diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/application_package.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/application_package.dart
index 9857a24420c..35fae609589 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/application_package.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/application_package.dart
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
 import 'dart:async';
+import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:path/path.dart' as path;
+import 'package:xml/xml.dart' as xml;
 
 import 'artifacts.dart';
 import 'build_configuration.dart';
@@ -32,6 +34,8 @@ class AndroidApk extends ApplicationPackage {
   static const String _defaultName = 'SkyShell.apk';
   static const String _defaultId = 'org.domokit.sky.shell';
   static const String _defaultLaunchActivity = '$_defaultId/$_defaultId.SkyActivity';
+  static const String _defaultManifestPath = 'apk/AndroidManifest.xml';
+  static const String _defaultOutputPath = 'build/app.apk';
 
   /// The path to the activity that should be launched.
   /// Defaults to 'org.domokit.sky.shell/org.domokit.sky.shell.SkyActivity'
@@ -44,6 +48,36 @@ class AndroidApk extends ApplicationPackage {
   }) : super(localPath: localPath, id: id) {
     assert(launchActivity != null);
   }
+
+  /// Creates a new AndroidApk based on the information in the Android manifest.
+  static AndroidApk getCustomApk({
+    String localPath: _defaultOutputPath,
+    String manifest: _defaultManifestPath
+  }) {
+    if (!FileSystemEntity.isFileSync(manifest))
+      return null;
+    String manifestString = new File(manifest).readAsStringSync();
+    xml.XmlDocument document = xml.parse(manifestString);
+
+    Iterable<xml.XmlElement> manifests = document.findElements('manifest');
+    if (manifests.isEmpty)
+      return null;
+    String id = manifests.first.getAttribute('package');
+
+    String launchActivity;
+    for (xml.XmlElement category in document.findAllElements('category')) {
+      if (category.getAttribute('android:name') == 'android.intent.category.LAUNCHER') {
+        xml.XmlElement activity = category.parent.parent as xml.XmlElement;
+        String activityName = activity.getAttribute('android:name');
+        launchActivity = "$id/$activityName";
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (id == null || launchActivity == null)
+      return null;
+
+    return new AndroidApk(localPath: localPath, id: id, launchActivity: launchActivity);
+  }
 }
 
 class IOSApp extends ApplicationPackage {
@@ -86,7 +120,13 @@ class ApplicationPackageStore {
       switch (config.targetPlatform) {
         case TargetPlatform.android:
           assert(android == null);
-          if (config.type != BuildType.prebuilt) {
+          android = AndroidApk.getCustomApk();
+          // Fall back to the prebuilt or engine-provided apk if we can't build
+          // a custom one.
+          // TODO(mpcomplete): we should remove both these fallbacks.
+          if (android != null) {
+            break;
+          } else if (config.type != BuildType.prebuilt) {
             String localPath = path.join(config.buildDir, 'apks', AndroidApk._defaultName);
             android = new AndroidApk(localPath: localPath);
           } else {
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/apk.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/apk.dart
index 14bbaef7cbf..14070c95fbb 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/apk.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/apk.dart
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:path/path.dart' as path;
 import 'package:yaml/yaml.dart';
-import 'package:xml/xml.dart' as xml;
 
 import '../android/device_android.dart';
 import '../application_package.dart';
@@ -406,33 +405,6 @@ int _signApk(
   return 0;
 }
 
-// Creates a new ApplicationPackage from the Android manifest.
-AndroidApk _getApplicationPackage(String apkPath, String manifest) {
-  if (!FileSystemEntity.isFileSync(manifest))
-    return null;
-  String manifestString = new File(manifest).readAsStringSync();
-  xml.XmlDocument document = xml.parse(manifestString);
-
-  Iterable<xml.XmlElement> manifests = document.findElements('manifest');
-  if (manifests.isEmpty)
-    return null;
-  String id = manifests.toList()[0].getAttribute('package');
-
-  String launchActivity;
-  for (xml.XmlElement category in document.findAllElements('category')) {
-    if (category.getAttribute('android:name') == 'android.intent.category.LAUNCHER') {
-      xml.XmlElement activity = category.parent.parent as xml.XmlElement;
-      String activityName = activity.getAttribute('android:name');
-      launchActivity = "$id/$activityName";
-      break;
-    }
-  }
-  if (id == null || launchActivity == null)
-    return null;
-
-  return new AndroidApk(localPath: apkPath, id: id, launchActivity: launchActivity);
-}
-
 // Returns true if the apk is out of date and needs to be rebuilt.
 bool _needsRebuild(String apkPath, String manifest) {
   FileStat apkStat = FileStat.statSync(apkPath);
@@ -504,7 +476,8 @@ Future<int> buildAndroid({
   }
 }
 
-Future<ApplicationPackageStore> buildAll(
+// TODO(mpcomplete): move this to Device?
+Future buildAll(
   DeviceStore devices,
   ApplicationPackageStore applicationPackages,
   Toolchain toolchain,
@@ -531,13 +504,6 @@ Future<ApplicationPackageStore> buildAll(
         force: false,
         target: target
       );
-      // Replace our pre-built AndroidApk with this custom-built one.
-      applicationPackages = new ApplicationPackageStore(
-        android: _getApplicationPackage(_kDefaultOutputPath, _kDefaultAndroidManifestPath),
-        iOS: applicationPackages.iOS,
-        iOSSimulator: applicationPackages.iOSSimulator
-      );
     }
   }
-  return applicationPackages;
 }
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/start.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/start.dart
index bfa0a9a6340..ba653b080b9 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/start.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/start.dart
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ Future<int> startApp(
 
   if (install) {
     printTrace('Running build command.');
-    applicationPackages = await buildAll(
+    await buildAll(
       devices, applicationPackages, toolchain, configs,
       enginePath: enginePath,
       target: target);