diff --git a/DEPS b/DEPS
index 6e43f2c3d43b3..01c63ccc0fea7 100644
--- a/DEPS
+++ b/DEPS
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ allowed_hosts = [
 ]
 
 deps = {
-  'src': 'https://github.com/flutter/buildroot.git' + '@' + '6b0243e97d94836767ea8b94a477d7d15ee3bb91',
+  'src': 'https://github.com/flutter/buildroot.git' + '@' + 'b615dd6af4c2e95a388060151c7fd1e429e34d61',
 
    # Fuchsia compatibility
    #
diff --git a/shell/platform/android/BUILD.gn b/shell/platform/android/BUILD.gn
index 18562b0ae24c4..ec965a4c0a53f 100644
--- a/shell/platform/android/BUILD.gn
+++ b/shell/platform/android/BUILD.gn
@@ -490,14 +490,19 @@ action("android_jar") {
     ":pom_libflutter",
   ]
 
-  if (enable_vulkan_validation_layers) {
+  if (enable_vulkan_validation_layers ||
+      (impeller_enable_vulkan && current_cpu == "arm64" &&
+       flutter_runtime_mode == "debug")) {
     assert(impeller_enable_vulkan)
-    deps += [ "//third_party/vulkan_validation_layers" ]
+    apilevel26_toolchain = "//build/toolchain/android:clang_arm64_apilevel26"
+    validation_layer_target =
+        "//third_party/vulkan_validation_layers($apilevel26_toolchain)"
+    validation_layer_out_dir =
+        get_label_info(validation_layer_target, "root_out_dir")
+    deps += [ validation_layer_target ]
     args += [
       "--native_lib",
-      rebase_path("libVkLayer_khronos_validation.so",
-                  root_build_dir,
-                  root_build_dir),
+      rebase_path("$validation_layer_out_dir/libVkLayer_khronos_validation.so"),
     ]
     if (current_cpu == "arm64") {
       args += [
diff --git a/shell/platform/android/io/flutter/embedding/engine/loader/FlutterLoader.java b/shell/platform/android/io/flutter/embedding/engine/loader/FlutterLoader.java
index 8265cd46a8858..01f940b95b7c3 100644
--- a/shell/platform/android/io/flutter/embedding/engine/loader/FlutterLoader.java
+++ b/shell/platform/android/io/flutter/embedding/engine/loader/FlutterLoader.java
@@ -214,6 +214,13 @@ public InitResult call() {
     }
   }
 
+  private static boolean areValidationLayersOnByDefault() {
+    if (BuildConfig.DEBUG && Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP) {
+      return Build.SUPPORTED_ABIS[0].equals("arm64-v8a");
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Blocks until initialization of the native system has completed.
    *
@@ -324,7 +331,8 @@ public void ensureInitializationComplete(
         if (metaData.getBoolean(ENABLE_IMPELLER_META_DATA_KEY, false)) {
           shellArgs.add("--enable-impeller");
         }
-        if (metaData.getBoolean(ENABLE_VULKAN_VALIDATION_META_DATA_KEY, false)) {
+        if (metaData.getBoolean(
+            ENABLE_VULKAN_VALIDATION_META_DATA_KEY, areValidationLayersOnByDefault())) {
           shellArgs.add("--enable-vulkan-validation");
         }
         String backend = metaData.getString(IMPELLER_BACKEND_META_DATA_KEY);