diff --git a/cmds/installd/otapreopt_chroot.cpp b/cmds/installd/otapreopt_chroot.cpp
index 0c4badf..b4bcd53 100644
--- a/cmds/installd/otapreopt_chroot.cpp
+++ b/cmds/installd/otapreopt_chroot.cpp
@@ -236,6 +236,18 @@
     // the Android Runtime APEX, as it is required by otapreopt to run dex2oat.
     std::vector<apex::ApexFile> active_packages = ActivateApexPackages();
 
+    // Check that an Android Runtime APEX has been activated; clean up and exit
+    // early otherwise.
+    if (std::none_of(active_packages.begin(),
+                     active_packages.end(),
+                     [](const apex::ApexFile& package){
+                         return package.GetManifest().name() == "com.android.runtime";
+                     })) {
+        LOG(FATAL_WITHOUT_ABORT) << "No activated com.android.runtime APEX package.";
+        DeactivateApexPackages(active_packages);
+        exit(217);
+    }
+
     // Now go on and run otapreopt.
 
     // Incoming:  cmd + status-fd + target-slot + cmd...      | Incoming | = argc