diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/SystemServer.java b/services/java/com/android/server/SystemServer.java
index 80dcc98d2792d..ab98249a8a707 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/SystemServer.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/SystemServer.java
@@ -41,16 +41,17 @@ import android.os.ServiceManager;
 import android.os.StrictMode;
 import android.os.SystemClock;
 import android.os.SystemProperties;
+import android.provider.Contacts.People;
 import android.provider.Settings;
 import android.server.BluetoothA2dpService;
 import android.server.BluetoothService;
 import android.server.search.SearchManagerService;
-import android.view.Display;
-import android.view.WindowManager;
 import android.util.DisplayMetrics;
 import android.util.EventLog;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.util.Slog;
+import android.view.Display;
+import android.view.WindowManager;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.Timer;
@@ -592,6 +593,16 @@ public class SystemServer {
     native public static void init1(String[] args);
 
     public static void main(String[] args) {
+        if (System.currentTimeMillis() < 0) {
+            // If a device's clock is before 1970 (before 0), a lot of
+            // APIs crash dealing with negative numbers, notably
+            // java.io.File#setLastModified, so instead we fake it and
+            // hope that time from cell towers or NTP fixes it
+            // shortly.
+            Slog.w(TAG, "System clock is before 1970; setting to 1970.");
+            SystemClock.setCurrentTimeMillis(1);  // 0 isn't allowed
+        }
+
         if (SamplingProfilerIntegration.isEnabled()) {
             SamplingProfilerIntegration.start();
             timer = new Timer();