diff --git a/Android.mk b/Android.mk
index a7a1556..348a023 100644
--- a/Android.mk
+++ b/Android.mk
@@ -198,14 +198,14 @@
 define declare-test-art-host-run-test
 .PHONY: test-art-host-run-test-default-$(1)
 test-art-host-run-test-default-$(1): test-art-host-dependencies $(DX) $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin
-	DX=$(abspath $(DX)) JASMIN=$(abspath $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin) art/test/run-test $(DALVIKVM_FLAGS) --host $(1)
+	DX=$(abspath $(DX)) JASMIN=$(abspath $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin) art/test/run-test $(addprefix --runtime-option ,$(DALVIKVM_FLAGS)) --host $(1)
 	@echo test-art-host-run-test-default-$(1) PASSED
 
 TEST_ART_HOST_RUN_TEST_DEFAULT_TARGETS += test-art-host-run-test-default-$(1)
 
 .PHONY: test-art-host-run-test-interpreter-$(1)
 test-art-host-run-test-interpreter-$(1): test-art-host-dependencies $(DX) $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin
-	DX=$(abspath $(DX)) JASMIN=$(abspath $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin) art/test/run-test $(DALVIKVM_FLAGS) --host --interpreter $(1)
+	DX=$(abspath $(DX)) JASMIN=$(abspath $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin) art/test/run-test $(addprefix --runtime-option ,$(DALVIKVM_FLAGS)) --host --interpreter $(1)
 	@echo test-art-host-run-test-interpreter-$(1) PASSED
 
 TEST_ART_HOST_RUN_TEST_INTERPRETER_TARGETS += test-art-host-run-test-interpreter-$(1)
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@
 endif
 .PHONY: test-art-target-run-test-$(1)$($(2)ART_PHONY_TEST_TARGET_SUFFIX)
 test-art-target-run-test-$(1)$($(2)ART_PHONY_TEST_TARGET_SUFFIX): test-art-target-sync $(DX) $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin
-	DX=$(abspath $(DX)) JASMIN=$(abspath $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin) art/test/run-test $(DALVIKVM_FLAGS) $$($(2)run_test_$(1)) $(1)
+	DX=$(abspath $(DX)) JASMIN=$(abspath $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/jasmin) art/test/run-test $(addprefix --runtime-option ,$(DALVIKVM_FLAGS)) $$($(2)run_test_$(1)) $(1)
 	@echo test-art-target-run-test-$(1)$($(2)ART_PHONY_TEST_TARGET_SUFFIX) PASSED
 endef
 
diff --git a/build/Android.common.mk b/build/Android.common.mk
index 5341136..b63d2dc 100644
--- a/build/Android.common.mk
+++ b/build/Android.common.mk
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
 
 ifeq ($(ART_USE_OPTIMIZING_COMPILER),true)
 DEX2OAT_FLAGS := --compiler-backend=Optimizing
-DALVIKVM_FLAGS := -Xcompiler-option --compiler-backend=Optimizing
+DALVIKVM_FLAGS += -Xcompiler-option --compiler-backend=Optimizing
 endif
 
 #
diff --git a/test/Android.mk b/test/Android.mk
index a3aabe6..3dd70e3 100644
--- a/test/Android.mk
+++ b/test/Android.mk
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
 	ANDROID_DATA=/tmp/android-data/test-art-host-oat-interpreter-$(1) \
 	  ANDROID_ROOT=$(HOST_OUT) \
 	  LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$(HOST_OUT_SHARED_LIBRARIES) \
-	  $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/dalvikvm -XXlib:libartd.so -Ximage:$(HOST_CORE_IMG_LOCATION) -Xint -classpath $(HOST_OUT_JAVA_LIBRARIES)/oat-test-dex-$(1).jar -Djava.library.path=$(HOST_OUT_SHARED_LIBRARIES) $(1) $(2) \
+	  $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/dalvikvm -XXlib:libartd.so -Ximage:$(HOST_CORE_IMG_LOCATION) $(DALVIKVM_FLAGS) -Xint -classpath $(HOST_OUT_JAVA_LIBRARIES)/oat-test-dex-$(1).jar -Djava.library.path=$(HOST_OUT_SHARED_LIBRARIES) $(1) $(2) \
           && echo test-art-host-oat-interpreter-$(1) PASSED || (echo test-art-host-oat-interpreter-$(1) FAILED && exit 1)
 	$(hide) rm -r /tmp/android-data/test-art-host-oat-interpreter-$(1)
 
diff --git a/test/etc/host-run-test-jar b/test/etc/host-run-test-jar
index a844e82..d95559f 100755
--- a/test/etc/host-run-test-jar
+++ b/test/etc/host-run-test-jar
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 INVOKE_WITH=""
 DEV_MODE="n"
 QUIET="n"
-COMPILER_OPTIONS=""
+FLAGS=""
 
 while true; do
     if [ "x$1" = "x--quiet" ]; then
@@ -69,7 +69,12 @@
     elif [ "x$1" = "x-Xcompiler-option" ]; then
         shift
         option="$1"
-        COMPILER_OPTIONS="${COMPILER_OPTIONS} -Xcompiler-option $option"
+        FLAGS="${FLAGS} -Xcompiler-option $option"
+        shift
+    elif [ "x$1" = "x--runtime-option" ]; then
+        shift
+        option="$1"
+        FLAGS="${FLAGS} $option"
         shift
     elif [ "x$1" = "x--" ]; then
         shift
@@ -127,4 +132,4 @@
 fi
 
 cd $ANDROID_BUILD_TOP
-$INVOKE_WITH $gdb $exe $gdbargs -XXlib:$LIB $JNI_OPTS $COMPILER_OPTIONS $INT_OPTS $DEBUGGER_OPTS $BOOT_OPT -cp $DEX_LOCATION/$TEST_NAME.jar Main "$@"
+$INVOKE_WITH $gdb $exe $gdbargs -XXlib:$LIB $JNI_OPTS $FLAGS $INT_OPTS $DEBUGGER_OPTS $BOOT_OPT -cp $DEX_LOCATION/$TEST_NAME.jar Main "$@"
diff --git a/test/etc/push-and-run-test-jar b/test/etc/push-and-run-test-jar
index 6cf7998..b090c33 100755
--- a/test/etc/push-and-run-test-jar
+++ b/test/etc/push-and-run-test-jar
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
         option="$1"
         FLAGS="${FLAGS} -Xcompiler-option $option"
         shift
+    elif [ "x$1" = "x--runtime-option" ]; then
+        shift
+        option="$1"
+        FLAGS="${FLAGS} $option"
+        shift
     elif [ "x$1" = "x--boot" ]; then
         shift
         BOOT_OPT="$1"
diff --git a/test/run-test b/test/run-test
index 323f846..34b06cc 100755
--- a/test/run-test
+++ b/test/run-test
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@
         option="$1"
         run_args="${run_args} -Xcompiler-option $option"
         shift
+    elif [ "x$1" = "x--runtime-option" ]; then
+        shift
+        option="$1"
+        run_args="${run_args} --runtime-option $option"
+        shift
     elif [ "x$1" = "x--debug" ]; then
         run_args="${run_args} --debug"
         shift
@@ -234,6 +239,7 @@
         echo "  Runtime Options:"
         echo "    -O                   Run non-debug rather than debug build (off by default)."
         echo "    -Xcompiler-option    Pass an option to the compiler."
+        echo "    -runtime-option      Pass an option to the runtime."
         echo "    --debug              Wait for a debugger to attach."
         echo "    --gdb                Run under gdb; incompatible with some tests."
         echo "    --build-only         Build test files only (off by default)."