diff --git a/android/config.go b/android/config.go
index 27d3b87..94285f8 100644
--- a/android/config.go
+++ b/android/config.go
@@ -1834,6 +1834,10 @@
 	return Bool(c.productVariables.CompressedApex) && !c.UnbundledBuildApps()
 }
 
+func (c *config) DefaultApexPayloadType() string {
+	return StringDefault(c.productVariables.DefaultApexPayloadType, "ext4")
+}
+
 func (c *config) UseSoongSystemImage() bool {
 	return Bool(c.productVariables.UseSoongSystemImage)
 }
diff --git a/android/variable.go b/android/variable.go
index 2d43c6d..93da2a7 100644
--- a/android/variable.go
+++ b/android/variable.go
@@ -408,9 +408,10 @@
 
 	Ndk_abis *bool `json:",omitempty"`
 
-	ForceApexSymlinkOptimization *bool `json:",omitempty"`
-	CompressedApex               *bool `json:",omitempty"`
-	Aml_abis                     *bool `json:",omitempty"`
+	ForceApexSymlinkOptimization *bool   `json:",omitempty"`
+	CompressedApex               *bool   `json:",omitempty"`
+	DefaultApexPayloadType       *string `json:",omitempty"`
+	Aml_abis                     *bool   `json:",omitempty"`
 
 	DexpreoptGlobalConfig *string `json:",omitempty"`