diff --git a/java/lint.go b/java/lint.go
index ca87dbab6..b73d6a51a 100644
--- a/java/lint.go
+++ b/java/lint.go
@@ -155,8 +155,11 @@ func (l *linter) writeLintProjectXML(ctx android.ModuleContext,
 	cmd.FlagForEachArg("--extra_checks_jar ", l.extraLintCheckJars.Strings())
 	deps = append(deps, l.extraLintCheckJars...)
 
-	// The cache tag in project.xml is relative to the project.xml file.
-	cmd.FlagWithArg("--cache_dir ", "cache")
+	cmd.FlagWithArg("--root_dir ", "$PWD")
+
+	// The cache tag in project.xml is relative to the root dir, or the project.xml file if
+	// the root dir is not set.
+	cmd.FlagWithArg("--cache_dir ", cacheDir.String())
 
 	cmd.FlagWithInput("@",
 		android.PathForSource(ctx, "build/soong/java/lint_defaults.txt"))
diff --git a/scripts/lint-project-xml.py b/scripts/lint-project-xml.py
index 7ab4f0150..38c57cadf 100755
--- a/scripts/lint-project-xml.py
+++ b/scripts/lint-project-xml.py
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ def parse_args():
                       help='mark the module as a test.')
   parser.add_argument('--cache_dir', dest='cache_dir',
                       help='directory to use for cached file.')
+  parser.add_argument('--root_dir', dest='root_dir',
+                      help='directory to use for root dir.')
   group = parser.add_argument_group('check arguments', 'later arguments override earlier ones.')
   group.add_argument('--fatal_check', dest='checks', action=check_action('fatal'), default=[],
                      help='treat a lint issue as a fatal error.')
@@ -162,6 +164,8 @@ def write_project_xml(f, args):
 
   f.write("<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>\n")
   f.write("<project>\n")
+  if args.root_dir:
+    f.write("  <root dir='%s' />\n" % args.root_dir)
   f.write("  <module name='%s' android='true' %sdesugar='full' >\n" % (args.name, "library='true' " if args.library else ""))
   if args.manifest:
     f.write("    <manifest file='%s' %s/>\n" % (args.manifest, test_attr))