diff --git a/android/rule_builder.go b/android/rule_builder.go
index 97582db2c..245b759ca 100644
--- a/android/rule_builder.go
+++ b/android/rule_builder.go
@@ -756,9 +756,13 @@ func (r *RuleBuilder) build(name string, desc string, ninjaEscapeCommandString b
 		pool = localPool
 	}
 
+	if ninjaEscapeCommandString {
+		commandString = proptools.NinjaEscape(commandString)
+	}
+
 	r.ctx.Build(r.pctx, BuildParams{
 		Rule: r.ctx.Rule(r.pctx, name, blueprint.RuleParams{
-			Command:        proptools.NinjaEscape(commandString),
+			Command:        commandString,
 			CommandDeps:    proptools.NinjaEscapeList(tools.Strings()),
 			Restat:         r.restat,
 			Rspfile:        proptools.NinjaEscape(rspFile),