diff --git a/tests/testables/src/android/testing/TestableInstrumentation.java b/tests/testables/src/android/testing/TestableInstrumentation.java
index 3207b486b3294..c35dc68e071fe 100644
--- a/tests/testables/src/android/testing/TestableInstrumentation.java
+++ b/tests/testables/src/android/testing/TestableInstrumentation.java
@@ -38,22 +38,26 @@ public class TestableInstrumentation extends AndroidJUnitRunner {
 
     @Override
     public void onCreate(Bundle arguments) {
-        sManager = new MainLooperManager();
-        Log.setWtfHandler((tag, what, system) -> {
-            if (system) {
-                Log.e(TAG, "WTF!!", what);
-            } else {
-                // These normally kill the app, but we don't want that in a test, instead we want
-                // it to throw.
-                throw new RuntimeException(what);
-            }
-        });
+        if (TestableLooper.HOLD_MAIN_THREAD) {
+            sManager = new MainLooperManager();
+            Log.setWtfHandler((tag, what, system) -> {
+                if (system) {
+                    Log.e(TAG, "WTF!!", what);
+                } else {
+                    // These normally kill the app, but we don't want that in a test, instead we want
+                    // it to throw.
+                    throw new RuntimeException(what);
+                }
+            });
+        }
         super.onCreate(arguments);
     }
 
     @Override
     public void finish(int resultCode, Bundle results) {
-        sManager.destroy();
+        if (TestableLooper.HOLD_MAIN_THREAD) {
+            sManager.destroy();
+        }
         super.finish(resultCode, results);
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/testables/src/android/testing/TestableLooper.java b/tests/testables/src/android/testing/TestableLooper.java
index f8d223ab91b60..8b4cba12b0e63 100644
--- a/tests/testables/src/android/testing/TestableLooper.java
+++ b/tests/testables/src/android/testing/TestableLooper.java
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ import java.util.Map;
  */
 public class TestableLooper {
 
+    /**
+     * Whether to hold onto the main thread through all tests in an attempt to
+     * catch crashes.
+     */
+    public static final boolean HOLD_MAIN_THREAD = false;
+
     private Looper mLooper;
     private MessageQueue mQueue;
     private MessageHandler mMessageHandler;
@@ -77,7 +83,7 @@ public class TestableLooper {
      */
     public void destroy() {
         mQueueWrapper.release();
-        if (mLooper == Looper.getMainLooper()) {
+        if (HOLD_MAIN_THREAD && mLooper == Looper.getMainLooper()) {
             TestableInstrumentation.releaseMain();
         }
     }
@@ -199,7 +205,7 @@ public class TestableLooper {
     }
 
     private static TestLooperManager acquireLooperManager(Looper l) {
-        if (l == Looper.getMainLooper()) {
+        if (HOLD_MAIN_THREAD && l == Looper.getMainLooper()) {
             TestableInstrumentation.acquireMain();
         }
         return InstrumentationRegistry.getInstrumentation().acquireLooperManager(l);
@@ -291,7 +297,7 @@ public class TestableLooper {
                 if (set) {
                     mTestableLooper.mQueueWrapper.release();
                     mTestableLooper.mQueueWrapper = null;
-                    if (mLooper == Looper.getMainLooper()) {
+                    if (HOLD_MAIN_THREAD && mLooper == Looper.getMainLooper()) {
                         TestableInstrumentation.releaseMain();
                     }
                 }