diff --git a/android/config.go b/android/config.go
index 09582909e..a7a96b7df 100644
--- a/android/config.go
+++ b/android/config.go
@@ -1451,7 +1451,7 @@ func (c *deviceConfig) ExtraVndkVersions() []string {
 }
 
 func (c *deviceConfig) VndkUseCoreVariant() bool {
-	return Bool(c.config.productVariables.VndkUseCoreVariant)
+	return Bool(c.config.productVariables.VndkUseCoreVariant) && Bool(c.config.productVariables.KeepVndk)
 }
 
 func (c *deviceConfig) SystemSdkVersions() []string {
diff --git a/cc/cc_test.go b/cc/cc_test.go
index f7eb8d270..794c5ee51 100644
--- a/cc/cc_test.go
+++ b/cc/cc_test.go
@@ -677,6 +677,7 @@ func TestVndkUsingCoreVariant(t *testing.T) {
 	config.TestProductVariables.DeviceVndkVersion = StringPtr("current")
 	config.TestProductVariables.Platform_vndk_version = StringPtr("29")
 	config.TestProductVariables.VndkUseCoreVariant = BoolPtr(true)
+	config.TestProductVariables.KeepVndk = BoolPtr(true)
 
 	setVndkMustUseVendorVariantListForTest(config, []string{"libvndk"})