diff --git a/dex2oat/dex2oat.cc b/dex2oat/dex2oat.cc
index c4e5398..64db7be 100644
--- a/dex2oat/dex2oat.cc
+++ b/dex2oat/dex2oat.cc
@@ -456,6 +456,12 @@
   UsageError("  --deduplicate-code=true|false: enable|disable code deduplication. Deduplicated");
   UsageError("      code will have an arbitrary symbol tagged with [DEDUPED].");
   UsageError("");
+  UsageError("  --compilation-reason=<string>: optional metadata specifying the reason for");
+  UsageError("      compiling the apk. If specified, the string will be embedded verbatim in");
+  UsageError("      the key value store of the oat file.");
+  UsageError("");
+  UsageError("      Example: --compilation-reason=install");
+  UsageError("");
   std::cerr << "See log for usage error information\n";
   exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
@@ -1212,6 +1218,7 @@
     AssignIfExists(args, M::ClasspathDir, &classpath_dir_);
     AssignIfExists(args, M::DirtyImageObjects, &dirty_image_objects_filename_);
     AssignIfExists(args, M::ImageFormat, &image_storage_mode_);
+    AssignIfExists(args, M::CompilationReason, &compilation_reason_);
 
     AssignIfExists(args, M::Backend, &compiler_kind_);
     parser_options->requested_specific_compiler = args.Exists(M::Backend);
@@ -1512,6 +1519,10 @@
       return dex2oat::ReturnCode::kOther;
     }
 
+    if (!compilation_reason_.empty()) {
+      key_value_store_->Put(OatHeader::kCompilationReasonKey, compilation_reason_);
+    }
+
     if (IsBootImage() && image_filenames_.size() > 1) {
       // If we're compiling the boot image, store the boot classpath into the Key-Value store.
       // We need this for the multi-image case.
@@ -2907,6 +2918,9 @@
   // Whether the given input vdex is also the output.
   bool update_input_vdex_ = false;
 
+  // The reason for invoking the compiler.
+  std::string compilation_reason_;
+
   DISALLOW_IMPLICIT_CONSTRUCTORS(Dex2Oat);
 };
 
diff --git a/dex2oat/dex2oat_options.cc b/dex2oat/dex2oat_options.cc
index 0eecc84..4b6f8a4 100644
--- a/dex2oat/dex2oat_options.cc
+++ b/dex2oat/dex2oat_options.cc
@@ -246,7 +246,10 @@
           .IntoKey(M::CompactDexLevel)
       .Define("--runtime-arg _")
           .WithType<std::vector<std::string>>().AppendValues()
-          .IntoKey(M::RuntimeOptions);
+          .IntoKey(M::RuntimeOptions)
+      .Define("--compilation-reason=_")
+          .WithType<std::string>()
+          .IntoKey(M::CompilationReason);
 
   AddCompilerOptionsArgumentParserOptions<Dex2oatArgumentMap>(*parser_builder);
 
diff --git a/dex2oat/dex2oat_options.def b/dex2oat/dex2oat_options.def
index 9a8bdf4..a1646aa 100644
--- a/dex2oat/dex2oat_options.def
+++ b/dex2oat/dex2oat_options.def
@@ -89,5 +89,6 @@
 DEX2OAT_OPTIONS_KEY (std::string,                    ClassLoaderContext)
 DEX2OAT_OPTIONS_KEY (std::string,                    DirtyImageObjects)
 DEX2OAT_OPTIONS_KEY (std::vector<std::string>,       RuntimeOptions)
+DEX2OAT_OPTIONS_KEY (std::string,                    CompilationReason)
 
 #undef DEX2OAT_OPTIONS_KEY
diff --git a/dex2oat/dex2oat_test.cc b/dex2oat/dex2oat_test.cc
index 7948bca..4ac8e6a 100644
--- a/dex2oat/dex2oat_test.cc
+++ b/dex2oat/dex2oat_test.cc
@@ -1731,4 +1731,54 @@
   EXPECT_NE(std::string::npos, output_.find("dex2oat took"));
 }
 
+TEST_F(Dex2oatTest, VerifyCompilationReason) {
+  std::string dex_location = GetScratchDir() + "/Dex2OatCompilationReason.jar";
+  std::string odex_location = GetOdexDir() + "/Dex2OatCompilationReason.odex";
+
+  // Test file doesn't matter.
+  Copy(GetDexSrc1(), dex_location);
+
+  GenerateOdexForTest(dex_location,
+                      odex_location,
+                      CompilerFilter::kVerify,
+                      { "--compilation-reason=install" },
+                      true);
+  std::string error_msg;
+  std::unique_ptr<OatFile> odex_file(OatFile::Open(odex_location.c_str(),
+                                                   odex_location.c_str(),
+                                                   nullptr,
+                                                   nullptr,
+                                                   false,
+                                                   /*low_4gb*/false,
+                                                   dex_location.c_str(),
+                                                   &error_msg));
+  ASSERT_TRUE(odex_file != nullptr);
+  ASSERT_STREQ("install", odex_file->GetCompilationReason());
+}
+
+TEST_F(Dex2oatTest, VerifyNoCompilationReason) {
+  std::string dex_location = GetScratchDir() + "/Dex2OatNoCompilationReason.jar";
+  std::string odex_location = GetOdexDir() + "/Dex2OatNoCompilationReason.odex";
+
+  // Test file doesn't matter.
+  Copy(GetDexSrc1(), dex_location);
+
+  GenerateOdexForTest(dex_location,
+                      odex_location,
+                      CompilerFilter::kVerify,
+                      {},
+                      true);
+  std::string error_msg;
+  std::unique_ptr<OatFile> odex_file(OatFile::Open(odex_location.c_str(),
+                                                   odex_location.c_str(),
+                                                   nullptr,
+                                                   nullptr,
+                                                   false,
+                                                   /*low_4gb*/false,
+                                                   dex_location.c_str(),
+                                                   &error_msg));
+  ASSERT_TRUE(odex_file != nullptr);
+  ASSERT_EQ(nullptr, odex_file->GetCompilationReason());
+}
+
 }  // namespace art
diff --git a/runtime/oat.h b/runtime/oat.h
index 8f81010..af14b3e 100644
--- a/runtime/oat.h
+++ b/runtime/oat.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
   static constexpr const char* kClassPathKey = "classpath";
   static constexpr const char* kBootClassPathKey = "bootclasspath";
   static constexpr const char* kConcurrentCopying = "concurrent-copying";
+  static constexpr const char* kCompilationReasonKey = "compilation-reason";
 
   static constexpr const char kTrueValue[] = "true";
   static constexpr const char kFalseValue[] = "false";
diff --git a/runtime/oat_file.cc b/runtime/oat_file.cc
index 600449c..0852da5 100644
--- a/runtime/oat_file.cc
+++ b/runtime/oat_file.cc
@@ -1924,6 +1924,10 @@
   return GetOatHeader().GetStoreValueByKey(OatHeader::kClassPathKey);
 }
 
+const char* OatFile::GetCompilationReason() const {
+  return GetOatHeader().GetStoreValueByKey(OatHeader::kCompilationReasonKey);
+}
+
 OatFile::OatClass OatFile::FindOatClass(const DexFile& dex_file,
                                         uint16_t class_def_idx,
                                         bool* found) {
diff --git a/runtime/oat_file.h b/runtime/oat_file.h
index 46c692e..802adc3 100644
--- a/runtime/oat_file.h
+++ b/runtime/oat_file.h
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@
 
   std::string GetClassLoaderContext() const;
 
+  const char* GetCompilationReason() const;
+
   const std::string& GetLocation() const {
     return location_;
   }