diff --git a/android_world/env/android_world_controller.py b/android_world/env/android_world_controller.py
index 2f313306..0cd11446 100644
--- a/android_world/env/android_world_controller.py
+++ b/android_world/env/android_world_controller.py
@@ -162,10 +162,12 @@ class AndroidWorldController(base_wrapper.BaseWrapper):
   def __init__(
       self,
       env: env_interface.AndroidEnvInterface,
-      a11y_method: A11yMethod = A11yMethod.A11Y_FORWARDER_APP,
+      a11y_method: A11yMethod | None = None,
       install_a11y_forwarding_app: bool = True,
   ):
     self._original_env = env
+    if a11y_method is None:
+      a11y_method = A11yMethod.A11Y_FORWARDER_APP
     if a11y_method == A11yMethod.A11Y_FORWARDER_APP:
       self._env = apply_a11y_forwarder_app_wrapper(
           env, install_a11y_forwarding_app
@@ -201,6 +203,7 @@ def refresh_env(self):
         console_port=self.env._coordinator._simulator._config.emulator_launcher.emulator_console_port,
         adb_path=self.env._coordinator._simulator._config.adb_controller.adb_path,
         grpc_port=self.env._coordinator._simulator._config.emulator_launcher.grpc_port,
+        a11y_method=self._a11y_method,
     ).env
     # pylint: enable=protected-access
     # pytype: enable=attribute-error
@@ -308,6 +311,7 @@ def get_controller(
     console_port: int = 5554,
     adb_path: str = DEFAULT_ADB_PATH,
     grpc_port: int = 8554,
+    a11y_method: A11yMethod | None = None,
 ) -> AndroidWorldController:
   """Creates a controller by connecting to an existing Android environment."""
 
@@ -326,4 +330,4 @@ def get_controller(
   )
   android_env_instance = loader.load(config)
   logging.info('Setting up AndroidWorldController.')
-  return AndroidWorldController(android_env_instance)
+  return AndroidWorldController(android_env_instance, a11y_method=a11y_method)
diff --git a/android_world/env/env_launcher_test.py b/android_world/env/env_launcher_test.py
index 8bd5ee7f..00453684 100644
--- a/android_world/env/env_launcher_test.py
+++ b/android_world/env/env_launcher_test.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def test_get_env(
             ),
         )
     )
-    mock_controller.assert_called_with(mock_android_env)
+    mock_controller.assert_called_with(mock_android_env, a11y_method=None)
     mock_async_android_env.assert_called_with(mock_controller.return_value)