diff --git a/java/dexpreopt_bootjars.go b/java/dexpreopt_bootjars.go
index 7137f33ba..e57c3e98d 100644
--- a/java/dexpreopt_bootjars.go
+++ b/java/dexpreopt_bootjars.go
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ func getBootJar(ctx android.SingletonContext, bootjars android.ConfiguredJarList
 
 	// Now match the apex part of the boot image configuration.
 	requiredApex := bootjars.Apex(index)
-	if requiredApex == "platform" {
+	if requiredApex == "platform" || requiredApex == "system_ext" {
 		if len(apexInfo.InApexes) != 0 {
 			// A platform variant is required but this is for an apex so ignore it.
 			return -1, nil, nil
diff --git a/java/dexpreopt_bootjars_test.go b/java/dexpreopt_bootjars_test.go
index d78651d90..73f21d12e 100644
--- a/java/dexpreopt_bootjars_test.go
+++ b/java/dexpreopt_bootjars_test.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ func testDexpreoptBoot(t *testing.T, ruleFile string, expectedInputs, expectedOu
 			name: "bar",
 			srcs: ["b.java"],
 			installable: true,
+			system_ext_specific: true,
 		}
 
 		dex_import {
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ func testDexpreoptBoot(t *testing.T, ruleFile string, expectedInputs, expectedOu
 		prepareForJavaTest,
 		PrepareForTestWithJavaSdkLibraryFiles,
 		FixtureWithLastReleaseApis("foo"),
-		dexpreopt.FixtureSetBootJars("platform:foo", "platform:bar", "platform:baz"),
+		dexpreopt.FixtureSetBootJars("platform:foo", "system_ext:bar", "platform:baz"),
 	).RunTestWithBp(t, bp)
 
 	dexpreoptBootJars := result.SingletonForTests("dex_bootjars")