diff --git a/android/apex.go b/android/apex.go
index 79d8cdd..0d5cac8 100644
--- a/android/apex.go
+++ b/android/apex.go
@@ -257,6 +257,9 @@
 }
 
 // Marker interface that identifies dependencies that are excluded from APEX contents.
+//
+// Unless the tag also implements the AlwaysRequireApexVariantTag this will prevent an apex variant
+// from being created for the module.
 type ExcludeFromApexContentsTag interface {
 	blueprint.DependencyTag
 
@@ -264,6 +267,17 @@
 	ExcludeFromApexContents()
 }
 
+// Marker interface that identifies dependencies that always requires an APEX variant to be created.
+//
+// It is possible for a dependency to require an apex variant but exclude the module from the APEX
+// contents. See sdk.sdkMemberDependencyTag.
+type AlwaysRequireApexVariantTag interface {
+	blueprint.DependencyTag
+
+	// Return true if this tag requires that the target dependency has an apex variant.
+	AlwaysRequireApexVariant() bool
+}
+
 // Marker interface that identifies dependencies that should inherit the DirectlyInAnyApex state
 // from the parent to the child. For example, stubs libraries are marked as DirectlyInAnyApex if
 // their implementation is in an apex.