diff --git a/java/sdk_library.go b/java/sdk_library.go
index 7804512..6153615 100644
--- a/java/sdk_library.go
+++ b/java/sdk_library.go
@@ -900,11 +900,17 @@
 	return componentProps
 }
 
-// Check if this can be used as a shared library.
 func (c *commonToSdkLibraryAndImport) sharedLibrary() bool {
 	return proptools.BoolDefault(c.commonSdkLibraryProperties.Shared_library, true)
 }
 
+// Check if the stub libraries should be compiled for dex
+func (c *commonToSdkLibraryAndImport) stubLibrariesCompiledForDex() bool {
+	// Always compile the dex file files for the stub libraries if they will be used on the
+	// bootclasspath.
+	return !c.sharedLibrary()
+}
+
 // Properties related to the use of a module as an component of a java_sdk_library.
 type SdkLibraryComponentProperties struct {
 
@@ -978,6 +984,9 @@
 	// SdkApiStubDexJar returns the dex jar for the stubs. It is needed by the hiddenapi processing
 	// tool which processes dex files.
 	SdkApiStubDexJar(ctx android.BaseModuleContext, kind android.SdkKind) android.Path
+
+	// sharedLibrary returns true if this can be used as a shared library.
+	sharedLibrary() bool
 }
 
 type SdkLibrary struct {
@@ -1309,9 +1318,13 @@
 	// We compile the stubs for 1.8 in line with the main android.jar stubs, and potential
 	// interop with older developer tools that don't support 1.9.
 	props.Java_version = proptools.StringPtr("1.8")
-	if module.dexProperties.Compile_dex != nil {
-		props.Compile_dex = module.dexProperties.Compile_dex
+
+	// The imports need to be compiled to dex if the java_sdk_library requests it.
+	compileDex := module.dexProperties.Compile_dex
+	if module.stubLibrariesCompiledForDex() {
+		compileDex = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
 	}
+	props.Compile_dex = compileDex
 
 	// Dist the class jar artifact for sdk builds.
 	if !Bool(module.sdkLibraryProperties.No_dist) {
@@ -1969,7 +1982,11 @@
 	props.Prefer = proptools.BoolPtr(module.prebuilt.Prefer())
 
 	// The imports need to be compiled to dex if the java_sdk_library_import requests it.
-	props.Compile_dex = module.properties.Compile_dex
+	compileDex := module.properties.Compile_dex
+	if module.stubLibrariesCompiledForDex() {
+		compileDex = proptools.BoolPtr(true)
+	}
+	props.Compile_dex = compileDex
 
 	mctx.CreateModule(ImportFactory, &props, module.sdkComponentPropertiesForChildLibrary())
 }