diff --git a/java/androidmk.go b/java/androidmk.go
index a52d439..ed9d5de 100644
--- a/java/androidmk.go
+++ b/java/androidmk.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"strings"
 
 	"android/soong/android"
 
@@ -419,23 +418,6 @@
 				if app.embeddedJniLibs {
 					jniSymbols := app.JNISymbolsInstalls(app.installPathForJNISymbols.String())
 					entries.SetString("LOCAL_SOONG_JNI_LIBS_SYMBOLS", jniSymbols.String())
-				} else {
-					for _, jniLib := range app.jniLibs {
-						entries.AddStrings("LOCAL_SOONG_JNI_LIBS_"+jniLib.target.Arch.ArchType.String(), jniLib.name)
-						var partitionTag string
-
-						// Mimic the creation of partition_tag in build/make,
-						// which defaults to an empty string when the partition is system.
-						// Otherwise, capitalize with a leading _
-						if jniLib.partition == "system" {
-							partitionTag = ""
-						} else {
-							split := strings.Split(jniLib.partition, "/")
-							partitionTag = "_" + strings.ToUpper(split[len(split)-1])
-						}
-						entries.AddStrings("LOCAL_SOONG_JNI_LIBS_PARTITION_"+jniLib.target.Arch.ArchType.String(),
-							jniLib.name+":"+partitionTag)
-					}
 				}
 
 				if len(app.jniCoverageOutputs) > 0 {
diff --git a/java/androidmk_test.go b/java/androidmk_test.go
index 1232cd1..197da4f 100644
--- a/java/androidmk_test.go
+++ b/java/androidmk_test.go
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@
 	"testing"
 
 	"android/soong/android"
-	"android/soong/cc"
-
-	"github.com/google/blueprint/proptools"
 )
 
 func TestRequired(t *testing.T) {
@@ -255,149 +252,3 @@
 		android.AssertDeepEquals(t, "overrides property", expected.overrides, actual)
 	}
 }
-
-func TestJniPartition(t *testing.T) {
-	bp := `
-		cc_library {
-			name: "libjni_system",
-			system_shared_libs: [],
-			sdk_version: "current",
-			stl: "none",
-		}
-
-		cc_library {
-			name: "libjni_system_ext",
-			system_shared_libs: [],
-			sdk_version: "current",
-			stl: "none",
-			system_ext_specific: true,
-		}
-
-		cc_library {
-			name: "libjni_odm",
-			system_shared_libs: [],
-			sdk_version: "current",
-			stl: "none",
-			device_specific: true,
-		}
-
-		cc_library {
-			name: "libjni_product",
-			system_shared_libs: [],
-			sdk_version: "current",
-			stl: "none",
-			product_specific: true,
-		}
-
-		cc_library {
-			name: "libjni_vendor",
-			system_shared_libs: [],
-			sdk_version: "current",
-			stl: "none",
-			soc_specific: true,
-		}
-
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_system_jni_system",
-			privileged: true,
-			platform_apis: true,
-			certificate: "platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_system"],
-		}
-
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_system_jni_system_ext",
-			privileged: true,
-			platform_apis: true,
-			certificate: "platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_system_ext"],
-		}
-
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_system_ext_jni_system",
-			privileged: true,
-			platform_apis: true,
-			certificate: "platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_system"],
-			system_ext_specific: true
-		}
-
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_system_ext_jni_system_ext",
-			sdk_version: "core_platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_system_ext"],
-			system_ext_specific: true
-		}
-
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_product_jni_product",
-			sdk_version: "core_platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_product"],
-			product_specific: true
-		}
-
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_vendor_jni_odm",
-			sdk_version: "core_platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_odm"],
-			soc_specific: true
-		}
-
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_odm_jni_vendor",
-			sdk_version: "core_platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_vendor"],
-			device_specific: true
-		}
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_system_jni_multiple",
-			privileged: true,
-			platform_apis: true,
-			certificate: "platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_system", "libjni_system_ext"],
-		}
-		android_app {
-			name: "test_app_vendor_jni_multiple",
-			sdk_version: "core_platform",
-			jni_libs: ["libjni_odm", "libjni_vendor"],
-			soc_specific: true
-		}
-		`
-	arch := "arm64"
-	ctx := android.GroupFixturePreparers(
-		PrepareForTestWithJavaDefaultModules,
-		cc.PrepareForTestWithCcDefaultModules,
-		android.PrepareForTestWithAndroidMk,
-		android.FixtureModifyConfig(func(config android.Config) {
-			config.TestProductVariables.DeviceArch = proptools.StringPtr(arch)
-		}),
-	).
-		RunTestWithBp(t, bp)
-	testCases := []struct {
-		name           string
-		partitionNames []string
-		partitionTags  []string
-	}{
-		{"test_app_system_jni_system", []string{"libjni_system"}, []string{""}},
-		{"test_app_system_jni_system_ext", []string{"libjni_system_ext"}, []string{"_SYSTEM_EXT"}},
-		{"test_app_system_ext_jni_system", []string{"libjni_system"}, []string{""}},
-		{"test_app_system_ext_jni_system_ext", []string{"libjni_system_ext"}, []string{"_SYSTEM_EXT"}},
-		{"test_app_product_jni_product", []string{"libjni_product"}, []string{"_PRODUCT"}},
-		{"test_app_vendor_jni_odm", []string{"libjni_odm"}, []string{"_ODM"}},
-		{"test_app_odm_jni_vendor", []string{"libjni_vendor"}, []string{"_VENDOR"}},
-		{"test_app_system_jni_multiple", []string{"libjni_system", "libjni_system_ext"}, []string{"", "_SYSTEM_EXT"}},
-		{"test_app_vendor_jni_multiple", []string{"libjni_odm", "libjni_vendor"}, []string{"_ODM", "_VENDOR"}},
-	}
-
-	for _, test := range testCases {
-		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			mod := ctx.ModuleForTests(test.name, "android_common").Module()
-			entry := android.AndroidMkEntriesForTest(t, ctx.TestContext, mod)[0]
-			for i := range test.partitionNames {
-				actual := entry.EntryMap["LOCAL_SOONG_JNI_LIBS_PARTITION_"+arch][i]
-				expected := test.partitionNames[i] + ":" + test.partitionTags[i]
-				android.AssertStringEquals(t, "Expected and actual differ", expected, actual)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
diff --git a/java/app.go b/java/app.go
index 50d1a2f..0170ea1 100644
--- a/java/app.go
+++ b/java/app.go
@@ -90,20 +90,17 @@
 	Stl *string `android:"arch_variant"`
 
 	// Store native libraries uncompressed in the APK and set the android:extractNativeLibs="false" manifest
-	// flag so that they are used from inside the APK at runtime.  Defaults to true for android_test modules unless
-	// sdk_version or min_sdk_version is set to a version that doesn't support it (<23), defaults to true for
-	// android_app modules that are embedded to APEXes, defaults to false for other module types where the native
-	// libraries are generally preinstalled outside the APK.
+	// flag so that they are used from inside the APK at runtime. This property is respected only for
+	// APKs built using android_test or android_test_helper_app. For other APKs, this property is ignored
+	// and native libraries are always embedded compressed.
 	Use_embedded_native_libs *bool
 
 	// Store dex files uncompressed in the APK and set the android:useEmbeddedDex="true" manifest attribute so that
 	// they are used from inside the APK at runtime.
 	Use_embedded_dex *bool
 
-	// Forces native libraries to always be packaged into the APK,
-	// Use_embedded_native_libs still selects whether they are stored uncompressed and aligned or compressed.
-	// True for android_test* modules.
-	AlwaysPackageNativeLibs bool `blueprint:"mutated"`
+	// Allows compressing of embedded native libs. Only for android_test and android_test_helper_app.
+	AllowCompressingNativeLibs bool `blueprint:"mutated"`
 
 	// If set, find and merge all NOTICE files that this module and its dependencies have and store
 	// it in the APK as an asset.
@@ -403,14 +400,20 @@
 // Returns true if the native libraries should be stored in the APK uncompressed and the
 // extractNativeLibs application flag should be set to false in the manifest.
 func (a *AndroidApp) useEmbeddedNativeLibs(ctx android.ModuleContext) bool {
+	var useEmbedded bool
+	if a.appProperties.AllowCompressingNativeLibs {
+		useEmbedded = BoolDefault(a.appProperties.Use_embedded_native_libs, true)
+	} else {
+		useEmbedded = true // always uncompress for non-test apps
+	}
+
 	minSdkVersion, err := a.MinSdkVersion(ctx).EffectiveVersion(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.PropertyErrorf("min_sdk_version", "invalid value %q: %s", a.MinSdkVersion(ctx), err)
 	}
+	supported := minSdkVersion.FinalOrFutureInt() >= 23
 
-	apexInfo, _ := android.ModuleProvider(ctx, android.ApexInfoProvider)
-	return (minSdkVersion.FinalOrFutureInt() >= 23 && Bool(a.appProperties.Use_embedded_native_libs)) ||
-		!apexInfo.IsForPlatform()
+	return useEmbedded && supported
 }
 
 // Returns whether this module should have the dex file stored uncompressed in the APK.
@@ -433,9 +436,8 @@
 }
 
 func (a *AndroidApp) shouldEmbedJnis(ctx android.BaseModuleContext) bool {
-	apexInfo, _ := android.ModuleProvider(ctx, android.ApexInfoProvider)
-	return ctx.Config().UnbundledBuild() || Bool(a.appProperties.Use_embedded_native_libs) ||
-		!apexInfo.IsForPlatform() || a.appProperties.AlwaysPackageNativeLibs
+	// Always!
+	return true
 }
 
 func generateAaptRenamePackageFlags(packageName string, renameResourcesPackage bool) []string {
@@ -1400,8 +1402,7 @@
 	module.Module.properties.Instrument = true
 	module.Module.properties.Supports_static_instrumentation = true
 	module.Module.properties.Installable = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
-	module.appProperties.Use_embedded_native_libs = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
-	module.appProperties.AlwaysPackageNativeLibs = true
+	module.appProperties.AllowCompressingNativeLibs = true
 	module.Module.dexpreopter.isTest = true
 	module.Module.linter.properties.Lint.Test = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 
@@ -1456,8 +1457,7 @@
 	module.Module.dexProperties.Optimize.EnabledByDefault = true
 
 	module.Module.properties.Installable = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
-	module.appProperties.Use_embedded_native_libs = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
-	module.appProperties.AlwaysPackageNativeLibs = true
+	module.appProperties.AllowCompressingNativeLibs = true
 	module.Module.dexpreopter.isTest = true
 	module.Module.linter.properties.Lint.Test = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 
diff --git a/java/app_test.go b/java/app_test.go
index eab40e7..938b88a 100644
--- a/java/app_test.go
+++ b/java/app_test.go
@@ -2013,8 +2013,8 @@
 		packaged   bool
 		compressed bool
 	}{
-		{"app", false, false},
-		{"app_noembed", false, false},
+		{"app", true, false},
+		{"app_noembed", true, false},
 		{"app_embed", true, false},
 		{"test", true, false},
 		{"test_noembed", true, true},
@@ -3319,8 +3319,7 @@
 	// These also include explicit `uses_libs`/`optional_uses_libs` entries, as they may be
 	// propagated from dependencies.
 	actualManifestFixerArgs := app.Output("manifest_fixer/AndroidManifest.xml").Args["args"]
-	expectManifestFixerArgs := `--extract-native-libs=true ` +
-		`--uses-library foo ` +
+	expectManifestFixerArgs := `--uses-library foo ` +
 		`--uses-library com.non.sdk.lib ` +
 		`--uses-library qux ` +
 		`--uses-library quuz ` +
@@ -4110,7 +4109,7 @@
 		},
 		{
 			name:       "aary-no-use-embedded",
-			hasPackage: false,
+			hasPackage: true,
 		},
 	}