diff --git a/apex/apex.go b/apex/apex.go
index d7d76d1..88eb72f 100644
--- a/apex/apex.go
+++ b/apex/apex.go
@@ -99,6 +99,10 @@
 	// /system/sepolicy/apex/<module_name>_file_contexts.
 	File_contexts *string `android:"path"`
 
+	// By default, file_contexts is amended by force-labelling / and /apex_manifest.pb as system_file
+	// to avoid mistakes. When set as true, no force-labelling.
+	Use_file_contexts_as_is *bool
+
 	// Path to the canned fs config file for customizing file's uid/gid/mod/capabilities. The
 	// format is /<path_or_glob> <uid> <gid> <mode> [capabilities=0x<cap>], where path_or_glob is a
 	// path or glob pattern for a file or set of files, uid/gid are numerial values of user ID
diff --git a/apex/apex_test.go b/apex/apex_test.go
index b7febe1..0dd0117 100644
--- a/apex/apex_test.go
+++ b/apex/apex_test.go
@@ -784,6 +784,43 @@
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFileContexts(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, useFileContextsAsIs := range []bool{true, false} {
+		prop := ""
+		if useFileContextsAsIs {
+			prop = "use_file_contexts_as_is: true,\n"
+		}
+		ctx := testApex(t, `
+			apex {
+				name: "myapex",
+				key: "myapex.key",
+				file_contexts: "file_contexts",
+				updatable: false,
+				vendor: true,
+				`+prop+`
+			}
+
+			apex_key {
+				name: "myapex.key",
+				public_key: "testkey.avbpubkey",
+				private_key: "testkey.pem",
+			}
+		`, withFiles(map[string][]byte{
+			"file_contexts": nil,
+		}))
+
+		rule := ctx.ModuleForTests("myapex", "android_common_myapex_image").Output("file_contexts")
+		forceLabellingCommand := "apex_manifest\\\\.pb u:object_r:system_file:s0"
+		if useFileContextsAsIs {
+			android.AssertStringDoesNotContain(t, "should force-label",
+				rule.RuleParams.Command, forceLabellingCommand)
+		} else {
+			android.AssertStringDoesContain(t, "shouldn't force-label",
+				rule.RuleParams.Command, forceLabellingCommand)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBasicZipApex(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := testApex(t, `
 		apex {
diff --git a/apex/builder.go b/apex/builder.go
index a62f63c..a00490e 100644
--- a/apex/builder.go
+++ b/apex/builder.go
@@ -333,6 +333,8 @@
 		ctx.PropertyErrorf("file_contexts", "cannot find file_contexts file: %q", fileContexts.String())
 	}
 
+	useFileContextsAsIs := proptools.Bool(a.properties.Use_file_contexts_as_is)
+
 	output := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "file_contexts")
 	rule := android.NewRuleBuilder(pctx, ctx)
 
@@ -344,9 +346,11 @@
 		rule.Command().Text("cat").Input(fileContexts).Text(">>").Output(output)
 		// new line
 		rule.Command().Text("echo").Text(">>").Output(output)
-		// force-label /apex_manifest.pb and / as system_file so that apexd can read them
-		rule.Command().Text("echo").Flag("/apex_manifest\\\\.pb u:object_r:system_file:s0").Text(">>").Output(output)
-		rule.Command().Text("echo").Flag("/ u:object_r:system_file:s0").Text(">>").Output(output)
+		if !useFileContextsAsIs {
+			// force-label /apex_manifest.pb and / as system_file so that apexd can read them
+			rule.Command().Text("echo").Flag("/apex_manifest\\\\.pb u:object_r:system_file:s0").Text(">>").Output(output)
+			rule.Command().Text("echo").Flag("/ u:object_r:system_file:s0").Text(">>").Output(output)
+		}
 	case flattenedApex:
 		// For flattened apexes, install path should be prepended.
 		// File_contexts file should be emiited to make via LOCAL_FILE_CONTEXTS
@@ -359,9 +363,11 @@
 		rule.Command().Text("awk").Text(`'/object_r/{printf("` + apexPath + `%s\n", $0)}'`).Input(fileContexts).Text(">").Output(output)
 		// new line
 		rule.Command().Text("echo").Text(">>").Output(output)
-		// force-label /apex_manifest.pb and / as system_file so that apexd can read them
-		rule.Command().Text("echo").Flag(apexPath + `/apex_manifest\\.pb u:object_r:system_file:s0`).Text(">>").Output(output)
-		rule.Command().Text("echo").Flag(apexPath + "/ u:object_r:system_file:s0").Text(">>").Output(output)
+		if !useFileContextsAsIs {
+			// force-label /apex_manifest.pb and / as system_file so that apexd can read them
+			rule.Command().Text("echo").Flag(apexPath + `/apex_manifest\\.pb u:object_r:system_file:s0`).Text(">>").Output(output)
+			rule.Command().Text("echo").Flag(apexPath + "/ u:object_r:system_file:s0").Text(">>").Output(output)
+		}
 	default:
 		panic(fmt.Errorf("unsupported type %v", a.properties.ApexType))
 	}