diff --git a/android/virtmgr/src/aidl.rs b/android/virtmgr/src/aidl.rs
index 7a357f3..a2d5f94 100644
--- a/android/virtmgr/src/aidl.rs
+++ b/android/virtmgr/src/aidl.rs
@@ -623,6 +623,7 @@
             boost_uclamp: config.boostUclamp,
             gpu_config,
             audio_config,
+            no_balloon: config.noBalloon,
         };
         let instance = Arc::new(
             VmInstance::new(
diff --git a/android/virtmgr/src/crosvm.rs b/android/virtmgr/src/crosvm.rs
index 08a9e47..3d72ea8 100644
--- a/android/virtmgr/src/crosvm.rs
+++ b/android/virtmgr/src/crosvm.rs
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@
     pub boost_uclamp: bool,
     pub gpu_config: Option<GpuConfig>,
     pub audio_config: Option<AudioConfig>,
+    pub no_balloon: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -892,7 +893,9 @@
         .arg("--cid")
         .arg(config.cid.to_string());
 
-    if system_properties::read_bool("hypervisor.memory_reclaim.supported", false)? {
+    if system_properties::read_bool("hypervisor.memory_reclaim.supported", false)?
+        && !config.no_balloon
+    {
         command.arg("--balloon-page-reporting");
     } else {
         command.arg("--no-balloon");
diff --git a/android/virtualizationservice/aidl/android/system/virtualizationservice/VirtualMachineRawConfig.aidl b/android/virtualizationservice/aidl/android/system/virtualizationservice/VirtualMachineRawConfig.aidl
index 07d52db..4ac401d 100644
--- a/android/virtualizationservice/aidl/android/system/virtualizationservice/VirtualMachineRawConfig.aidl
+++ b/android/virtualizationservice/aidl/android/system/virtualizationservice/VirtualMachineRawConfig.aidl
@@ -100,4 +100,6 @@
     @nullable GpuConfig gpuConfig;
 
     @nullable AudioConfig audioConfig;
+
+    boolean noBalloon;
 }
diff --git a/libs/framework-virtualization/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineConfig.java b/libs/framework-virtualization/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineConfig.java
index 7ae4a55..85cacf9 100644
--- a/libs/framework-virtualization/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineConfig.java
+++ b/libs/framework-virtualization/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineConfig.java
@@ -724,6 +724,7 @@
                 Optional.ofNullable(customImageConfig.getAudioConfig())
                         .map(ac -> ac.toParcelable())
                         .orElse(null);
+        config.noBalloon = !customImageConfig.useAutoMemoryBalloon();
         return config;
     }
 
diff --git a/libs/framework-virtualization/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineCustomImageConfig.java b/libs/framework-virtualization/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineCustomImageConfig.java
index 37dc8fa..a38ee7f 100644
--- a/libs/framework-virtualization/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineCustomImageConfig.java
+++ b/libs/framework-virtualization/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineCustomImageConfig.java
@@ -360,7 +360,8 @@
         private boolean network;
         private GpuConfig gpuConfig;
         private boolean trackpad;
-        private boolean autoMemoryBalloon = true;
+        // TODO(b/363985291): balloon breaks Linux VM behavior
+        private boolean autoMemoryBalloon = false;
 
         /** @hide */
         public Builder() {}