diff --git a/api/system-current.txt b/api/system-current.txt
index b29fb4b32d7ba..54fc994552e61 100644
--- a/api/system-current.txt
+++ b/api/system-current.txt
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ package android {
     field public static final java.lang.String FORCE_STOP_PACKAGES = "android.permission.FORCE_STOP_PACKAGES";
     field public static final java.lang.String GET_ACCOUNTS = "android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS";
     field public static final java.lang.String GET_APP_OPS_STATS = "android.permission.GET_APP_OPS_STATS";
+    field public static final java.lang.String GET_PACKAGE_IMPORTANCE = "android.permission.GET_PACKAGE_IMPORTANCE";
     field public static final java.lang.String GET_PACKAGE_SIZE = "android.permission.GET_PACKAGE_SIZE";
     field public static final deprecated java.lang.String GET_TASKS = "android.permission.GET_TASKS";
     field public static final java.lang.String GET_TOP_ACTIVITY_INFO = "android.permission.GET_TOP_ACTIVITY_INFO";
diff --git a/core/res/AndroidManifest.xml b/core/res/AndroidManifest.xml
index 4871d90473733..0ebbe5dae4674 100644
--- a/core/res/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/core/res/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -1340,6 +1340,11 @@
         android:description="@string/permdesc_killBackgroundProcesses"
         android:protectionLevel="normal" />
 
+    <!-- @SystemApi @hide Allows an application to retrieve a package's importance.
+         This permission is not available to third party applications. -->
+    <permission android:name="android.permission.GET_PACKAGE_IMPORTANCE"
+        android:protectionLevel="signature|system" />
+
     <!-- ================================== -->
     <!-- Permissions affecting the display of other applications  -->
     <!-- ================================== -->
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ActivityManagerService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ActivityManagerService.java
index 9f39e7ce0fa2b..954d34f0db0b2 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ActivityManagerService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ActivityManagerService.java
@@ -3589,6 +3589,8 @@ public final class ActivityManagerService extends ActivityManagerNative
 
     @Override
     public int getPackageProcessState(String packageName) {
+        enforceCallingPermission(android.Manifest.permission.GET_PACKAGE_IMPORTANCE,
+                "getPackageProcessState");
         int procState = ActivityManager.PROCESS_STATE_NONEXISTENT;
         synchronized (this) {
             for (int i=mLruProcesses.size()-1; i>=0; i--) {