diff --git a/health/2.0/vts/functional/Android.bp b/health/2.0/vts/functional/Android.bp
index 4ad01b9..c4f2dc9 100644
--- a/health/2.0/vts/functional/Android.bp
+++ b/health/2.0/vts/functional/Android.bp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
     defaults: ["VtsHalTargetTestDefaults"],
     srcs: ["VtsHalHealthV2_0TargetTest.cpp"],
     static_libs: [
+        "libgflags",
         "android.hardware.health@1.0",
         "android.hardware.health@2.0",
     ],
diff --git a/health/2.0/vts/functional/VtsHalHealthV2_0TargetTest.cpp b/health/2.0/vts/functional/VtsHalHealthV2_0TargetTest.cpp
index c5431e4..55b48b8 100644
--- a/health/2.0/vts/functional/VtsHalHealthV2_0TargetTest.cpp
+++ b/health/2.0/vts/functional/VtsHalHealthV2_0TargetTest.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <android-base/logging.h>
 #include <android/hardware/health/2.0/IHealth.h>
 #include <android/hardware/health/2.0/types.h>
+#include <gflags/gflags.h>
 
 using ::testing::AssertionFailure;
 using ::testing::AssertionResult;
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@
 using ::testing::VtsHalHidlTargetTestBase;
 using ::testing::VtsHalHidlTargetTestEnvBase;
 
+DEFINE_bool(force, false, "Force test healthd even when the default instance is present.");
+
 namespace android {
 namespace hardware {
 namespace health {
@@ -57,6 +60,14 @@
    public:
     virtual void SetUp() override {
         std::string serviceName = HealthHidlEnvironment::Instance()->getServiceName<IHealth>();
+
+        if (serviceName == "backup" && !FLAGS_force &&
+            ::testing::VtsHalHidlTargetTestBase::getService<IHealth>() != nullptr) {
+            LOG(INFO) << "Skipping tests on healthd because the default instance is present. "
+                      << "Use --force if you really want to test healthd.";
+            GTEST_SKIP();
+        }
+
         LOG(INFO) << "get service with name:" << serviceName;
         ASSERT_FALSE(serviceName.empty());
         mHealth = ::testing::VtsHalHidlTargetTestBase::getService<IHealth>(serviceName);
@@ -269,6 +280,7 @@
     ::testing::AddGlobalTestEnvironment(HealthHidlEnvironment::Instance());
     ::testing::InitGoogleTest(&argc, argv);
     HealthHidlEnvironment::Instance()->init(&argc, argv);
+    gflags::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true /* remove flags */);
     int status = RUN_ALL_TESTS();
     LOG(INFO) << "Test result = " << status;
     return status;