diff --git a/core/java/android/app/ActivityThread.java b/core/java/android/app/ActivityThread.java
index 7767f0491a166..a3243a5de72a9 100644
--- a/core/java/android/app/ActivityThread.java
+++ b/core/java/android/app/ActivityThread.java
@@ -5939,6 +5939,11 @@ public final class ActivityThread extends ClientTransactionHandler {
             Binder.enableTracing();
         }
 
+        // Initialize heap profiling.
+        if (isAppProfileable || Build.IS_DEBUGGABLE) {
+            nInitZygoteChildHeapProfiling();
+        }
+
         // Allow renderer debugging features if we're debuggable.
         boolean isAppDebuggable = (data.appInfo.flags & ApplicationInfo.FLAG_DEBUGGABLE) != 0;
         HardwareRenderer.setDebuggingEnabled(isAppDebuggable || Build.IS_DEBUGGABLE);
@@ -6965,4 +6970,5 @@ public final class ActivityThread extends ClientTransactionHandler {
     // ------------------ Regular JNI ------------------------
     private native void nPurgePendingResources();
     private native void nDumpGraphicsInfo(FileDescriptor fd);
+    private native void nInitZygoteChildHeapProfiling();
 }
diff --git a/core/jni/android_app_ActivityThread.cpp b/core/jni/android_app_ActivityThread.cpp
index d56e4c51124dd..93f2525eb29d5 100644
--- a/core/jni/android_app_ActivityThread.cpp
+++ b/core/jni/android_app_ActivityThread.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include "core_jni_helpers.h"
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include <bionic_malloc.h>
+
 namespace android {
 
 static void android_app_ActivityThread_purgePendingResources(JNIEnv* env, jobject clazz) {
@@ -38,13 +40,18 @@ android_app_ActivityThread_dumpGraphics(JNIEnv* env, jobject clazz, jobject java
     minikin::Layout::dumpMinikinStats(fd);
 }
 
+static void android_app_ActivityThread_initZygoteChildHeapProfiling(JNIEnv* env, jobject clazz) {
+    android_mallopt(M_INIT_ZYGOTE_CHILD_PROFILING, nullptr, 0);
+}
 
 static JNINativeMethod gActivityThreadMethods[] = {
     // ------------ Regular JNI ------------------
     { "nPurgePendingResources",        "()V",
       (void*) android_app_ActivityThread_purgePendingResources },
     { "nDumpGraphicsInfo",        "(Ljava/io/FileDescriptor;)V",
-      (void*) android_app_ActivityThread_dumpGraphics }
+      (void*) android_app_ActivityThread_dumpGraphics },
+    { "nInitZygoteChildHeapProfiling",        "()V",
+      (void*) android_app_ActivityThread_initZygoteChildHeapProfiling }
 };
 
 int register_android_app_ActivityThread(JNIEnv* env) {
diff --git a/services/core/jni/Android.bp b/services/core/jni/Android.bp
index fb00aebb622f0..3729eaf63ddb3 100644
--- a/services/core/jni/Android.bp
+++ b/services/core/jni/Android.bp
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ cc_library_static {
     ],
 
     include_dirs: [
+        "bionic/libc/private",
         "frameworks/base/libs",
         "frameworks/native/services",
         "system/gatekeeper/include",
diff --git a/services/core/jni/com_android_server_SystemServer.cpp b/services/core/jni/com_android_server_SystemServer.cpp
index dc0d53b41595c..159a4960731d4 100644
--- a/services/core/jni/com_android_server_SystemServer.cpp
+++ b/services/core/jni/com_android_server_SystemServer.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include <sensorservice/SensorService.h>
 #include <sensorservicehidl/SensorManager.h>
 
+#include <bionic_malloc.h>
+
 #include <cutils/properties.h>
 #include <utils/Log.h>
 #include <utils/misc.h>
@@ -64,6 +66,11 @@ static void android_server_SystemServer_startHidlServices(JNIEnv* env, jobject /
     ALOGE_IF(err != OK, "Cannot register %s: %d", ISchedulingPolicyService::descriptor, err);
 }
 
+static void android_server_SystemServer_initZygoteChildHeapProfiling(JNIEnv* /* env */,
+                                                                     jobject /* clazz */) {
+   android_mallopt(M_INIT_ZYGOTE_CHILD_PROFILING, nullptr, 0);
+}
+
 /*
  * JNI registration.
  */
@@ -71,6 +78,8 @@ static const JNINativeMethod gMethods[] = {
     /* name, signature, funcPtr */
     { "startSensorService", "()V", (void*) android_server_SystemServer_startSensorService },
     { "startHidlServices", "()V", (void*) android_server_SystemServer_startHidlServices },
+    { "initZygoteChildHeapProfiling", "()V",
+      (void*) android_server_SystemServer_initZygoteChildHeapProfiling },
 };
 
 int register_android_server_SystemServer(JNIEnv* env)
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/SystemServer.java b/services/java/com/android/server/SystemServer.java
index cef47caff740b..98385c93aafef 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/SystemServer.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/SystemServer.java
@@ -326,6 +326,11 @@ public final class SystemServer {
      */
     private static native void startHidlServices();
 
+    /**
+     * Mark this process' heap as profileable. Only for debug builds.
+     */
+    private static native void initZygoteChildHeapProfiling();
+
     /**
      * The main entry point from zygote.
      */
@@ -448,6 +453,11 @@ public final class SystemServer {
             // Initialize native services.
             System.loadLibrary("android_servers");
 
+            // Debug builds - allow heap profiling.
+            if (Build.IS_DEBUGGABLE) {
+                initZygoteChildHeapProfiling();
+            }
+
             // Check whether we failed to shut down last time we tried.
             // This call may not return.
             performPendingShutdown();