diff --git a/core/config.mk b/core/config.mk
index f9bb873..1a0a418 100644
--- a/core/config.mk
+++ b/core/config.mk
@@ -526,13 +526,17 @@
 .KATI_READONLY := ALLOW_MISSING_DEPENDENCIES
 
 TARGET_BUILD_USE_PREBUILT_SDKS :=
+DISABLE_PREOPT :=
 ifneq (,$(TARGET_BUILD_APPS)$(TARGET_BUILD_UNBUNDLED_IMAGE))
+  DISABLE_PREOPT := true
   ifndef UNBUNDLED_BUILD_SDKS_FROM_SOURCE
     TARGET_BUILD_USE_PREBUILT_SDKS := true
   endif
 endif
 
-.KATI_READONLY := TARGET_BUILD_USE_PREBUILT_SDKS
+.KATI_READONLY := \
+  TARGET_BUILD_USE_PREBUILT_SDKS \
+  DISABLE_PREOPT \
 
 prebuilt_sdk_tools := prebuilts/sdk/tools
 prebuilt_sdk_tools_bin := $(prebuilt_sdk_tools)/$(HOST_OS)/bin
diff --git a/core/dex_preopt_config.mk b/core/dex_preopt_config.mk
index 55f6f0b..41a2be9 100644
--- a/core/dex_preopt_config.mk
+++ b/core/dex_preopt_config.mk
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   ENABLE_PREOPT :=
 else ifneq (true,$(filter true,$(PRODUCT_USES_DEFAULT_ART_CONFIG)))
   ENABLE_PREOPT :=
-else ifneq (,$(TARGET_BUILD_APPS))
+else ifeq (true,$(DISABLE_PREOPT))
   ENABLE_PREOPT :=
 endif
 
diff --git a/core/dex_preopt_odex_install.mk b/core/dex_preopt_odex_install.mk
index 3d5f68a..799b623 100644
--- a/core/dex_preopt_odex_install.mk
+++ b/core/dex_preopt_odex_install.mk
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
   LOCAL_DEX_PREOPT :=
 endif
 
-# Disable preopt for TARGET_BUILD_APPS
-ifneq (,$(TARGET_BUILD_APPS))
+# Disable preopt for DISABLE_PREOPT
+ifeq (true,$(DISABLE_PREOPT))
   LOCAL_DEX_PREOPT :=
 endif