diff --git a/core/base_rules.mk b/core/base_rules.mk
index 38c2c10708..249ecba1cc 100644
--- a/core/base_rules.mk
+++ b/core/base_rules.mk
@@ -226,7 +226,8 @@ endif
 aidl_preprocess_import :=
 LOCAL_SDK_VERSION:=$(strip $(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION))
 ifdef LOCAL_SDK_VERSION
-ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION),current)
+ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION)$(TARGET_BUILD_APPS),current)
+  # LOCAL_SDK_VERSION is current and no TARGET_BUILD_APPS
   aidl_preprocess_import := $(TARGET_OUT_COMMON_INTERMEDIATES)/framework.aidl
 else
   aidl_preprocess_import := $(HISTORICAL_SDK_VERSIONS_ROOT)/$(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION)/framework.aidl
@@ -399,7 +400,8 @@ ifeq ($(my_prefix),TARGET_)
 ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION),)
 $(LOCAL_INTERMEDIATE_TARGETS): PRIVATE_BOOTCLASSPATH := -bootclasspath $(call java-lib-files,core)
 else
-ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION),current)
+ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION)$(TARGET_BUILD_APPS),current)
+# LOCAL_SDK_VERSION is current and no TARGET_BUILD_APPS.
 $(LOCAL_INTERMEDIATE_TARGETS): PRIVATE_BOOTCLASSPATH := -bootclasspath $(call java-lib-files,android_stubs_current)
 else
 $(LOCAL_INTERMEDIATE_TARGETS): PRIVATE_BOOTCLASSPATH := -bootclasspath $(call java-lib-files,sdk_v$(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION))
diff --git a/core/droiddoc.mk b/core/droiddoc.mk
index 47f599dfb8..e31296541d 100644
--- a/core/droiddoc.mk
+++ b/core/droiddoc.mk
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ endif
 ifneq ($(LOCAL_IS_HOST_MODULE),true)
 
 ifneq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION),)
-  ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION),current)
+  ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION)$(TARGET_BUILD_APPS),current)
+    # Use android_stubs_current if LOCAL_SDK_VERSION is current and no TARGET_BUILD_APPS.
     LOCAL_JAVA_LIBRARIES := android_stubs_current $(LOCAL_JAVA_LIBRARIES)
   else
     LOCAL_JAVA_LIBRARIES := sdk_v$(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION) $(LOCAL_JAVA_LIBRARIES)
diff --git a/core/java.mk b/core/java.mk
index 4005ce3a1e..7e4af79106 100644
--- a/core/java.mk
+++ b/core/java.mk
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ ifneq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION),)
       $(error $(LOCAL_PATH): Invalid LOCAL_SDK_VERSION '$(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION)' \
              Choices are: $(TARGET_AVAILABLE_SDK_VERSIONS))
     else
-      ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION),current)
+      ifeq ($(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION)$(TARGET_BUILD_APPS),current)
+        # Use android_stubs_current if LOCAL_SDK_VERSION is current and no TARGET_BUILD_APPS.
         LOCAL_JAVA_LIBRARIES := android_stubs_current $(LOCAL_JAVA_LIBRARIES)
       else
         LOCAL_JAVA_LIBRARIES := sdk_v$(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION) $(LOCAL_JAVA_LIBRARIES)
@@ -166,7 +167,8 @@ renderscript_flags := -Wall -Werror
 renderscript_flags += $(LOCAL_RENDERSCRIPT_FLAGS)
 
 # prepend the RenderScript system include path
-ifneq ($(filter-out current,$(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION)),)
+ifneq ($(filter-out current,$(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION))$(if $(TARGET_BUILD_APPS),$(filter current,$(LOCAL_SDK_VERSION))),)
+# if a numeric LOCAL_SDK_VERSION, or current LOCAL_SDK_VERSION with TARGET_BUILD_APPS
 LOCAL_RENDERSCRIPT_INCLUDES := \
     $(HISTORICAL_SDK_VERSIONS_ROOT)/renderscript/clang-include \
     $(HISTORICAL_SDK_VERSIONS_ROOT)/renderscript/include \
diff --git a/core/package.mk b/core/package.mk
index def715fd1f..195b346d37 100644
--- a/core/package.mk
+++ b/core/package.mk
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ else
 # Most packages should link against the resources defined by framework-res.
 # Even if they don't have their own resources, they may use framework
 # resources.
-ifneq ($(filter-out current,$(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION)),)
+ifneq ($(filter-out current,$(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION))$(if $(TARGET_BUILD_APPS),$(filter current,$(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION))),)
 # for released sdk versions, the platform resources were built into android.jar.
 framework_res_package_export := \
     $(HISTORICAL_SDK_VERSIONS_ROOT)/$(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION)/android.jar
diff --git a/core/static_java_library.mk b/core/static_java_library.mk
index 91650503af..367ea5f953 100644
--- a/core/static_java_library.mk
+++ b/core/static_java_library.mk
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ framework_res_package_export :=
 framework_res_package_export_deps :=
 # Please refer to package.mk
 ifneq ($(LOCAL_NO_STANDARD_LIBRARIES),true)
-ifneq ($(filter-out current,$(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION)),)
+ifneq ($(filter-out current,$(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION))$(if $(TARGET_BUILD_APPS),$(filter current,$(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION))),)
 framework_res_package_export := \
     $(HISTORICAL_SDK_VERSIONS_ROOT)/$(LOCAL_SDK_RES_VERSION)/android.jar
 framework_res_package_export_deps := $(framework_res_package_export)