diff --git a/doc/source/buildoptions.rst b/doc/source/buildoptions.rst
index 13a7649027..f56824f953 100644
--- a/doc/source/buildoptions.rst
+++ b/doc/source/buildoptions.rst
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ options (this list may not be exhaustive):
 - ``add-source``: Add a source directory to the app's Java code.
 - ``--compile-pyo``: Optimise .py files to .pyo.
 - ``--resource``: A key=value pair to add in the string.xml resource file.
+- ``--enable-androidx``: If the argument is included, the AndroidX support library is enabled. 
 
 
 Requirements blacklist (APK size optimization)
diff --git a/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/build.py b/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/build.py
index 0d51f09135..2789a45fc6 100644
--- a/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/build.py
+++ b/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/build.py
@@ -675,6 +675,11 @@ def parse_args_and_make_package(args=None):
                               'topics/manifest/'
                               'activity-element.html'))
 
+    ap.add_argument('--enable-androidx', dest='enable_androidx',
+                    action='store_true',
+                    help=('Enable the AndroidX support library, '
+                          'add a library using gradle_dependencies, '
+                          'requires api = 28 or greater'))
     ap.add_argument('--android-entrypoint', dest='android_entrypoint',
                     default='org.kivy.android.PythonActivity',
                     help='Defines which java class will be used for startup, usually a subclass of PythonActivity')
diff --git a/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/templates/build.tmpl.gradle b/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/templates/build.tmpl.gradle
index f0e2f2068d..178bfe9924 100644
--- a/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/templates/build.tmpl.gradle
+++ b/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/templates/build.tmpl.gradle
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ android {
         }
     }
 
+    {% if args.enable_androidx %}
+    ext {
+        useAndroidX=true
+        enableJetifier=true
+    }
+    {% endif %}
+
 }
 
 dependencies {