diff --git a/apex/Android.bp b/apex/Android.bp
index 4e64e50..596493a 100644
--- a/apex/Android.bp
+++ b/apex/Android.bp
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@
     host_required: [
         "vm_shell",
     ],
+    apps: [
+        "EmptyPayloadApp",
+    ],
 }
 
 apex_defaults {
diff --git a/apex/empty-payload-apk/Android.bp b/apex/empty-payload-apk/Android.bp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70e6754
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apex/empty-payload-apk/Android.bp
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package {
+    default_applicable_licenses: ["Android-Apache-2.0"],
+}
+
+android_app {
+    name: "EmptyPayloadApp",
+    installable: true,
+    jni_libs: ["MicrodroidEmptyPayloadJniLib"],
+    apex_available: ["com.android.virt"],
+    sdk_version: "system_current",
+    jni_uses_platform_apis: true,
+    min_sdk_version: "UpsideDownCake",
+    target_sdk_version: "UpsideDownCake",
+    compile_multilib: "first",
+    stl: "none",
+}
+
+cc_library {
+    name: "MicrodroidEmptyPayloadJniLib",
+    srcs: ["empty_binary.cpp"],
+    shared_libs: ["libvm_payload#current"],
+    installable: true,
+    apex_available: ["com.android.virt"],
+    compile_multilib: "first",
+    stl: "none",
+}
diff --git a/apex/empty-payload-apk/AndroidManifest.xml b/apex/empty-payload-apk/AndroidManifest.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e649744
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apex/empty-payload-apk/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    package="com.android.microdroid.empty_payload">
+
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MANAGE_VIRTUAL_MACHINE" />
+    <uses-feature android:name="android.software.virtualization_framework" android:required="true" />
+    <application android:testOnly="true" android:hasCode="false" />
+
+</manifest>
diff --git a/apex/empty-payload-apk/empty_binary.cpp b/apex/empty-payload-apk/empty_binary.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4308954
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apex/empty-payload-apk/empty_binary.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <vm_main.h>
+#include <vm_payload.h>
+
+extern "C" int AVmPayload_main() {
+    // disable buffering to communicate seamlessly
+    setvbuf(stdin, nullptr, _IONBF, 0);
+    setvbuf(stdout, nullptr, _IONBF, 0);
+    setvbuf(stderr, nullptr, _IONBF, 0);
+
+    printf("Hello Microdroid\n");
+
+    AVmPayload_notifyPayloadReady();
+
+    // Wait forever to allow developer to interact with Microdroid shell
+    for (;;) {
+        pause();
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}