diff --git a/core/java/android/os/Environment.java b/core/java/android/os/Environment.java
index e8ae7e6bbd4ac..4688847b0354c 100644
--- a/core/java/android/os/Environment.java
+++ b/core/java/android/os/Environment.java
@@ -31,7 +31,14 @@ public class Environment {
 
     private static final String SYSTEM_PROPERTY_EFS_ENABLED = "persist.security.efs.enabled";
 
-    private static IMountService mMntSvc = null;
+    private static class MountServiceHolder {
+        static IMountService mSingleton = IMountService.Stub.asInterface(ServiceManager
+                .getService("mount"));
+    }
+
+    private static final Object mLock = new Object();
+
+    private volatile static Boolean mIsExternalStorageEmulated = null;
 
     /**
      * Gets the Android root directory.
@@ -382,11 +389,8 @@ public class Environment {
      */
     public static String getExternalStorageState() {
         try {
-            if (mMntSvc == null) {
-                mMntSvc = IMountService.Stub.asInterface(ServiceManager
-                                                         .getService("mount"));
-            }
-            return mMntSvc.getVolumeState(getExternalStorageDirectory().toString());
+            return MountServiceHolder.mSingleton.getVolumeState(getExternalStorageDirectory()
+                    .toString());
         } catch (Exception rex) {
             return Environment.MEDIA_REMOVED;
         }
@@ -405,6 +409,32 @@ public class Environment {
                 com.android.internal.R.bool.config_externalStorageRemovable);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns whether the device has an external storage device which is
+     * emulated. If true, the device does not have real external storage
+     * and certain system services such as the package manager use this
+     * to determine where to install an application.
+     *
+     * @hide
+     */
+    public static boolean isExternalStorageEmulated() {
+        if (mIsExternalStorageEmulated == null) {
+            synchronized (mLock) {
+                if (mIsExternalStorageEmulated == null) {
+                    boolean externalStorageEmulated;
+                    try {
+                        externalStorageEmulated =
+                                MountServiceHolder.mSingleton.isExternalStorageEmulated();
+                    } catch (Exception e) {
+                        externalStorageEmulated = false;
+                    }
+                    mIsExternalStorageEmulated = Boolean.valueOf(externalStorageEmulated);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        return mIsExternalStorageEmulated;
+    }
+
     static File getDirectory(String variableName, String defaultPath) {
         String path = System.getenv(variableName);
         return path == null ? new File(defaultPath) : new File(path);
diff --git a/core/java/android/os/storage/IMountService.java b/core/java/android/os/storage/IMountService.java
index 60ea95c459f7f..57e208a349964 100644
--- a/core/java/android/os/storage/IMountService.java
+++ b/core/java/android/os/storage/IMountService.java
@@ -565,6 +565,25 @@ public interface IMountService extends IInterface {
                 }
                 return _result;
             }
+
+            /**
+             * Returns whether the external storage is emulated.
+             */
+            public boolean isExternalStorageEmulated() throws RemoteException {
+                Parcel _data = Parcel.obtain();
+                Parcel _reply = Parcel.obtain();
+                boolean _result;
+                try {
+                    _data.writeInterfaceToken(DESCRIPTOR);
+                    mRemote.transact(Stub.TRANSACTION_isExternalStorageEmulated, _data, _reply, 0);
+                    _reply.readException();
+                    _result = 0 != _reply.readInt();
+                } finally {
+                    _reply.recycle();
+                    _data.recycle();
+                }
+                return _result;
+            }
         }
 
         private static final String DESCRIPTOR = "IMountService";
@@ -619,6 +638,8 @@ public interface IMountService extends IInterface {
 
         static final int TRANSACTION_getMountedObbPath = IBinder.FIRST_CALL_TRANSACTION + 24;
 
+        static final int TRANSACTION_isExternalStorageEmulated = IBinder.FIRST_CALL_TRANSACTION + 25;
+
         /**
          * Cast an IBinder object into an IMountService interface, generating a
          * proxy if needed.
@@ -889,6 +910,13 @@ public interface IMountService extends IInterface {
                     reply.writeString(mountedPath);
                     return true;
                 }
+                case TRANSACTION_isExternalStorageEmulated: {
+                    data.enforceInterface(DESCRIPTOR);
+                    boolean emulated = isExternalStorageEmulated();
+                    reply.writeNoException();
+                    reply.writeInt(emulated ? 1 : 0);
+                    return true;
+                }
             }
             return super.onTransact(code, data, reply, flags);
         }
@@ -1043,4 +1071,9 @@ public interface IMountService extends IInterface {
      * Unregisters an IMountServiceListener
      */
     public void unregisterListener(IMountServiceListener listener) throws RemoteException;
+
+    /**
+     * Returns whether or not the external storage is emulated.
+     */
+    public boolean isExternalStorageEmulated() throws RemoteException;
 }
diff --git a/libs/storage/IMountService.cpp b/libs/storage/IMountService.cpp
index 3ad9319a8f359..17a961be8d077 100644
--- a/libs/storage/IMountService.cpp
+++ b/libs/storage/IMountService.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ enum {
     TRANSACTION_unmountObb,
     TRANSACTION_isObbMounted,
     TRANSACTION_getMountedObbPath,
+    TRANSACTION_isExternalStorageEmulated,
 };
 
 class BpMountService: public BpInterface<IMountService>
diff --git a/packages/DefaultContainerService/src/com/android/defcontainer/DefaultContainerService.java b/packages/DefaultContainerService/src/com/android/defcontainer/DefaultContainerService.java
index ce10f5b71d458..e6624ae11c11b 100644
--- a/packages/DefaultContainerService/src/com/android/defcontainer/DefaultContainerService.java
+++ b/packages/DefaultContainerService/src/com/android/defcontainer/DefaultContainerService.java
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ public class DefaultContainerService extends IntentService {
         String status = Environment.getExternalStorageState();
         long availSDSize = -1;
         boolean mediaAvailable = false;
-        if (status.equals(Environment.MEDIA_MOUNTED)) {
+        if (!Environment.isExternalStorageEmulated() && status.equals(Environment.MEDIA_MOUNTED)) {
             StatFs sdStats = new StatFs(
                     Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getPath());
             availSDSize = (long)sdStats.getAvailableBlocks() *
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/MountService.java b/services/java/com/android/server/MountService.java
index 295047c8b7525..baa5016fc032d 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/MountService.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/MountService.java
@@ -1240,6 +1240,10 @@ class MountService extends IMountService.Stub
         return mLegacyState;
     }
 
+    public boolean isExternalStorageEmulated() {
+        return mEmulateExternalStorage;
+    }
+
     public int mountVolume(String path) {
         validatePermission(android.Manifest.permission.MOUNT_UNMOUNT_FILESYSTEMS);