diff --git a/core/java/com/android/internal/policy/TransitionAnimation.java b/core/java/com/android/internal/policy/TransitionAnimation.java
index 377dfd0fb1372..74749cc9bf0b8 100644
--- a/core/java/com/android/internal/policy/TransitionAnimation.java
+++ b/core/java/com/android/internal/policy/TransitionAnimation.java
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ public class TransitionAnimation {
 
     private static final String DEFAULT_PACKAGE = "android";
 
+    // TODO (b/215515255): remove once we full migrate to shell transitions
+    private static final boolean SHELL_TRANSITIONS_ENABLED =
+            SystemProperties.getBoolean("persist.wm.debug.shell_transit", false);
+
     private final Context mContext;
     private final String mTag;
 
@@ -252,6 +256,9 @@ public class TransitionAnimation {
                 resId = ent.array.getResourceId(animAttr, 0);
             }
         }
+        if (!SHELL_TRANSITIONS_ENABLED) {
+            resId = updateToLegacyIfNeeded(resId);
+        }
         resId = updateToTranslucentAnimIfNeeded(resId, transit);
         if (ResourceId.isValid(resId)) {
             return loadAnimationSafely(context, resId, mTag);
@@ -259,6 +266,24 @@ public class TransitionAnimation {
         return null;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Replace animations that are not compatible with the legacy transition system with ones that
+     * are compatible with it.
+     * TODO (b/215515255): remove once we full migrate to shell transitions
+     */
+    private int updateToLegacyIfNeeded(int anim) {
+        if (anim == R.anim.activity_open_enter) {
+            return R.anim.activity_open_enter_legacy;
+        } else if (anim == R.anim.activity_open_exit) {
+            return R.anim.activity_open_exit_legacy;
+        } else if (anim == R.anim.activity_close_enter) {
+            return R.anim.activity_close_enter_legacy;
+        } else if (anim == R.anim.activity_close_exit) {
+            return R.anim.activity_close_exit_legacy;
+        }
+        return anim;
+    }
+
     /** Load animation by attribute Id from a specific AnimationStyle resource. */
     @Nullable
     public Animation loadAnimationAttr(String packageName, int animStyleResId, int animAttr,
diff --git a/core/res/res/anim/activity_close_enter_legacy.xml b/core/res/res/anim/activity_close_enter_legacy.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9fa7c5498ea6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/res/res/anim/activity_close_enter_legacy.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!--
+/*
+** Copyright 2009, The Android Open Source Project
+**
+** Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+** you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+** You may obtain a copy of the License at
+**
+**     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+**
+** Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+** distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+** WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+** See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+** limitations under the License.
+*/
+-->
+
+<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:shareInterpolator="false">
+    <scale
+        android:fromXScale="1.1"
+        android:toXScale="1"
+        android:fromYScale="1.1"
+        android:toYScale="1"
+        android:pivotX="50%"
+        android:pivotY="50%"
+        android:fillEnabled="true"
+        android:fillBefore="true"
+        android:fillAfter="true"
+        android:interpolator="@interpolator/fast_out_extra_slow_in"
+        android:duration="400"/>
+</set>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/res/res/anim/activity_close_exit_legacy.xml b/core/res/res/anim/activity_close_exit_legacy.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..1599ae8cb19fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/res/res/anim/activity_close_exit_legacy.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!--
+/*
+** Copyright 2009, The Android Open Source Project
+**
+** Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+** you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+** You may obtain a copy of the License at
+**
+**     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+**
+** Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+** distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+** WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+** See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+** limitations under the License.
+*/
+-->
+
+<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:shareInterpolator="false"
+    android:zAdjustment="top">
+    <alpha
+        android:fromAlpha="1"
+        android:toAlpha="0.0"
+        android:fillEnabled="true"
+        android:fillBefore="true"
+        android:fillAfter="true"
+        android:interpolator="@interpolator/linear"
+        android:startOffset="33"
+        android:duration="50"/>
+    <scale
+        android:fromXScale="1"
+        android:toXScale="0.9"
+        android:fromYScale="1"
+        android:toYScale="0.9"
+        android:pivotX="50%"
+        android:pivotY="50%"
+        android:fillEnabled="true"
+        android:fillBefore="true"
+        android:fillAfter="true"
+        android:interpolator="@interpolator/fast_out_extra_slow_in"
+        android:duration="400"/>
+</set>
diff --git a/core/res/res/anim/activity_open_enter_legacy.xml b/core/res/res/anim/activity_open_enter_legacy.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..38d3e8ed06ce9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/res/res/anim/activity_open_enter_legacy.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><!--
+/*
+** Copyright 2009, The Android Open Source Project
+**
+** Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+** you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+** You may obtain a copy of the License at
+**
+**     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+**
+** Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+** distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+** WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+** See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+** limitations under the License.
+*/
+-->
+
+<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:shareInterpolator="false">
+    <alpha
+        android:fromAlpha="0"
+        android:toAlpha="1.0"
+        android:fillEnabled="true"
+        android:fillBefore="true"
+        android:fillAfter="true"
+        android:interpolator="@interpolator/linear"
+        android:startOffset="50"
+        android:duration="50"/>
+    <scale
+        android:fromXScale="0.85"
+        android:toXScale="1"
+        android:fromYScale="0.85"
+        android:toYScale="1"
+        android:pivotX="50%"
+        android:pivotY="50%"
+        android:fillEnabled="true"
+        android:fillBefore="true"
+        android:fillAfter="true"
+        android:interpolator="@interpolator/fast_out_extra_slow_in"
+        android:duration="400"/>
+</set>
diff --git a/core/res/res/anim/activity_open_exit_legacy.xml b/core/res/res/anim/activity_open_exit_legacy.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..3865d2149f42f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/res/res/anim/activity_open_exit_legacy.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><!--
+/*
+** Copyright 2009, The Android Open Source Project
+**
+** Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+** you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+** You may obtain a copy of the License at
+**
+**     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+**
+** Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+** distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+** WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+** See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+** limitations under the License.
+*/
+-->
+
+<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:shareInterpolator="false">
+
+    <!-- Fade out, over a black surface, which simulates a black scrim -->
+    <alpha
+        android:fromAlpha="1"
+        android:toAlpha="0.4"
+        android:fillEnabled="true"
+        android:fillBefore="true"
+        android:fillAfter="true"
+        android:interpolator="@interpolator/linear"
+        android:startOffset="83"
+        android:duration="167"/>
+
+    <scale
+        android:fromXScale="1"
+        android:toXScale="1.05"
+        android:fromYScale="1"
+        android:toYScale="1.05"
+        android:pivotX="50%"
+        android:pivotY="50%"
+        android:fillEnabled="true"
+        android:fillBefore="true"
+        android:fillAfter="true"
+        android:interpolator="@interpolator/fast_out_extra_slow_in"
+        android:duration="400"/>
+</set>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml b/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
index 0f0504c3e2748..1f0b22b9e4603 100644
--- a/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
+++ b/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
@@ -1713,6 +1713,10 @@
   <java-symbol type="anim" name="activity_open_exit" />
   <java-symbol type="anim" name="activity_close_enter" />
   <java-symbol type="anim" name="activity_close_exit" />
+  <java-symbol type="anim" name="activity_open_enter_legacy" />
+  <java-symbol type="anim" name="activity_open_exit_legacy" />
+  <java-symbol type="anim" name="activity_close_enter_legacy" />
+  <java-symbol type="anim" name="activity_close_exit_legacy" />
   <java-symbol type="anim" name="task_fragment_close_enter" />
   <java-symbol type="anim" name="task_fragment_close_exit" />
   <java-symbol type="anim" name="task_fragment_open_enter" />