diff --git a/init/Android.mk b/init/Android.mk
index 162c22640..d71cbc420 100644
--- a/init/Android.mk
+++ b/init/Android.mk
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ LOCAL_SRC_FILES += bootchart.c
 LOCAL_CFLAGS    += -DBOOTCHART=1
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter userdebug eng,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT)))
+LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DALLOW_LOCAL_PROP_OVERRIDE=1
+endif
+
 LOCAL_MODULE:= init
 
 LOCAL_FORCE_STATIC_EXECUTABLE := true
diff --git a/init/property_service.c b/init/property_service.c
index d06df3182..0e3c25bc2 100644
--- a/init/property_service.c
+++ b/init/property_service.c
@@ -512,7 +512,9 @@ int properties_inited(void)
  */
 void load_persist_props(void)
 {
+#ifdef ALLOW_LOCAL_PROP_OVERRIDE
     load_properties_from_file(PROP_PATH_LOCAL_OVERRIDE);
+#endif /* ALLOW_LOCAL_PROP_OVERRIDE */
     /* Read persistent properties after all default values have been loaded. */
     load_persistent_properties();
 }
@@ -523,7 +525,9 @@ void start_property_service(void)
 
     load_properties_from_file(PROP_PATH_SYSTEM_BUILD);
     load_properties_from_file(PROP_PATH_SYSTEM_DEFAULT);
+#ifdef ALLOW_LOCAL_PROP_OVERRIDE
     load_properties_from_file(PROP_PATH_LOCAL_OVERRIDE);
+#endif /* ALLOW_LOCAL_PROP_OVERRIDE */
     /* Read persistent properties after all default values have been loaded. */
     load_persistent_properties();