diff --git a/testrunner/runtest.py b/testrunner/runtest.py
index b72727064..c13fb4cc9 100755
--- a/testrunner/runtest.py
+++ b/testrunner/runtest.py
@@ -177,17 +177,20 @@ class TestRunner(object):
   def _DoBuild(self):
     logger.SilentLog("Building tests...")
     target_set = Set()
+    extra_args_set = Set()
     for test_suite in self._GetTestsToRun():
-      self._AddBuildTarget(test_suite.GetBuildPath(), target_set)
+      self._AddBuildTarget(test_suite, target_set, extra_args_set)
 
     if target_set:
       if self._options.coverage:
         self._coverage_gen.EnableCoverageBuild()
         self._AddBuildTarget(self._coverage_gen.GetEmmaBuildPath(), target_set)
       target_build_string = " ".join(list(target_set))
-      logger.Log("mmm %s" % target_build_string)
-      cmd = 'ONE_SHOT_MAKEFILE="%s" make -C "%s" files' %  (target_build_string,
-                                                            self._root_path)
+      extra_args_string = " ".join(list(extra_args_set))
+      cmd = 'ONE_SHOT_MAKEFILE="%s" make -C "%s" files %s' % (
+          target_build_string, self._root_path, extra_args_string)
+      logger.Log(cmd)
+
       if self._options.preview:
         # in preview mode, just display to the user what command would have been
         # run
@@ -197,11 +200,13 @@ class TestRunner(object):
         logger.Log("Syncing to device...")
         self._adb.Sync()
 
-  def _AddBuildTarget(self, build_dir, target_set):
+  def _AddBuildTarget(self, test_suite, target_set, extra_args_set):
+    build_dir = test_suite.GetBuildPath()
     if build_dir is not None:
       build_file_path = os.path.join(build_dir, "Android.mk")
       if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(self._root_path, build_file_path)):
         target_set.add(build_file_path)
+        extra_args_set.add(test_suite.GetExtraMakeArgs())
 
   def _GetTestsToRun(self):
     """Get a list of TestSuite objects to run, based on command line args."""
diff --git a/testrunner/test_defs.py b/testrunner/test_defs.py
index f7a435e95..2cdcfa87c 100644
--- a/testrunner/test_defs.py
+++ b/testrunner/test_defs.py
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ class TestSuite(object):
   _BUILD_ATTR = "build_path"
   _CONTINUOUS_ATTR = "continuous"
   _DESCRIPTION_ATTR = "description"
+  _EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS_ATTR = "extra_make_args"
 
   _DEFAULT_RUNNER = "android.test.InstrumentationTestRunner"
 
@@ -202,6 +203,11 @@ class TestSuite(object):
       self._description = suite_element.getAttribute(self._DESCRIPTION_ATTR)
     else:
       self._description = ""
+    if suite_element.hasAttribute(self._EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS_ATTR):
+      self._extra_make_args = suite_element.getAttribute(
+          self._EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS_ATTR)
+    else:
+      self._extra_make_args = ""
 
   def GetName(self):
     return self._name
@@ -235,8 +241,13 @@ class TestSuite(object):
     return self._native
 
   def GetDescription(self):
+    """Returns a description if available, an empty string otherwise."""
     return self._description
 
+  def GetExtraMakeArgs(self):
+    """Returns the extra make args if available, an empty string otherwise."""
+    return self._extra_make_args
+
 def Parse(file_path):
   """Parses out a TestDefinitions from given path to xml file.
 
diff --git a/testrunner/test_defs.xml b/testrunner/test_defs.xml
index 9007a11bf..03ecbbcfd 100644
--- a/testrunner/test_defs.xml
+++ b/testrunner/test_defs.xml
@@ -68,9 +68,11 @@ Native tests:
      false if they are under development.
   description: Optional string. Default is empty. Short description (typically
      less than 60 characters) about this test.
+  extra_make_args: Optional string. Default is empty. Some test module require
+     extra make arguments to build. This string is append to the make command.
 
   These attributes map to the following commands:
-    make <build_path>/Android.mk
+    make <build_path>/Android.mk <extra_make_args>
     adb sync
     for test_prog in <tests built>; do
       adb shell "/system/bin/${test_prog} >/dev/null 2>&1;echo \$?"
@@ -259,7 +261,8 @@ Native tests:
 <!--  native tests  -->
 <test-native name="libstdcpp"
     build_path="system/extras/tests/bionic/libstdc++"
-    description="Bionic libstdc++." />
+    description="Bionic libstdc++."
+    extra_make_args="BIONIC_TESTS=1" />
 
 
 </test-definitions>