diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 3da8d3ac4..35e2f05dd 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -1121,16 +1121,27 @@ $(INSTALLED_FILES_FILE_RAMDISK) : $(INTERNAL_RAMDISK_FILES) $(FILESLIST) $(FILES
 $(call dist-for-goals, sdk win_sdk sdk_addon, $(INSTALLED_FILES_FILE_RAMDISK))
 BUILT_RAMDISK_TARGET := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/ramdisk.img
 
+ifeq ($(BOARD_RAMDISK_USE_LZ4),true)
+# -l enables the legacy format used by the Linux kernel
+COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS := $(LZ4)
+COMPRESSION_COMMAND := $(LZ4) -l -12 --favor-decSpeed
+RAMDISK_EXT := .lz4
+else
+COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS := $(MINIGZIP)
+COMPRESSION_COMMAND := $(MINIGZIP)
+RAMDISK_EXT := .gz
+endif
+
 # We just build this directly to the install location.
 INSTALLED_RAMDISK_TARGET := $(BUILT_RAMDISK_TARGET)
-$(INSTALLED_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_RAMDISK_FILES) $(INSTALLED_FILES_FILE_RAMDISK) | $(MINIGZIP)
+$(INSTALLED_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_RAMDISK_FILES) $(INSTALLED_FILES_FILE_RAMDISK) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS)
 	$(call pretty,"Target ram disk: $@")
-	$(hide) $(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TARGET_RAMDISK_OUT) | $(MINIGZIP) > $@
+	$(hide) $(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TARGET_RAMDISK_OUT) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $@
 
 .PHONY: ramdisk-nodeps
-ramdisk-nodeps: $(MKBOOTFS) | $(MINIGZIP)
+ramdisk-nodeps: $(MKBOOTFS) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS)
 	@echo "make $@: ignoring dependencies"
-	$(hide) $(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TARGET_RAMDISK_OUT) | $(MINIGZIP) > $(INSTALLED_RAMDISK_TARGET)
+	$(hide) $(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TARGET_RAMDISK_OUT) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $(INSTALLED_RAMDISK_TARGET)
 
 endif # BUILDING_RAMDISK_IMAGE
 
@@ -1304,8 +1315,8 @@ INTERNAL_VENDOR_RAMDISK_FILES := $(filter $(TARGET_VENDOR_RAMDISK_OUT)/%, \
     $(ALL_DEFAULT_INSTALLED_MODULES))
 
 INTERNAL_VENDOR_RAMDISK_TARGET := $(call intermediates-dir-for,PACKAGING,vendor-boot)/vendor-ramdisk.cpio.gz
-$(INTERNAL_VENDOR_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_VENDOR_RAMDISK_FILES) | $(MINIGZIP)
-	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TARGET_VENDOR_RAMDISK_OUT) | $(MINIGZIP) > $@
+$(INTERNAL_VENDOR_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_VENDOR_RAMDISK_FILES) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS)
+	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TARGET_VENDOR_RAMDISK_OUT) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $@
 
 ifdef BOARD_INCLUDE_DTB_IN_BOOTIMG
   INTERNAL_VENDOR_BOOTIMAGE_ARGS += --dtb $(INSTALLED_DTBIMAGE_TARGET)
@@ -2146,7 +2157,7 @@ ifndef BOARD_RECOVERY_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS
   BOARD_RECOVERY_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS := $(BOARD_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS)
 endif
 
-$(recovery_ramdisk): $(MKBOOTFS) $(MINIGZIP) \
+$(recovery_ramdisk): $(MKBOOTFS) $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS) \
 	    $(INTERNAL_ROOT_FILES) \
 	    $(INSTALLED_RAMDISK_TARGET) \
 	    $(INTERNAL_RECOVERYIMAGE_FILES) \
@@ -2181,7 +2192,7 @@ $(recovery_ramdisk): $(MKBOOTFS) $(MINIGZIP) \
 	  cp -f $(recovery_wipe) $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/system/etc/recovery.wipe)
 	ln -sf prop.default $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/default.prop
 	$(BOARD_RECOVERY_IMAGE_PREPARE)
-	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT) | $(MINIGZIP) > $(recovery_ramdisk)
+	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $(recovery_ramdisk)
 
 # $(1): output file
 # $(2): kernel file
@@ -2339,22 +2350,22 @@ else
 # Depends on ramdisk.img, note that some target has ramdisk.img but no boot.img, e.g., emulator.
 $(INSTALLED_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(INSTALLED_RAMDISK_TARGET)
 endif # BOARD_USES_RECOVERY_AS_BOOT
-$(INSTALLED_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_DEBUG_RAMDISK_FILES) | $(MINIGZIP)
+$(INSTALLED_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_DEBUG_RAMDISK_FILES) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS)
 	$(call pretty,"Target debug ram disk: $@")
 	mkdir -p $(TARGET_DEBUG_RAMDISK_OUT)
 	touch $(TARGET_DEBUG_RAMDISK_OUT)/force_debuggable
 	rsync -a $(DEBUG_RAMDISK_SYNC_DIR)/ $(DEBUG_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR)
-	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(DEBUG_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR) | $(MINIGZIP) > $@
+	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(DEBUG_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $@
 
 .PHONY: ramdisk_debug-nodeps
 ramdisk_debug-nodeps: DEBUG_RAMDISK_SYNC_DIR := $(my_debug_ramdisk_sync_dir)
 ramdisk_debug-nodeps: DEBUG_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR := $(my_debug_ramdisk_root_dir)
-ramdisk_debug-nodeps: $(MKBOOTFS) | $(MINIGZIP)
+ramdisk_debug-nodeps: $(MKBOOTFS) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS)
 	echo "make $@: ignoring dependencies"
 	mkdir -p $(TARGET_DEBUG_RAMDISK_OUT)
 	touch $(TARGET_DEBUG_RAMDISK_OUT)/force_debuggable
 	rsync -a $(DEBUG_RAMDISK_SYNC_DIR)/ $(DEBUG_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR)
-	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(DEBUG_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR) | $(MINIGZIP) > $(INSTALLED_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET)
+	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(DEBUG_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $(INSTALLED_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET)
 
 my_debug_ramdisk_sync_dir :=
 my_debug_ramdisk_root_dir :=
@@ -2426,7 +2437,7 @@ ifeq ($(BUILDING_RAMDISK_IMAGE),true)
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
 # vendor debug ramdisk
 # Combines vendor ramdisk files and debug ramdisk files to build the vendor debug ramdisk.
-INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/vendor-ramdisk-debug.cpio.gz
+INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/vendor-ramdisk-debug.cpio$(RAMDISK_EXT)
 $(INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): DEBUG_RAMDISK_FILES := $(INTERNAL_DEBUG_RAMDISK_FILES)
 $(INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): VENDOR_RAMDISK_DIR := $(TARGET_VENDOR_RAMDISK_OUT)
 
@@ -2440,14 +2451,14 @@ INTERNAL_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_FILES := $(filter $(TARGET_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_OU
 # $(PRODUCT_OUT)/vendor_debug_ramdisk.
 $(INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_DIR := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/vendor_debug_ramdisk
 $(INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(INTERNAL_VENDOR_RAMDISK_TARGET) $(INSTALLED_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET)
-$(INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_FILES) | $(MINIGZIP)
+$(INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_FILES) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS)
 	$(call pretty,"Target vendor debug ram disk: $@")
 	mkdir -p $(TARGET_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_OUT)
 	touch $(TARGET_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_OUT)/force_debuggable
 	$(foreach debug_file,$(DEBUG_RAMDISK_FILES), \
 	  cp -f $(debug_file) $(subst $(PRODUCT_OUT)/debug_ramdisk,$(PRODUCT_OUT)/vendor_debug_ramdisk,$(debug_file)) &&) true
 	rsync -a $(VENDOR_RAMDISK_DIR)/ $(VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_DIR)
-	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_DIR) | $(MINIGZIP) > $@
+	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK_DIR) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $@
 
 INSTALLED_FILES_FILE_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/installed-files-vendor-ramdisk-debug.txt
 INSTALLED_FILES_JSON_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK := $(INSTALLED_FILES_FILE_VENDOR_DEBUG_RAMDISK:.txt=.json)
@@ -2525,18 +2536,18 @@ define append-test-harness-props
 endef
 
 $(INSTALLED_TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(INSTALLED_DEBUG_RAMDISK_TARGET)
-$(INSTALLED_TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_FILES) | $(MINIGZIP)
+$(INSTALLED_TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_TARGET): $(MKBOOTFS) $(INTERNAL_TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_FILES) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS)
 	$(call pretty,"Target test harness ram disk: $@")
 	rsync -a $(TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_SYNC_DIR)/ $(TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR)
 	$(call append-test-harness-props,$(ADDITIONAL_TEST_HARNESS_PROPERTIES),$(TEST_HARNESS_PROP_TARGET))
-	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR) | $(MINIGZIP) > $@
+	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $@
 
 .PHONY: ramdisk_test_harness-nodeps
-ramdisk_test_harness-nodeps: $(MKBOOTFS) | $(MINIGZIP)
+ramdisk_test_harness-nodeps: $(MKBOOTFS) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND_DEPS)
 	echo "make $@: ignoring dependencies"
 	rsync -a $(TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_SYNC_DIR)/ $(TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR)
 	$(call append-test-harness-props,$(ADDITIONAL_TEST_HARNESS_PROPERTIES),$(TEST_HARNESS_PROP_TARGET))
-	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR) | $(MINIGZIP) > $(INSTALLED_TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_TARGET)
+	$(MKBOOTFS) -d $(TARGET_OUT) $(TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_ROOT_DIR) | $(COMPRESSION_COMMAND) > $(INSTALLED_TEST_HARNESS_RAMDISK_TARGET)
 
 endif # BUILDING_RAMDISK_IMAGE
 
diff --git a/core/config.mk b/core/config.mk
index 699202f43..0e0ff8f8a 100644
--- a/core/config.mk
+++ b/core/config.mk
@@ -599,6 +599,7 @@ NANOPB_SRCS := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/protoc-gen-nanopb
 VTSC := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/vtsc$(HOST_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX)
 MKBOOTFS := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/mkbootfs$(HOST_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX)
 MINIGZIP := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/minigzip$(HOST_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX)
+LZ4 := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/lz4$(HOST_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX)
 ifeq (,$(strip $(BOARD_CUSTOM_MKBOOTIMG)))
 MKBOOTIMG := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/mkbootimg$(HOST_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX)
 else