diff --git a/java/lint.go b/java/lint.go
index c3d723b..31e7f35 100644
--- a/java/lint.go
+++ b/java/lint.go
@@ -370,6 +370,12 @@
 		return
 	}
 
+	for _, flag := range l.properties.Lint.Flags {
+		if strings.Contains(flag, "--disable") || strings.Contains(flag, "--enable") || strings.Contains(flag, "--check") {
+			ctx.PropertyErrorf("lint.flags", "Don't use --disable, --enable, or --check in the flags field, instead use the dedicated disabled_checks, warning_checks, error_checks, or fatal_checks fields")
+		}
+	}
+
 	if l.minSdkVersion.CompareTo(l.compileSdkVersion) == -1 {
 		l.extraMainlineLintErrors = append(l.extraMainlineLintErrors, updatabilityChecks...)
 		// Skip lint warning checks for NewApi warnings for libcore where they come from source