diff --git a/packages/ExtServices/src/android/ext/services/notification/Assistant.java b/packages/ExtServices/src/android/ext/services/notification/Assistant.java
index 3333e1592bfa4..8f33a7016b394 100644
--- a/packages/ExtServices/src/android/ext/services/notification/Assistant.java
+++ b/packages/ExtServices/src/android/ext/services/notification/Assistant.java
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import static android.service.notification.NotificationListenerService.Ranking
 import android.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.annotation.Nullable;
 import android.app.ActivityThread;
-import android.app.AlarmManager;
 import android.app.INotificationManager;
 import android.app.Notification;
 import android.app.NotificationChannel;
@@ -224,8 +223,9 @@ public class Assistant extends NotificationAssistantService {
     }
 
     /** A convenience helper for creating an adjustment for an SBN. */
+    @VisibleForTesting
     @Nullable
-    private Adjustment createEnqueuedNotificationAdjustment(
+    Adjustment createEnqueuedNotificationAdjustment(
             @NonNull NotificationEntry entry,
             @NonNull ArrayList<Notification.Action> smartActions,
             @NonNull ArrayList<CharSequence> smartReplies) {
@@ -237,7 +237,9 @@ public class Assistant extends NotificationAssistantService {
             signals.putCharSequenceArrayList(Adjustment.KEY_SMART_REPLIES, smartReplies);
         }
         if (mNotificationCategorizer.shouldSilence(entry)) {
-            signals.putInt(KEY_IMPORTANCE, IMPORTANCE_LOW);
+            final int importance = entry.getImportance() < IMPORTANCE_LOW ? entry.getImportance()
+                    : IMPORTANCE_LOW;
+            signals.putInt(KEY_IMPORTANCE, importance);
         }
 
         return new Adjustment(
diff --git a/packages/ExtServices/tests/src/android/ext/services/notification/AssistantTest.java b/packages/ExtServices/tests/src/android/ext/services/notification/AssistantTest.java
index 2820232cdb384..2eb005a9b1fa2 100644
--- a/packages/ExtServices/tests/src/android/ext/services/notification/AssistantTest.java
+++ b/packages/ExtServices/tests/src/android/ext/services/notification/AssistantTest.java
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ import java.io.BufferedOutputStream;
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 
 public class AssistantTest extends ServiceTestCase<Assistant> {
 
@@ -466,4 +467,12 @@ public class AssistantTest extends ServiceTestCase<Assistant> {
 
         assertFalse(mAssistant.mLiveNotifications.containsKey(sbn.getKey()));
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testAssistantNeverIncreasesImportanceWhenSuggestingSilent() throws Exception {
+        StatusBarNotification sbn = generateSbn(PKG1, UID1, P1C3, "min notif!", null);
+        Adjustment adjust = mAssistant.createEnqueuedNotificationAdjustment(new NotificationEntry(
+                mPackageManager, sbn, P1C3), new ArrayList<>(), new ArrayList<>());
+        assertEquals(IMPORTANCE_MIN, adjust.getSignals().getInt(Adjustment.KEY_IMPORTANCE));
+    }
 }