diff --git a/authfs/tests/benchmarks/src/java/com/android/fs/benchmarks/AuthFsBenchmarks.java b/authfs/tests/benchmarks/src/java/com/android/fs/benchmarks/AuthFsBenchmarks.java
index 5e9073a..641b566 100644
--- a/authfs/tests/benchmarks/src/java/com/android/fs/benchmarks/AuthFsBenchmarks.java
+++ b/authfs/tests/benchmarks/src/java/com/android/fs/benchmarks/AuthFsBenchmarks.java
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 
+import static org.junit.Assume.assumeTrue;
+
 import android.platform.test.annotations.RootPermissionTest;
 
 import com.android.fs.common.AuthFsTestRule;
@@ -71,11 +73,13 @@
 
     @Before
     public void setUp() throws Exception {
+        assumeTrue(AuthFsTestRule.getDevice().supportsMicrodroid(/*protectedVm=*/ true));
         String metricsPrefix =
                 MetricsProcessor.getMetricPrefix(
                         getDevice().getProperty("debug.hypervisor.metrics_tag"));
         mMetricsProcessor = new MetricsProcessor(metricsPrefix + "authfs/");
-        AuthFsTestRule.startMicrodroid();
+        // TODO(b/236123069): Run benchmark tests in both protected and unprotected VMs.
+        AuthFsTestRule.startMicrodroid(/*protectedVm=*/ true);
     }
 
     @After
diff --git a/authfs/tests/common/src/java/com/android/fs/common/AuthFsTestRule.java b/authfs/tests/common/src/java/com/android/fs/common/AuthFsTestRule.java
index 994f23b..2220169 100644
--- a/authfs/tests/common/src/java/com/android/fs/common/AuthFsTestRule.java
+++ b/authfs/tests/common/src/java/com/android/fs/common/AuthFsTestRule.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
-import static org.junit.Assume.assumeTrue;
 
 import com.android.compatibility.common.tradefed.build.CompatibilityBuildHelper;
 import com.android.compatibility.common.util.PollingCheck;
@@ -131,7 +130,7 @@
         return sMicrodroidDevice;
     }
 
-    public static void startMicrodroid() throws DeviceNotAvailableException {
+    public static void startMicrodroid(boolean protectedVm) throws DeviceNotAvailableException {
         CLog.i("Starting the shared VM");
         assertThat(sMicrodroidDevice).isNull();
         sMicrodroidDevice =
@@ -139,6 +138,7 @@
                                 findTestFile(sTestInfo.getBuildInfo(), TEST_APK_NAME),
                                 VM_CONFIG_PATH_IN_APK)
                         .debugLevel("full")
+                        .protectedVm(protectedVm)
                         .build(getDevice());
 
         // From this point on, we need to tear down the Microdroid instance
@@ -152,10 +152,11 @@
     }
 
     public static void shutdownMicrodroid() throws DeviceNotAvailableException {
-        assertNotNull(sMicrodroidDevice);
-        getDevice().shutdownMicrodroid(sMicrodroidDevice);
-        sMicrodroidDevice = null;
-        sMicrodroid = null;
+        if (sMicrodroidDevice != null) {
+            getDevice().shutdownMicrodroid(sMicrodroidDevice);
+            sMicrodroidDevice = null;
+            sMicrodroid = null;
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -224,7 +225,7 @@
         }
     }
 
-    private static TestDevice getDevice() {
+    public static TestDevice getDevice() {
         return (TestDevice) sTestInfo.getDevice();
     }
 
@@ -245,7 +246,6 @@
     }
 
     private void setUpTest() throws Exception {
-        assumeTrue(getDevice().supportsMicrodroid());
         sAndroid.run("mkdir -p " + TEST_OUTPUT_DIR);
     }
 
diff --git a/authfs/tests/hosttests/java/src/com/android/fs/AuthFsHostTest.java b/authfs/tests/hosttests/java/src/com/android/fs/AuthFsHostTest.java
index 3157dfd..967d104 100644
--- a/authfs/tests/hosttests/java/src/com/android/fs/AuthFsHostTest.java
+++ b/authfs/tests/hosttests/java/src/com/android/fs/AuthFsHostTest.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assume.assumeTrue;
 
 import android.platform.test.annotations.RootPermissionTest;
 
@@ -74,7 +75,8 @@
     @BeforeClassWithInfo
     public static void beforeClassWithDevice(TestInformation testInfo) throws Exception {
         AuthFsTestRule.setUpAndroid(testInfo);
-        AuthFsTestRule.startMicrodroid();
+        assumeTrue(AuthFsTestRule.getDevice().supportsMicrodroid(/*protectedVm=*/ true));
+        AuthFsTestRule.startMicrodroid(/*protectedVm=*/ true);
         sAndroid = AuthFsTestRule.getAndroid();
         sMicrodroid = AuthFsTestRule.getMicrodroid();
     }