updatableBootJars.DevicePaths(ctx.Config(), android.Android)
 
-		return updatableBootConfig{updatableBootJars, dexPaths, dexLocations}
+		return updatableBootConfig{updatableBootJars, dexPaths, dexPathsByModuleName, dexLocations}
 	}).(updatableBootConfig)
 }
 
diff --git a/java/hiddenapi_modular.go b/java/hiddenapi_modular.go
index 54effa9..5600645 100644
--- a/java/hiddenapi_modular.go
+++ b/java/hiddenapi_modular.go
@@ -571,6 +571,15 @@
 	AllFlagsPath android.Path
 }
 
+// bootDexJarByModule is a map from base module name (without prebuilt_ prefix) to the boot dex
+// path.
+type bootDexJarByModule map[string]android.Path
+
+// addPath adds the path for a module to the map.
+func (b bootDexJarByModule) addPath(module android.Module, path android.Path) {
+	b[android.RemoveOptionalPrebuiltPrefix(module.Name())] = path
+}
+
 // pathForValidation creates a path of the same type as the supplied type but with a name of
 // <path>.valid.
 //
@@ -759,7 +768,7 @@
 		bootDexJar := module.bootDexJar()
 		if bootDexJar == nil {
 			if ctx.Config().AlwaysUsePrebuiltSdks() {
-				// TODO(b/179354495): Remove this work around when it is unnecessary.
+				// TODO(b/179354495): Remove this workaround when it is unnecessary.
 				// Prebuilt modules like framework-wifi do not yet provide dex implementation jars. So,
 				// create a fake one that will cause a build error only if it is used.
 				fake := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "fake/boot-dex/%s.jar", module.Name())
@@ -792,3 +801,113 @@
 	}
 	return classesJars
 }
+
+// deferReportingMissingBootDexJar returns true if a missing boot dex jar should not be reported by
+// Soong but should instead only be reported in ninja if the file is actually built.
+func deferReportingMissingBootDexJar(ctx android.ModuleContext, module android.Module) bool {
+	// TODO(b/179354495): Remove this workaround when it is unnecessary.
+	// Prebuilt modules like framework-wifi do not yet provide dex implementation jars. So,
+	// create a fake one that will cause a build error only if it is used.
+	if ctx.Config().AlwaysUsePrebuiltSdks() {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	// This is called for both platform_bootclasspath and bootclasspath_fragment modules.
+	//
+	// A bootclasspath_fragment module should only use the APEX variant of source or prebuilt modules.
+	// Ideally, a bootclasspath_fragment module should never have a platform variant created for it
+	// but unfortunately, due to b/187910671 it does.
+	//
+	// That causes issues when obtaining a boot dex jar for a prebuilt module as a prebuilt module
+	// used by a bootclasspath_fragment can only provide a boot dex jar when it is part of APEX, i.e.
+	// has an APEX variant not a platform variant.
+	//
+	// There are some other situations when a prebuilt module used by a bootclasspath_fragment cannot
+	// provide a boot dex jar:
+	// 1. If the bootclasspath_fragment is not exported by the prebuilt_apex/apex_set module then it
+	//    does not have an APEX variant and only has a platform variant and neither do its content
+	//    modules.
+	// 2. Some build configurations, e.g. setting TARGET_BUILD_USE_PREBUILT_SDKS causes all
+	//    java_sdk_library_import modules to be treated as preferred and as many of them are not part
+	//    of an apex they cannot provide a boot dex jar.
+	//
+	// The first case causes problems when the affected prebuilt modules are preferred but that is an
+	// invalid configuration and it is ok for it to fail as the work to enable that is not yet
+	// complete. The second case is used for building targets that do not use boot dex jars and so
+	// deferring error reporting to ninja is fine as the affected ninja targets should never be built.
+	// That is handled above.
+	//
+	// A platform_bootclasspath module can use libraries from both platform and APEX variants. Unlike
+	// the bootclasspath_fragment it supports dex_import modules which provides the dex file. So, it
+	// can obtain a boot dex jar from a prebuilt that is not part of an APEX. However, it is assumed
+	// that if the library can be part of an APEX then it is the APEX variant that is used.
+	//
+	// This check handles the slightly different requirements of the bootclasspath_fragment and
+	// platform_bootclasspath modules by only deferring error reporting for the platform variant of
+	// a prebuilt modules that has other variants which are part of an APEX.
+	//
+	// TODO(b/187910671): Remove this once platform variants are no longer created unnecessarily.
+	if android.IsModulePrebuilt(module) {
+		if am, ok := module.(android.ApexModule); ok && am.InAnyApex() {
+			apexInfo := ctx.OtherModuleProvider(module, android.ApexInfoProvider).(android.ApexInfo)
+			if apexInfo.IsForPlatform() {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// A bootclasspath module that is part of a versioned sdk never provides a boot dex jar as there
+	// is no equivalently versioned prebuilt APEX file from which it can be obtained. However,
+	// versioned bootclasspath modules are processed by Soong so in order to avoid them causing build
+	// failures missing boot dex jars need to be deferred.
+	if android.IsModuleInVersionedSdk(ctx.Module()) {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
+// handleMissingDexBootFile will either log a warning or create an error rule to create the fake
+// file depending on the value returned from deferReportingMissingBootDexJar.
+func handleMissingDexBootFile(ctx android.ModuleContext, module android.Module, fake android.WritablePath) {
+	if deferReportingMissingBootDexJar(ctx, module) {
+		// Create an error rule that pretends to create the output file but will actually fail if it
+		// is run.
+		ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
+			Rule:   android.ErrorRule,
+			Output: fake,
+			Args: map[string]string{
+				"error": fmt.Sprintf("missing dependencies: boot dex jar for %s", module),
+			},
+		})
+	} else {
+		ctx.ModuleErrorf("module %s does not provide a dex jar", module)
+	}
+}
+
+// retrieveEncodedBootDexJarFromModule returns a path to the boot dex jar from the supplied module's
+// DexJarBuildPath() method.
+//
+// The returned path will usually be to a dex jar file that has been encoded with hidden API flags.
+// However, under certain conditions, e.g. errors, or special build configurations it will return
+// a path to a fake file.
+func retrieveEncodedBootDexJarFromModule(ctx android.ModuleContext, module android.Module) android.Path {
+	bootDexJar := module.(interface{ DexJarBuildPath() android.Path }).DexJarBuildPath()
+	if bootDexJar == nil {
+		fake := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("fake/encoded-dex/%s.jar", module.Name()))
+		bootDexJar = fake
+
+		handleMissingDexBootFile(ctx, module, fake)
+	}
+	return bootDexJar
+}
+
+// extractEncodedDexJarsFromModules extracts the encoded dex jars from the supplied modules.
+func extractEncodedDexJarsFromModules(ctx android.ModuleContext, contents []android.Module) bootDexJarByModule {
+	encodedDexJarsByModuleName := bootDexJarByModule{}
+	for _, module := range contents {
+		path := retrieveEncodedBootDexJarFromModule(ctx, module)
+		encodedDexJarsByModuleName.addPath(module, path)
+	}
+	return encodedDexJarsByModuleName
+}
diff --git a/java/platform_bootclasspath.go b/java/platform_bootclasspath.go
index 7d1e53f..a4beb89 100644
--- a/java/platform_bootclasspath.go
+++ b/java/platform_bootclasspath.go
@@ -389,11 +389,13 @@
 	generateUpdatableBcpPackagesRule(ctx, imageConfig, updatableModules)
 
 	// Copy non-updatable module dex jars to their predefined locations.
-	copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations(ctx, nonUpdatableModules, imageConfig.modules, imageConfig.dexPaths)
+	nonUpdatableBootDexJarsByModule := extractEncodedDexJarsFromModules(ctx, nonUpdatableModules)
+	copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations(ctx, nonUpdatableBootDexJarsByModule, imageConfig.dexPathsByModule)
 
 	// Copy updatable module dex jars to their predefined locations.
 	config := GetUpdatableBootConfig(ctx)
-	copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations(ctx, updatableModules, config.modules, config.dexPaths)
+	updatableBootDexJarsByModule := extractEncodedDexJarsFromModules(ctx, updatableModules)
+	copyBootJarsToPredefinedLocations(ctx, updatableBootDexJarsByModule, config.dexPathsByModule)
 
 	// Build a profile for the image config and then use that to build the boot image.
 	profile := bootImageProfileRule(ctx, imageConfig)