diff --git a/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Tests/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tests/BuildTest.cs b/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Tests/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tests/BuildTest.cs
index b28d0979a86..8fdd683924d 100644
--- a/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Tests/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tests/BuildTest.cs
+++ b/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Tests/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tests/BuildTest.cs
@@ -54,6 +54,22 @@ public void BuildBasicApplicationReleaseFSharp ()
 			}
 		}
 
+		[Test]
+		public void CheckKeystoreIsCreated ()
+		{
+			var proj = new XamarinAndroidApplicationProject () {
+				IsRelease = true,
+			};
+			using (var b = CreateApkBuilder ("temp/CheckKeystoreIsCreated", false, false)) {
+				var file = Path.Combine (Root, b.ProjectDirectory, proj.IntermediateOutputPath, "debug.keystore");
+				var p = new string [] {
+					$"_ApkDebugKeyStore={file}",
+				};
+				Assert.IsTrue (b.Build (proj, parameters: p), "Build should have succeeded.");
+				FileAssert.Exists (file, $"{file} should have been created.");
+			}
+		}
+
 		[Test]
 		public void FSharpAppHasAndroidDefine ()
 		{
diff --git a/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Xamarin.Android.Common.targets b/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Xamarin.Android.Common.targets
index 0e2068c685c..7a971a52255 100755
--- a/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Xamarin.Android.Common.targets
+++ b/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Xamarin.Android.Common.targets
@@ -727,7 +727,9 @@ because xbuild doesn't support framework reference assemblies.
 	</CreateProperty>
 
 	<CreateProperty Value="$(_AppSettingsDirectory)debug.keystore">
-		<Output TaskParameter="Value" PropertyName="_ApkDebugKeyStore"/>
+		<Output TaskParameter="Value" PropertyName="_ApkDebugKeyStore"
+			Condition="'$(_ApkDebugKeyStore)' == ''"
+		/>
 	</CreateProperty>
 
 	<CreateProperty Value="$(MonoAndroidToolsDirectory)">
@@ -2455,9 +2457,23 @@ because xbuild doesn't support framework reference assemblies.
 
   <Delete Files="$(_UploadFlagFile)" Condition="Exists ('$(_UploadFlagFile)')" />
 </Target>
-  
 
-<Target Name="_ResolveAndroidSigningKey" DependsOnTargets="$(_OnResolveMonoAndroidSdks)">
+<Target Name="_CreateAndroidDebugSigningKey"
+		Condition="!Exists ('$(_ApkDebugKeyStore)')"
+		DependsOnTargets="$(_OnResolveMonoAndroidSdks)"
+	>
+	<AndroidCreateDebugKey
+		KeyStore="$(_ApkDebugKeyStore)"
+		KeyAlias="androiddebugkey"
+		KeyPass="android"
+		StorePass="android"
+		ToolPath="$(KeytoolToolPath)"
+		ToolExe="$(KeytoolToolExe)"
+		Command="-genkeypair"
+	 />
+</Target>
+
+<Target Name="_ResolveAndroidSigningKey" DependsOnTargets="$(_OnResolveMonoAndroidSdks);_CreateAndroidDebugSigningKey">
 	<!-- would use a PropertyGroup here but xbuild doesn't support it -->
 	<CreateProperty Value="$(_ApkDebugKeyStore)" Condition="'$(AndroidKeyStore)'!='True'">
 		<Output TaskParameter="Value" PropertyName="_ApkKeyStore"/>
@@ -2484,16 +2500,6 @@ because xbuild doesn't support framework reference assemblies.
 	<CreateProperty Value="$(AndroidSigningKeyPass)" Condition="'$(AndroidKeyStore)'=='True'">
 		<Output TaskParameter="Value" PropertyName="_ApkKeyPass"/>
 	</CreateProperty>
-	
-	<AndroidCreateDebugKey
-		KeyStore="$(_ApkKeyStore)"
-		KeyAlias="$(_ApkKeyAlias)"
-		KeyPass="$(_ApkKeyPass)"
-		StorePass="$(_ApkStorePass)"
-		ToolPath="$(KeytoolToolPath)"
-		ToolExe="$(KeytoolToolExe)"
-		Command="-genkeypair"
-		Condition="'$(AndroidKeyStore)'=='' and !Exists ('$(_ApkKeyStore)')" />
 
 	<Delete Files="$(_AndroidDebugKeyStoreFlag)" Condition="'$(AndroidKeyStore)'=='True'" />
 	<Touch Files="$(_AndroidDebugKeyStoreFlag)" AlwaysCreate="True" Condition="'$(AndroidKeyStore)'!='True'" />