diff --git a/java/droidstubs.go b/java/droidstubs.go
index 8a521aabb..d577b22cc 100644
--- a/java/droidstubs.go
+++ b/java/droidstubs.go
@@ -535,6 +535,10 @@ func metalavaCmd(ctx android.ModuleContext, rule *android.RuleBuilder, javaVersi
 		// b/223382732
 		FlagWithArg("--hide ", "ChangedDefault")
 
+	// Force metalava to ignore classes on the classpath when an API file contains missing classes.
+	// See b/285140653 for more information.
+	cmd.FlagWithArg("--api-class-resolution ", "api")
+
 	return cmd
 }
 
diff --git a/java/java.go b/java/java.go
index aa9f936d0..5bc378b0c 100644
--- a/java/java.go
+++ b/java/java.go
@@ -1728,6 +1728,10 @@ func metalavaStubCmd(ctx android.ModuleContext, rule *android.RuleBuilder,
 		FlagWithArg("--hide ", "InvalidNullabilityOverride").
 		FlagWithArg("--hide ", "ChangedDefault")
 
+	// Force metalava to ignore classes on the classpath when an API file contains missing classes.
+	// See b/285140653 for more information.
+	cmd.FlagWithArg("--api-class-resolution ", "api")
+
 	return cmd
 }