diff --git a/core/java/android/app/admin/DevicePolicyManager.java b/core/java/android/app/admin/DevicePolicyManager.java
index a939eb046e11f..7855b927d313b 100644
--- a/core/java/android/app/admin/DevicePolicyManager.java
+++ b/core/java/android/app/admin/DevicePolicyManager.java
@@ -1518,7 +1518,8 @@ public class DevicePolicyManager {
      * Service action: Action for a service that device owner and profile owner can optionally
      * own.  If a device owner or a profile owner has such a service, the system tries to keep
      * a bound connection to it, in order to keep their process always running.
-     * The service must not be exported.
+     * The service must be protected with the {@link android.Manifest.permission#BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN}
+     * permission.
      */
     @SdkConstant(SdkConstantType.SERVICE_ACTION)
     public static final String ACTION_DEVICE_ADMIN_SERVICE
diff --git a/services/devicepolicy/java/com/android/server/devicepolicy/DeviceAdminServiceController.java b/services/devicepolicy/java/com/android/server/devicepolicy/DeviceAdminServiceController.java
index 97fa9d552142a..c7b8f029e4fc6 100644
--- a/services/devicepolicy/java/com/android/server/devicepolicy/DeviceAdminServiceController.java
+++ b/services/devicepolicy/java/com/android/server/devicepolicy/DeviceAdminServiceController.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 package com.android.server.devicepolicy;
 
+import android.Manifest.permission;
 import android.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.annotation.Nullable;
 import android.app.admin.DevicePolicyManager;
@@ -115,10 +116,12 @@ public class DeviceAdminServiceController {
                 return null;
             }
             final ServiceInfo si = list.get(0).serviceInfo;
-            if (si.exported) {
-                Log.e(TAG, "DeviceAdminService must not be exported: '"
+
+            if (!permission.BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN.equals(si.permission)) {
+                Log.e(TAG, "DeviceAdminService "
                         + si.getComponentName().flattenToShortString()
-                        + "' will be ignored.");
+                        + " must be protected with " + permission.BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN
+                        + ".");
                 return null;
             }
             return si;