diff --git a/libs/utils/Android.mk b/libs/utils/Android.mk
index d0eedb43a..afecdcb0c 100644
--- a/libs/utils/Android.mk
+++ b/libs/utils/Android.mk
@@ -104,3 +104,13 @@ endif # sim
 LOCAL_MODULE:= libutils
 include $(BUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY)
 
+ifneq ($(TARGET_SIMULATOR),true)
+ifeq ($(TARGET_OS),linux)
+include $(CLEAR_VARS)
+LOCAL_C_INCLUDES += external/zlib external/icu4c/common
+LOCAL_LDLIBS := -lrt -ldl -lpthread
+LOCAL_MODULE := libutils
+LOCAL_SRC_FILES := $(commonSources) BackupData.cpp BackupHelpers.cpp
+include $(BUILD_STATIC_LIBRARY)
+endif
+endif
diff --git a/libs/utils/String8.cpp b/libs/utils/String8.cpp
index 3a3483871..636cd8342 100644
--- a/libs/utils/String8.cpp
+++ b/libs/utils/String8.cpp
@@ -136,10 +136,11 @@ static inline char* getEmptyString()
 
 void initialize_string8()
 {
-#ifdef LIBUTILS_NATIVE
-	  // Bite me, Darwin!
-		gDarwinIsReallyAnnoying = gDarwinCantLoadAllObjects;
-#endif
+    // HACK: This dummy dependency forces linking libutils Static.cpp,
+    // which is needed to initialize String8/String16 classes.
+    // These variables are named for Darwin, but are needed elsewhere too,
+    // including static linking on any platform.
+    gDarwinIsReallyAnnoying = gDarwinCantLoadAllObjects;
 
     SharedBuffer* buf = SharedBuffer::alloc(1);
     char* str = (char*)buf->data();