diff --git a/apex/apex.go b/apex/apex.go
index ade8fa9..c897042 100644
--- a/apex/apex.go
+++ b/apex/apex.go
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@
 
 	Multilib apexMultilibProperties
 
+	// List of boot images that are embedded inside this APEX bundle.
+	Boot_images []string
+
 	// List of java libraries that are embedded inside this APEX bundle.
 	Java_libs []string
 
@@ -544,6 +547,7 @@
 	certificateTag = dependencyTag{name: "certificate"}
 	executableTag  = dependencyTag{name: "executable", payload: true}
 	fsTag          = dependencyTag{name: "filesystem", payload: true}
+	bootImageTag   = dependencyTag{name: "bootImage", payload: true}
 	javaLibTag     = dependencyTag{name: "javaLib", payload: true}
 	jniLibTag      = dependencyTag{name: "jniLib", payload: true}
 	keyTag         = dependencyTag{name: "key"}
@@ -721,6 +725,7 @@
 
 	// Common-arch dependencies come next
 	commonVariation := ctx.Config().AndroidCommonTarget.Variations()
+	ctx.AddFarVariationDependencies(commonVariation, bootImageTag, a.properties.Boot_images...)
 	ctx.AddFarVariationDependencies(commonVariation, javaLibTag, a.properties.Java_libs...)
 	ctx.AddFarVariationDependencies(commonVariation, bpfTag, a.properties.Bpfs...)
 	ctx.AddFarVariationDependencies(commonVariation, fsTag, a.properties.Filesystems...)
@@ -730,10 +735,6 @@
 		if ctx.Config().IsEnvTrue("EMMA_INSTRUMENT_FRAMEWORK") {
 			ctx.AddFarVariationDependencies(commonVariation, javaLibTag, "jacocoagent")
 		}
-		// The ART boot image depends on dex2oat to compile it.
-		if !java.SkipDexpreoptBootJars(ctx) {
-			dexpreopt.RegisterToolDeps(ctx)
-		}
 	}
 
 	// Dependencies for signing
@@ -1648,6 +1649,23 @@
 				} else {
 					ctx.PropertyErrorf("binaries", "%q is neither cc_binary, rust_binary, (embedded) py_binary, (host) blueprint_go_binary, (host) bootstrap_go_binary, nor sh_binary", depName)
 				}
+			case bootImageTag:
+				{
+					if _, ok := child.(*java.BootImageModule); !ok {
+						ctx.PropertyErrorf("boot_images", "%q is not a boot_image module", depName)
+						return false
+					}
+					bootImageInfo := ctx.OtherModuleProvider(child, java.BootImageInfoProvider).(java.BootImageInfo)
+					for arch, files := range bootImageInfo.AndroidBootImageFilesByArchType() {
+						dirInApex := filepath.Join("javalib", arch.String())
+						for _, f := range files {
+							androidMkModuleName := "javalib_" + arch.String() + "_" + filepath.Base(f.String())
+							// TODO(b/177892522) - consider passing in the boot image module here instead of nil
+							af := newApexFile(ctx, f, androidMkModuleName, dirInApex, etc, nil)
+							filesInfo = append(filesInfo, af)
+						}
+					}
+				}
 			case javaLibTag:
 				switch child.(type) {
 				case *java.Library, *java.SdkLibrary, *java.DexImport, *java.SdkLibraryImport, *java.Import:
@@ -1862,25 +1880,6 @@
 		return
 	}
 
-	if a.artApex {
-		// Specific to the ART apex: dexpreopt artifacts for libcore Java libraries. Build rules are
-		// generated by the dexpreopt singleton, and here we access build artifacts via the global
-		// boot image config.
-		for arch, files := range java.DexpreoptedArtApexJars(ctx) {
-			dirInApex := filepath.Join("javalib", arch.String())
-			for _, f := range files {
-				localModule := "javalib_" + arch.String() + "_" + filepath.Base(f.String())
-				af := newApexFile(ctx, f, localModule, dirInApex, etc, nil)
-				filesInfo = append(filesInfo, af)
-			}
-		}
-		// Call GetGlobalSoongConfig to initialize it, which may be necessary if dexpreopt is
-		// disabled for libraries/apps, but boot images are still needed.
-		if !java.SkipDexpreoptBootJars(ctx) {
-			dexpreopt.GetGlobalSoongConfig(ctx)
-		}
-	}
-
 	// Remove duplicates in filesInfo
 	removeDup := func(filesInfo []apexFile) []apexFile {
 		encountered := make(map[string]apexFile)
diff --git a/apex/boot_image_test.go b/apex/boot_image_test.go
index 07feb03..c13ea2e 100644
--- a/apex/boot_image_test.go
+++ b/apex/boot_image_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 package apex
 
 import (
+	"reflect"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"android/soong/android"
@@ -83,13 +85,39 @@
 	)
 
 	// Make sure that the framework-boot-image is using the correct configuration.
-	checkBootImage(t, ctx, "framework-boot-image", "platform:foo,platform:bar")
+	checkBootImage(t, ctx, "framework-boot-image", "platform:foo,platform:bar", `
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm/boot-foo.art
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm/boot-foo.oat
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm/boot-foo.vdex
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm/boot-bar.art
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm/boot-bar.oat
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm/boot-bar.vdex
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm64/boot-foo.art
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm64/boot-foo.oat
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm64/boot-foo.vdex
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm64/boot-bar.art
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm64/boot-bar.oat
+test_device/dex_bootjars/android/system/framework/arm64/boot-bar.vdex
+`)
 
 	// Make sure that the art-boot-image is using the correct configuration.
-	checkBootImage(t, ctx, "art-boot-image", "com.android.art:baz,com.android.art:quuz")
+	checkBootImage(t, ctx, "art-boot-image", "com.android.art:baz,com.android.art:quuz", `
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm/boot.art
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm/boot.oat
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm/boot.vdex
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm/boot-quuz.art
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm/boot-quuz.oat
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm/boot-quuz.vdex
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm64/boot.art
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm64/boot.oat
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm64/boot.vdex
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm64/boot-quuz.art
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm64/boot-quuz.oat
+test_device/dex_artjars/android/apex/art_boot_images/javalib/arm64/boot-quuz.vdex
+`)
 }
 
-func checkBootImage(t *testing.T, ctx *android.TestContext, moduleName string, expectedConfiguredModules string) {
+func checkBootImage(t *testing.T, ctx *android.TestContext, moduleName string, expectedConfiguredModules string, expectedBootImageFiles string) {
 	t.Helper()
 
 	bootImage := ctx.ModuleForTests(moduleName, "android_common").Module().(*java.BootImageModule)
@@ -99,6 +127,20 @@
 	if actual := modules.String(); actual != expectedConfiguredModules {
 		t.Errorf("invalid modules for %s: expected %q, actual %q", moduleName, expectedConfiguredModules, actual)
 	}
+
+	// Get a list of all the paths in the boot image sorted by arch type.
+	allPaths := []string{}
+	bootImageFilesByArchType := bootImageInfo.AndroidBootImageFilesByArchType()
+	for _, archType := range android.ArchTypeList() {
+		if paths, ok := bootImageFilesByArchType[archType]; ok {
+			for _, path := range paths {
+				allPaths = append(allPaths, android.NormalizePathForTesting(path))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if expected, actual := strings.TrimSpace(expectedBootImageFiles), strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(allPaths, "\n")); !reflect.DeepEqual(expected, actual) {
+		t.Errorf("invalid paths for %s: expected \n%s, actual \n%s", moduleName, expected, actual)
+	}
 }
 
 func modifyDexpreoptConfig(configModifier func(dexpreoptConfig *dexpreopt.GlobalConfig)) func(fs map[string][]byte, config android.Config) {
@@ -126,3 +168,61 @@
 		dexpreoptConfig.BootJars = android.CreateTestConfiguredJarList(bootJars)
 	})
 }
+
+func TestBootImageInApex(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, _ := testApex(t, `
+		apex {
+			name: "myapex",
+			key: "myapex.key",
+			boot_images: [
+				"mybootimage",
+			],
+		}
+
+		apex_key {
+			name: "myapex.key",
+			public_key: "testkey.avbpubkey",
+			private_key: "testkey.pem",
+		}
+
+		java_library {
+			name: "foo",
+			srcs: ["b.java"],
+			installable: true,
+		}
+
+		java_library {
+			name: "bar",
+			srcs: ["b.java"],
+			installable: true,
+		}
+
+		boot_image {
+			name: "mybootimage",
+			image_name: "boot",
+			apex_available: [
+				"myapex",
+			],
+		}
+`,
+		// Configure some libraries in the framework boot image.
+		withFrameworkBootImageJars("platform:foo", "platform:bar"),
+	)
+
+	ensureExactContents(t, ctx, "myapex", "android_common_myapex_image", []string{
+		"javalib/arm/boot-bar.art",
+		"javalib/arm/boot-bar.oat",
+		"javalib/arm/boot-bar.vdex",
+		"javalib/arm/boot-foo.art",
+		"javalib/arm/boot-foo.oat",
+		"javalib/arm/boot-foo.vdex",
+		"javalib/arm64/boot-bar.art",
+		"javalib/arm64/boot-bar.oat",
+		"javalib/arm64/boot-bar.vdex",
+		"javalib/arm64/boot-foo.art",
+		"javalib/arm64/boot-foo.oat",
+		"javalib/arm64/boot-foo.vdex",
+	})
+}
+
+// TODO(b/177892522) - add test for host apex.