diff --git a/core/java/android/app/SystemServiceRegistry.java b/core/java/android/app/SystemServiceRegistry.java
index d32b6b516a7d8..fe4b0d52b1337 100644
--- a/core/java/android/app/SystemServiceRegistry.java
+++ b/core/java/android/app/SystemServiceRegistry.java
@@ -1162,7 +1162,8 @@ final class SystemServiceRegistry {
             @Override
             public AppPredictionManager createService(ContextImpl ctx)
                     throws ServiceNotFoundException {
-                return new AppPredictionManager(ctx);
+                IBinder b = ServiceManager.getService(Context.APP_PREDICTION_SERVICE);
+                return b == null ? null : new AppPredictionManager(ctx);
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/core/java/android/content/Context.java b/core/java/android/content/Context.java
index c3dd82729d6d3..41c3da394de3e 100644
--- a/core/java/android/content/Context.java
+++ b/core/java/android/content/Context.java
@@ -4106,6 +4106,9 @@ public abstract class Context {
     /**
      * Official published name of the app prediction service.
      *
+     * <p><b>NOTE: </b> this service is optional; callers of
+     * {@code Context.getSystemServiceName(APP_PREDICTION_SERVICE)} should check for {@code null}.
+     *
      * @hide
      * @see #getSystemService(String)
      */