diff --git a/config/android/rules.gni b/config/android/rules.gni
index 1069a42c1..3c644b68d 100644
--- a/config/android/rules.gni
+++ b/config/android/rules.gni
@@ -4005,9 +4005,7 @@ if (enable_java_templates) {
     } else {
       # Use the regular proto library to generate lite protos.
       _protoc_bin = "//third_party/android_protoc/protoc"
-      _proto_runtime =
-          "//third_party/android_deps:com_google_protobuf_protobuf_lite_java"
-      _protoc_javalite_plugin_dir = "//third_party/protoc_javalite/"
+      _proto_runtime = "//third_party/android_deps:com_google_protobuf_protobuf_javalite_java"
     }
     _proto_path = invoker.proto_path
     _template_name = target_name
@@ -4049,11 +4047,6 @@ if (enable_java_templates) {
 
       if (_generate_nano) {
         args += [ "--nano" ]
-      } else {
-        args += [
-          "--protoc-javalite-plugin-dir",
-          rebase_path(_protoc_javalite_plugin_dir, root_build_dir),
-        ]
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/protoc_java.py b/protoc_java.py
index a56128dc6..f5db3b838 100755
--- a/protoc_java.py
+++ b/protoc_java.py
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ def main(argv):
   parser.add_option("--stamp", help="File to touch on success.")
   parser.add_option("--nano",
       help="Use to generate nano protos.", action='store_true')
-  parser.add_option("--protoc-javalite-plugin-dir",
-      help="Path to protoc java lite plugin directory.")
   parser.add_option("--import-dir", action="append", default=[],
                     help="Extra import directory for protos, can be repeated.")
   options, args = parser.parse_args(argv)
@@ -48,10 +46,6 @@ def main(argv):
     print('One of --java-out-dir or --srcjar must be specified.')
     return 1
 
-  if not options.nano and not options.protoc_javalite_plugin_dir:
-    print('One of --nano or --protoc-javalite-plugin-dir must be specified.')
-    return 1
-
   proto_path_args = ['--proto_path', options.proto_path]
   for path in options.import_dir:
     proto_path_args += ["--proto_path", path]
@@ -63,21 +57,16 @@ def main(argv):
                         'store_unknown_fields=true']
       out_arg = '--javanano_out=' + ','.join(generator_args) + ':' + temp_dir
     else:
-      out_arg = '--javalite_out=' + temp_dir
-
-    custom_env = os.environ.copy()
-    if options.protoc_javalite_plugin_dir:
-      # If we are generating lite protos, then the lite plugin needs to be in
-      # the path when protoc is called. See
-      # https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/blob/master/java/lite.md
-      custom_env['PATH'] = '{}:{}'.format(
-          os.path.abspath(options.protoc_javalite_plugin_dir),
-          custom_env['PATH'])
+      out_arg = '--java_out=lite:' + temp_dir
 
     # Generate Java files using protoc.
     build_utils.CheckOutput(
-        [options.protoc] + proto_path_args + [out_arg]
-        + args, env=custom_env)
+        [options.protoc] + proto_path_args + [out_arg] + args,
+        # protoc generates superfluous warnings about LITE_RUNTIME deprecation
+        # even though we are using the new non-deprecated method.
+        stderr_filter=lambda output:
+            build_utils.FilterLines(output,
+                '|'.join([r'optimize_for = LITE_RUNTIME', r'java/lite\.md'])))
 
     if options.java_out_dir:
       build_utils.DeleteDirectory(options.java_out_dir)