diff --git a/java/java.go b/java/java.go
index 5b1dcd7..4e57e1c 100644
--- a/java/java.go
+++ b/java/java.go
@@ -342,8 +342,13 @@
 	// set the name of the output
 	Stem *string
 
-	UncompressDex bool `blueprint:"mutated"`
-	IsSDKLibrary  bool `blueprint:"mutated"`
+	// Keep the data uncompressed. We always need uncompressed dex for execution,
+	// so this might actually save space by avoiding storing the same data twice.
+	// This defaults to reasonable value based on module and should not be set.
+	// It exists only to support ART tests.
+	Uncompress_dex *bool
+
+	IsSDKLibrary bool `blueprint:"mutated"`
 }
 
 func (me *CompilerDeviceProperties) EffectiveOptimizeEnabled() bool {
@@ -1556,7 +1561,7 @@
 
 		// Hidden API CSV generation and dex encoding
 		dexOutputFile = j.hiddenAPI.hiddenAPI(ctx, dexOutputFile, j.implementationJarFile,
-			j.deviceProperties.UncompressDex)
+			proptools.Bool(j.deviceProperties.Uncompress_dex))
 
 		// merge dex jar with resources if necessary
 		if j.resourceJar != nil {
@@ -1564,7 +1569,7 @@
 			combinedJar := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "dex-withres", jarName)
 			TransformJarsToJar(ctx, combinedJar, "for dex resources", jars, android.OptionalPath{},
 				false, nil, nil)
-			if j.deviceProperties.UncompressDex {
+			if *j.deviceProperties.Uncompress_dex {
 				combinedAlignedJar := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "dex-withres-aligned", jarName)
 				TransformZipAlign(ctx, combinedAlignedJar, combinedJar)
 				dexOutputFile = combinedAlignedJar
@@ -1841,8 +1846,11 @@
 	j.checkSdkVersions(ctx)
 	j.dexpreopter.installPath = android.PathForModuleInstall(ctx, "framework", j.Stem()+".jar")
 	j.dexpreopter.isSDKLibrary = j.deviceProperties.IsSDKLibrary
-	j.dexpreopter.uncompressedDex = shouldUncompressDex(ctx, &j.dexpreopter)
-	j.deviceProperties.UncompressDex = j.dexpreopter.uncompressedDex
+	if j.deviceProperties.Uncompress_dex == nil {
+		// If the value was not force-set by the user, use reasonable default based on the module.
+		j.deviceProperties.Uncompress_dex = proptools.BoolPtr(shouldUncompressDex(ctx, &j.dexpreopter))
+	}
+	j.dexpreopter.uncompressedDex = *j.deviceProperties.Uncompress_dex
 	j.compile(ctx, nil)
 
 	exclusivelyForApex := android.InAnyApex(ctx.ModuleName()) && !j.IsForPlatform()