diff --git a/java/bootclasspath_fragment.go b/java/bootclasspath_fragment.go
index 4d35b9f..f3bff12 100644
--- a/java/bootclasspath_fragment.go
+++ b/java/bootclasspath_fragment.go
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@
 			if android.IsModulePrebuilt(ctx.Module()) {
 				// prebuilt bcpf. the validation of this will be done at the top-level apex
 				providerClasspathFragmentValidationInfoProvider(ctx, unknown)
-			} else if !disableSourceApexVariant(ctx) {
+			} else if !disableSourceApexVariant(ctx) && android.IsModulePreferred(ctx.Module()) {
 				// source bcpf, and prebuilt apex are not selected.
 				ctx.ModuleErrorf("%s in contents must also be declared in PRODUCT_APEX_BOOT_JARS", unknown)
 			}