diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 69bedf7..3828f53 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -1214,6 +1214,7 @@
 endif    # TARGET_DEVICE != generic*
 endif    # TARGET_PRODUCT != sdk
 
+ifdef is_tests_build
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
 # A zip of the tests that are built when running "make tests".
 # This is very similar to BUILT_TARGET_FILES_PACKAGE, but we
@@ -1244,23 +1245,13 @@
 		$(TARGET_OUT_DATA),$(zip_root)/DATA)
 	$(hide) (cd $(zip_root) && zip -qry ../$(notdir $@) .)
 
-.PHONY: tests-zip-package
-tests-zip-package: $(BUILT_TESTS_ZIP_PACKAGE)
-
-# Target needed by tests build
-.PHONY: tests-build-target
-tests-build-target: $(BUILT_TESTS_ZIP_PACKAGE)
-
-ifneq (,$(filter $(MAKECMDGOALS),tests-build-target))
-  $(call dist-for-goals, tests-build-target, \
-          $(BUILT_TESTS_ZIP_PACKAGE))
-endif
-
 .PHONY: tests
 tests: $(BUILT_TESTS_ZIP_PACKAGE)
+
 ifneq (,$(filter tests, $(MAKECMDGOALS)))
-$(call dist-for-goals, tests, $(BUILT_TESTS_ZIP_PACKAGE))
+  $(call dist-for-goals, tests, $(BUILT_TESTS_ZIP_PACKAGE))
 endif
+endif # is_tests_build
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
 # A zip of the symbols directory.  Keep the full paths to make it
diff --git a/core/envsetup.mk b/core/envsetup.mk
index 2ad6801..7ede47d 100644
--- a/core/envsetup.mk
+++ b/core/envsetup.mk
@@ -114,10 +114,10 @@
 # variables that we need in order to locate the output files.
 include $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/product_config.mk
 
-build_variant := $(filter-out user userdebug eng tests,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT))
+build_variant := $(filter-out eng user userdebug,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT))
 ifneq ($(build_variant)-$(words $(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT)),-1)
 $(warning bad TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT: $(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT))
-$(error must be empty or one of: user userdebug eng tests)
+$(error must be empty or one of: eng user userdebug)
 endif
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/core/main.mk b/core/main.mk
index e5c1b65..d86783b 100644
--- a/core/main.mk
+++ b/core/main.mk
@@ -232,8 +232,8 @@
 ifneq ($(filter user userdebug eng,$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
 $(info ***************************************************************)
 $(info ***************************************************************)
-$(info Do not pass '$(filter user userdebug eng tests,$(MAKECMDGOALS))' on \
-		the make command line.)
+$(info Do not pass '$(filter user userdebug eng,$(MAKECMDGOALS))' on \
+       the make command line.)
 $(info Set TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT in buildspec.mk, or use lunch or)
 $(info choosecombo.)
 $(info ***************************************************************)
@@ -345,12 +345,6 @@
 endif
 endif
 
-## tests ##
-
-ifeq ($(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT),tests)
-tags_to_install := debug eng tests
-endif
-
 ## sdk ##
 
 ifdef is_sdk_build
diff --git a/core/product_config.mk b/core/product_config.mk
index e05907d..bfbdf78 100644
--- a/core/product_config.mk
+++ b/core/product_config.mk
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
 # These are the valid values of TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT.  Also, if anything else is passed
 # as the variant in the PRODUCT-$TARGET_BUILD_PRODUCT-$TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT form,
 # it will be treated as a goal, and the eng variant will be used.
-INTERNAL_VALID_VARIANTS := user userdebug eng tests
+INTERNAL_VALID_VARIANTS := user userdebug eng
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------
 # Provide "PRODUCT-<prodname>-<goal>" targets, which lets you build
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@
   # The variant they want
   TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT := $(word 2,$(product_goals))
 
+  ifeq ($(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT),tests)
+    $(error "tests" has been deprecated as a build variant. Use it as a build goal instead.)
+  endif
+
   # The build server wants to do make PRODUCT-dream-installclean
   # which really means TARGET_PRODUCT=dream make installclean.
   ifneq ($(filter-out $(INTERNAL_VALID_VARIANTS),$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT)),)
@@ -119,11 +123,6 @@
     default_goal_substitution := $(DEFAULT_GOAL)
   endif
 
-  # For tests build, only build tests-build-target
-  ifeq (tests,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT))
-    default_goal_substitution := tests-build-target
-  endif
-
   # Replace the PRODUCT-* goal with the build goal that it refers to.
   # Note that this will ensure that it appears in the same relative
   # position, in case it matters.