diff --git a/java/app.go b/java/app.go
index 21ee34e..2b52eab 100755
--- a/java/app.go
+++ b/java/app.go
@@ -638,7 +638,21 @@
 	}
 
 	certificates := processMainCert(a.ModuleBase, a.getCertString(ctx), certificateDeps, ctx)
-	a.certificate = certificates[0]
+
+	// This can be reached with an empty certificate list if AllowMissingDependencies is set
+	// and the certificate property for this module is a module reference to a missing module.
+	if len(certificates) > 0 {
+		a.certificate = certificates[0]
+	} else {
+		if !ctx.Config().AllowMissingDependencies() && len(ctx.GetMissingDependencies()) > 0 {
+			panic("Should only get here if AllowMissingDependencies set and there are missing dependencies")
+		}
+		// Set a certificate to avoid panics later when accessing it.
+		a.certificate = Certificate{
+			Key: android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "missing.pk8"),
+			Pem: android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "missing.pem"),
+		}
+	}
 
 	// Build a final signed app package.
 	packageFile := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, a.installApkName+".apk")