diff --git a/core/definitions.mk b/core/definitions.mk
index 1afbb90cd9..4b39d0b37c 100644
--- a/core/definitions.mk
+++ b/core/definitions.mk
@@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ endef
 define create-resource-java-files
 @mkdir -p $(PRIVATE_SOURCE_INTERMEDIATES_DIR)
 @mkdir -p $(dir $(PRIVATE_RESOURCE_PUBLICS_OUTPUT))
-$(hide) $(AAPT) package $(PRIVATE_AAPT_FLAGS) -m -z \
+$(hide) $(AAPT) package $(PRIVATE_AAPT_FLAGS) -m \
     $(eval # PRODUCT_AAPT_CONFIG is intentionally missing-- see comment.) \
     $(addprefix -J , $(PRIVATE_SOURCE_INTERMEDIATES_DIR)) \
     $(addprefix -M , $(PRIVATE_ANDROID_MANIFEST)) \
@@ -1367,7 +1367,7 @@ endef
 #values; applications can override these by explicitly stating
 #them in their manifest.
 define add-assets-to-package
-$(hide) $(AAPT) package -z -u $(PRIVATE_AAPT_FLAGS) \
+$(hide) $(AAPT) package -u $(PRIVATE_AAPT_FLAGS) \
     $(addprefix -c , $(PRODUCT_AAPT_CONFIG)) \
     $(addprefix -M , $(PRIVATE_ANDROID_MANIFEST)) \
     $(addprefix -S , $(PRIVATE_RESOURCE_DIR)) \
diff --git a/core/package.mk b/core/package.mk
index 0b9036bab1..24807f9e4c 100644
--- a/core/package.mk
+++ b/core/package.mk
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ endif
 
 #$(warning $(LOCAL_PATH) $(LOCAL_PACKAGE_NAME) $(sort $(LOCAL_MODULE_TAGS)))
 
+ifeq ($(filter tests, $(LOCAL_MODULE_TAGS)),)
+# Force localization check if it's not tagged as tests.
+LOCAL_AAPT_FLAGS := $(LOCAL_AAPT_FLAGS) -z
+endif
+
 ifeq (,$(LOCAL_ASSET_DIR))
 LOCAL_ASSET_DIR := $(LOCAL_PATH)/assets
 endif