diff --git a/core/res/res/values/config.xml b/core/res/res/values/config.xml
index 6e6dc26dac84e..340e23cd9f6de 100644
--- a/core/res/res/values/config.xml
+++ b/core/res/res/values/config.xml
@@ -352,4 +352,8 @@
 
     <!-- Enables SIP on WIFI only -->
     <bool name="config_sip_wifi_only">false</bool>
+
+    <!-- Boolean indicating if restoring network selection should be skipped -->
+    <!-- The restoring is handled by modem if it is true-->
+    <bool translatable="false" name="skip_restoring_network_selection">false</bool>
 </resources>
diff --git a/telephony/java/com/android/internal/telephony/gsm/GsmServiceStateTracker.java b/telephony/java/com/android/internal/telephony/gsm/GsmServiceStateTracker.java
index 90ecbd7c40295..6ddb31204083a 100644
--- a/telephony/java/com/android/internal/telephony/gsm/GsmServiceStateTracker.java
+++ b/telephony/java/com/android/internal/telephony/gsm/GsmServiceStateTracker.java
@@ -358,8 +358,14 @@ final class GsmServiceStateTracker extends ServiceStateTracker {
                             EVENT_SIM_RECORDS_LOADED, null);
                     mNeedToRegForSimLoaded = false;
                 }
-                // restore the previous network selection.
-                phone.restoreSavedNetworkSelection(null);
+
+                boolean skipRestoringSelection = phone.getContext().getResources().getBoolean(
+                        com.android.internal.R.bool.skip_restoring_network_selection);
+
+                if (!skipRestoringSelection) {
+                    // restore the previous network selection.
+                    phone.restoreSavedNetworkSelection(null);
+                }
                 pollState();
                 // Signal strength polling stops when radio is off
                 queueNextSignalStrengthPoll();