diff --git a/vndk/tools/header-checker/utils/create_reference_dumps.py b/vndk/tools/header-checker/utils/create_reference_dumps.py
index 0631b8e15..f27c2b059 100755
--- a/vndk/tools/header-checker/utils/create_reference_dumps.py
+++ b/vndk/tools/header-checker/utils/create_reference_dumps.py
@@ -99,12 +99,12 @@ def get_ref_dump_dir_stem(args, vndk_or_ndk, product, chosen_vndk_version):
     return ref_dump_dir_stem
 
 
-def make_libs_for_product(libs, llndk_mode, product):
-    print('making libs for product:', product)
+def make_libs_for_product(libs, llndk_mode, product, variant):
+    print('making libs for', product + '-' + variant)
     if libs:
-        make_libraries(libs, product, llndk_mode)
+        make_libraries(libs, product, variant, llndk_mode)
     else:
-        make_tree(product)
+        make_tree(product, variant)
 
 
 def find_and_remove_path(root_path, file_name=None):
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ def create_source_abi_reference_dumps_for_all_products(args):
         if not args.no_make_lib:
             # Build all the specified libs (or build the 'vndk' target if none
             # of them are specified.)
-            make_libs_for_product(args.libs, args.llndk, product)
+            make_libs_for_product(args.libs, args.llndk, product,
+                                  args.build_variant)
 
         lsdump_paths = get_lsdump_paths(product, args.libs)
         num_processed += create_source_abi_reference_dumps(
@@ -241,6 +242,8 @@ def _parse_args():
                         help='libs to create references for')
     parser.add_argument('-products', action='append',
                         help='products to create references for')
+    parser.add_argument('--build-variant', default='userdebug',
+                        help='build variant to create references for')
     parser.add_argument('--compress', action='store_true',
                         help='compress reference dump with gzip')
     parser.add_argument('-ref-dump-dir',
diff --git a/vndk/tools/header-checker/utils/utils.py b/vndk/tools/header-checker/utils/utils.py
index d8c203a02..04cee115e 100644
--- a/vndk/tools/header-checker/utils/utils.py
+++ b/vndk/tools/header-checker/utils/utils.py
@@ -137,30 +137,30 @@ def run_header_abi_linker(output_path, inputs, version_script, api, arch,
     return read_output_content(output_path, AOSP_DIR)
 
 
-def make_tree(product):
+def make_tree(product, variant):
     # To aid creation of reference dumps.
     make_cmd = ['build/soong/soong_ui.bash', '--make-mode', '-j',
-                'vndk', 'findlsdumps', 'TARGET_PRODUCT=' + product]
+                'vndk', 'findlsdumps', 'TARGET_PRODUCT=' + product,
+                'TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT=' + variant]
     subprocess.check_call(make_cmd, cwd=AOSP_DIR)
 
 
-def make_targets(targets, product):
-    make_cmd = ['build/soong/soong_ui.bash', '--make-mode', '-j']
-    for target in targets:
-        make_cmd.append(target)
-    make_cmd.append('TARGET_PRODUCT=' + product)
+def make_targets(targets, product, variant):
+    make_cmd = ['build/soong/soong_ui.bash', '--make-mode', '-j',
+                'TARGET_PRODUCT=' + product, 'TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT=' + variant]
+    make_cmd += targets
     subprocess.check_call(make_cmd, cwd=AOSP_DIR, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                           stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
 
 
-def make_libraries(libs, product, llndk_mode):
+def make_libraries(libs, product, variant, llndk_mode):
     # To aid creation of reference dumps. Makes lib.vendor for the current
     # configuration.
     lib_targets = []
     for lib in libs:
         lib = lib if llndk_mode else lib + VENDOR_SUFFIX
         lib_targets.append(lib)
-    make_targets(lib_targets, product)
+    make_targets(lib_targets, product, variant)
 
 
 def find_lib_lsdumps(target_arch, target_arch_variant,