diff --git a/adb/Android.mk b/adb/Android.mk
index 7744d2b..248208a 100644
--- a/adb/Android.mk
+++ b/adb/Android.mk
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@
 LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DANDROID_GADGET=1
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter userdebug eng,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT)))
+LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DALLOW_ADBD_ROOT=1
+endif
+
 LOCAL_MODULE := adbd
 
 LOCAL_FORCE_STATIC_EXECUTABLE := true
diff --git a/adb/adb.c b/adb/adb.c
index ff9e92d..4434524 100644
--- a/adb/adb.c
+++ b/adb/adb.c
@@ -844,6 +844,9 @@
 
 #if !ADB_HOST
 static int should_drop_privileges() {
+#ifndef ALLOW_ADBD_ROOT
+    return 1;
+#else /* ALLOW_ADBD_ROOT */
     int secure = 0;
     char value[PROPERTY_VALUE_MAX];
 
@@ -869,6 +872,7 @@
         }
     }
     return secure;
+#endif /* ALLOW_ADBD_ROOT */
 }
 #endif /* !ADB_HOST */