diff --git a/java/aar.go b/java/aar.go
index eb07e0f..15a542e 100644
--- a/java/aar.go
+++ b/java/aar.go
@@ -1284,7 +1284,7 @@
 	return android.Paths{a.classpathFile}
 }
 
-func (a *AARImport) DexJarBuildPath() android.Path {
+func (a *AARImport) DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) android.Path {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/java/app.go b/java/app.go
index 8b28dac..cb05807 100755
--- a/java/app.go
+++ b/java/app.go
@@ -1639,7 +1639,7 @@
 				replaceInList(u.usesLibraryProperties.Optional_uses_libs, dep, libName)
 			}
 			clcMap.AddContext(ctx, tag.sdkVersion, libName, tag.optional,
-				lib.DexJarBuildPath().PathOrNil(), lib.DexJarInstallPath(),
+				lib.DexJarBuildPath(ctx).PathOrNil(), lib.DexJarInstallPath(),
 				lib.ClassLoaderContexts())
 		} else if ctx.Config().AllowMissingDependencies() {
 			ctx.AddMissingDependencies([]string{dep})
diff --git a/java/base.go b/java/base.go
index 51471ea..1ac3d30 100644
--- a/java/base.go
+++ b/java/base.go
@@ -1929,7 +1929,7 @@
 	return android.Paths{j.implementationJarFile}
 }
 
-func (j *Module) DexJarBuildPath() OptionalDexJarPath {
+func (j *Module) DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) OptionalDexJarPath {
 	return j.dexJarFile
 }
 
diff --git a/java/device_host_converter.go b/java/device_host_converter.go
index 834651f..efd13b8 100644
--- a/java/device_host_converter.go
+++ b/java/device_host_converter.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
 	return d.implementationAndResourceJars
 }
 
-func (d *DeviceHostConverter) DexJarBuildPath() android.Path {
+func (d *DeviceHostConverter) DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) android.Path {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/java/hiddenapi_modular.go b/java/hiddenapi_modular.go
index c3caa08..a512860 100644
--- a/java/hiddenapi_modular.go
+++ b/java/hiddenapi_modular.go
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@
 	if sdkLibrary, ok := module.(SdkLibraryDependency); ok {
 		dexJar = sdkLibrary.SdkApiStubDexJar(ctx, kind)
 	} else if j, ok := module.(UsesLibraryDependency); ok {
-		dexJar = j.DexJarBuildPath()
+		dexJar = j.DexJarBuildPath(ctx)
 	} else {
 		ctx.ModuleErrorf("dependency %s of module type %s does not support providing a dex jar", module, ctx.OtherModuleType(module))
 		return nil
@@ -1457,7 +1457,9 @@
 // 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() OptionalDexJarPath }).DexJarBuildPath()
+	bootDexJar := module.(interface {
+		DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) OptionalDexJarPath
+	}).DexJarBuildPath(ctx)
 	if !bootDexJar.Valid() {
 		fake := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("fake/encoded-dex/%s.jar", module.Name()))
 		handleMissingDexBootFile(ctx, module, fake, bootDexJar.InvalidReason())
diff --git a/java/hiddenapi_singleton_test.go b/java/hiddenapi_singleton_test.go
index ef792f9..37afe29 100644
--- a/java/hiddenapi_singleton_test.go
+++ b/java/hiddenapi_singleton_test.go
@@ -309,7 +309,8 @@
 		android.AssertStringEquals(t, "encode embedded java_library", unencodedDexJar, actualUnencodedDexJar.String())
 
 		// Make sure that the encoded dex jar is the exported one.
-		exportedDexJar := moduleForTests.Module().(UsesLibraryDependency).DexJarBuildPath().Path()
+		errCtx := moduleErrorfTestCtx{}
+		exportedDexJar := moduleForTests.Module().(UsesLibraryDependency).DexJarBuildPath(errCtx).Path()
 		android.AssertPathRelativeToTopEquals(t, "encode embedded java_library", encodedDexJar, exportedDexJar)
 	}
 
diff --git a/java/java.go b/java/java.go
index 2a4fafa..1ac3730 100644
--- a/java/java.go
+++ b/java/java.go
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@
 
 // Provides build path and install path to DEX jars.
 type UsesLibraryDependency interface {
-	DexJarBuildPath() OptionalDexJarPath
+	DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) OptionalDexJarPath
 	DexJarInstallPath() android.Path
 	ClassLoaderContexts() dexpreopt.ClassLoaderContextMap
 }
@@ -2011,7 +2011,7 @@
 	})
 }
 
-func (al *ApiLibrary) DexJarBuildPath() OptionalDexJarPath {
+func (al *ApiLibrary) DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) OptionalDexJarPath {
 	return al.dexJarFile
 }
 
@@ -2378,9 +2378,9 @@
 	return android.Paths{j.combinedClasspathFile}
 }
 
-func (j *Import) DexJarBuildPath() OptionalDexJarPath {
+func (j *Import) DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) OptionalDexJarPath {
 	if j.dexJarFileErr != nil {
-		panic(j.dexJarFileErr.Error())
+		ctx.ModuleErrorf(j.dexJarFileErr.Error())
 	}
 	return j.dexJarFile
 }
@@ -2631,7 +2631,7 @@
 	}
 }
 
-func (j *DexImport) DexJarBuildPath() OptionalDexJarPath {
+func (j *DexImport) DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) OptionalDexJarPath {
 	return j.dexJarFile
 }
 
@@ -2799,7 +2799,7 @@
 	// from its CLC should be added to the current CLC.
 	if sdkLib != nil {
 		clcMap.AddContext(ctx, dexpreopt.AnySdkVersion, *sdkLib, false,
-			dep.DexJarBuildPath().PathOrNil(), dep.DexJarInstallPath(), dep.ClassLoaderContexts())
+			dep.DexJarBuildPath(ctx).PathOrNil(), dep.DexJarInstallPath(), dep.ClassLoaderContexts())
 	} else {
 		clcMap.AddContextMap(dep.ClassLoaderContexts(), depName)
 	}
diff --git a/java/java_test.go b/java/java_test.go
index b9dc453..59a64be 100644
--- a/java/java_test.go
+++ b/java/java_test.go
@@ -528,6 +528,15 @@
 	}
 }
 
+// A minimal context object for use with DexJarBuildPath
+type moduleErrorfTestCtx struct {
+}
+
+func (ctx moduleErrorfTestCtx) ModuleErrorf(format string, args ...interface{}) {
+}
+
+var _ android.ModuleErrorfContext = (*moduleErrorfTestCtx)(nil)
+
 func TestPrebuilts(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, _ := testJava(t, `
 		java_library {
@@ -595,7 +604,8 @@
 		t.Errorf("foo classpath %v does not contain %q", javac.Args["classpath"], barJar.String())
 	}
 
-	barDexJar := barModule.Module().(*Import).DexJarBuildPath()
+	errCtx := moduleErrorfTestCtx{}
+	barDexJar := barModule.Module().(*Import).DexJarBuildPath(errCtx)
 	if barDexJar.IsSet() {
 		t.Errorf("bar dex jar build path expected to be set, got %s", barDexJar)
 	}
@@ -608,7 +618,7 @@
 		t.Errorf("foo combineJar inputs %v does not contain %q", combineJar.Inputs, bazJar.String())
 	}
 
-	bazDexJar := bazModule.Module().(*Import).DexJarBuildPath().Path()
+	bazDexJar := bazModule.Module().(*Import).DexJarBuildPath(errCtx).Path()
 	expectedDexJar := "out/soong/.intermediates/baz/android_common/dex/baz.jar"
 	android.AssertPathRelativeToTopEquals(t, "baz dex jar build path", expectedDexJar, bazDexJar)
 
diff --git a/java/sdk_library.go b/java/sdk_library.go
index ef34fb6..e696251 100644
--- a/java/sdk_library.go
+++ b/java/sdk_library.go
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@
 		paths.stubsImplPath = lib.ImplementationJars
 
 		libDep := dep.(UsesLibraryDependency)
-		paths.stubsDexJarPath = libDep.DexJarBuildPath()
+		paths.stubsDexJarPath = libDep.DexJarBuildPath(ctx)
 		return nil
 	} else {
 		return fmt.Errorf("expected module that has JavaInfoProvider, e.g. java_library")
@@ -2752,11 +2752,11 @@
 }
 
 // to satisfy UsesLibraryDependency interface
-func (module *SdkLibraryImport) DexJarBuildPath() OptionalDexJarPath {
+func (module *SdkLibraryImport) DexJarBuildPath(ctx android.ModuleErrorfContext) OptionalDexJarPath {
 	// The dex implementation jar extracted from the .apex file should be used in preference to the
 	// source.
 	if module.dexJarFileErr != nil {
-		panic(module.dexJarFileErr.Error())
+		ctx.ModuleErrorf(module.dexJarFileErr.Error())
 	}
 	if module.dexJarFile.IsSet() {
 		return module.dexJarFile
@@ -2764,7 +2764,7 @@
 	if module.implLibraryModule == nil {
 		return makeUnsetDexJarPath()
 	} else {
-		return module.implLibraryModule.DexJarBuildPath()
+		return module.implLibraryModule.DexJarBuildPath(ctx)
 	}
 }