diff --git a/art/runtime/gc/space/image_space.cc b/art/runtime/gc/space/image_space.cc
index f765f0e168..610d839675 100644
--- a/art/runtime/gc/space/image_space.cc
+++ b/art/runtime/gc/space/image_space.cc
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ ImageSpace* ImageSpace::Create(const char* image_location,
                                              &has_system, &cache_filename, &dalvik_cache_exists,
                                              &has_cache, &is_global_cache);
 
-  if (Runtime::Current()->IsZygote()) {
+  if (Runtime::Current()->IsZygote() && Runtime::Current()->IsCheckBoot()) {
     MarkZygoteStart(image_isa);
   }
 
diff --git a/art/runtime/parsed_options.cc b/art/runtime/parsed_options.cc
index 2d75860996..d3d508f587 100644
--- a/art/runtime/parsed_options.cc
+++ b/art/runtime/parsed_options.cc
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ bool ParsedOptions::Parse(const RuntimeOptions& options, bool ignore_unrecognize
 
   compiler_callbacks_ = nullptr;
   is_zygote_ = false;
+  check_boot_ = true;
   must_relocate_ = kDefaultMustRelocate;
   dex2oat_enabled_ = true;
   image_dex2oat_enabled_ = true;
@@ -309,6 +310,8 @@ bool ParsedOptions::Parse(const RuntimeOptions& options, bool ignore_unrecognize
       }
     } else if (StartsWith(option, "-Xcheck:jni")) {
       check_jni_ = true;
+    } else if (StartsWith(option, "-Xcheckboot")) {
+      check_boot_ = false;
     } else if (StartsWith(option, "-Xrunjdwp:") || StartsWith(option, "-agentlib:jdwp=")) {
       std::string tail(option.substr(option[1] == 'X' ? 10 : 15));
       // TODO: move parsing logic out of Dbg
diff --git a/art/runtime/parsed_options.h b/art/runtime/parsed_options.h
index aab58a47e1..5a2dae4ae1 100644
--- a/art/runtime/parsed_options.h
+++ b/art/runtime/parsed_options.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ class ParsedOptions {
   std::string class_path_string_;
   std::string image_;
   bool check_jni_;
+  bool check_boot_;
   std::string jni_trace_;
   std::string native_bridge_library_filename_;
   CompilerCallbacks* compiler_callbacks_;
diff --git a/art/runtime/runtime.cc b/art/runtime/runtime.cc
index 3e05187d07..17b2bfb784 100644
--- a/art/runtime/runtime.cc
+++ b/art/runtime/runtime.cc
@@ -691,6 +691,7 @@ bool Runtime::Init(const RuntimeOptions& raw_options, bool ignore_unrecognized)
   patchoat_executable_ = options->patchoat_executable_;
   must_relocate_ = options->must_relocate_;
   is_zygote_ = options->is_zygote_;
+  check_boot_ = options->check_boot_;
   is_explicit_gc_disabled_ = options->is_explicit_gc_disabled_;
   dex2oat_enabled_ = options->dex2oat_enabled_;
   image_dex2oat_enabled_ = options->image_dex2oat_enabled_;
diff --git a/art/runtime/runtime.h b/art/runtime/runtime.h
index 9e53472831..bacb8e98b7 100644
--- a/art/runtime/runtime.h
+++ b/art/runtime/runtime.h
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ class Runtime {
     return is_zygote_;
   }
 
+  bool IsCheckBoot() const {
+    return check_boot_;
+  }
+
   bool IsExplicitGcDisabled() const {
     return is_explicit_gc_disabled_;
   }
@@ -537,6 +541,7 @@ class Runtime {
 
   CompilerCallbacks* compiler_callbacks_;
   bool is_zygote_;
+  bool check_boot_;
   bool must_relocate_;
   bool is_concurrent_gc_enabled_;
   bool is_explicit_gc_disabled_;