diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 835eccab..bdf2ac32 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	AppSlug                       string `env:"BITRISE_APP_SLUG,required"`
 	AddonAPIBaseURL               string `env:"addon_api_base_url,required"`
 	AddonAPIToken                 string `env:"addon_api_token"`
+	GenerateUniversalApkIfNone    bool   `env:"generate_universal_apk_if_none,opt[true,false]"`
 	DebugMode                     bool   `env:"debug_mode,opt[true,false]"`
 	BundletoolVersion             string `env:"bundletool_version,required"`
 }
@@ -333,10 +334,17 @@ func findAPKsAndAABs(pths []string) (apks []string, aabs []string, others []stri
 
 func deploy(clearedFilesToDeploy []string, config Config) (ArtifactURLCollection, error) {
 	apks, aabs, others := findAPKsAndAABs(clearedFilesToDeploy)
-	apks, _, err := ensureAABsHasUniversalAPKPair(aabs, apks, config.BundletoolVersion)
-	if err != nil {
-		return ArtifactURLCollection{}, err
+
+	if config.GenerateUniversalApkIfNone {
+		var err error
+		apks, _, err = ensureAABsHasUniversalAPKPair(aabs, apks, config.BundletoolVersion)
+		if err != nil {
+			return ArtifactURLCollection{}, err
+		}
+	} else {
+		log.Printf("Does not have universal APK pair but ignoring generation.")
 	}
+
 	androidArtifacts := append(apks, aabs...)
 
 	// deploy the apks first, as the universal apk's public install page will be used for aabs.
diff --git a/step.yml b/step.yml
index 57e496de..9556e962 100644
--- a/step.yml
+++ b/step.yml
@@ -223,6 +223,13 @@ inputs:
         The token required to authenticate with the API.
       is_dont_change_value: true
       is_sensitive: true
+  - generate_universal_apk_if_none: "true"
+    opts:
+      title: "Force generate universal APK for AABs"
+      description: |
+        When building an AAB artifact, check for a corresponding universal APK.
+        If none is found, generate the corresponding locally (debug) signed
+        universal APK for ease of debugging.
   - debug_mode: "false"
     opts: 
       category: Debug