diff --git a/java/res/values/strings.xml b/java/res/values/strings.xml
index 390f72bfa..828ad6d53 100644
--- a/java/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/java/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -457,6 +457,8 @@ language among those that use the Latin alphabet. This keyboard is laid out in t
 disposition that offers additional keys, but smaller keys compared to other common dispositions for
 mobile devices. [CHAR LIMIT=25] -->
     <string name="subtype_no_language_pcqwerty">Alphabet (PC)</string>
+    <!-- Description for Emoji keyboard subtype [CHAR LIMIT=25] -->
+    <string name="subtype_emoji">Emoji</string>
 
     <!-- Title of the preference settings for custom input styles (language and keyboard layout pairs) [CHAR LIMIT=35]-->
     <string name="custom_input_styles_title">Custom input styles</string>
diff --git a/java/res/xml/method.xml b/java/res/xml/method.xml
index 2c3ac57ed..689b270a8 100644
--- a/java/res/xml/method.xml
+++ b/java/res/xml/method.xml
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@
     vi: Vietnamese/qwerty
     zu: Zulu/qwerty
     zz: QWERTY/qwerty
+    (zz: Emoji/emoji)
     -->
 <!-- TODO: use <lang>_keyboard icon instead of a common keyboard icon. -->
 <!-- Note: SupportTouchPositionCorrection extra value is obsolete and maintained for backward
@@ -510,4 +511,15 @@
             android:imeSubtypeMode="keyboard"
             android:imeSubtypeExtraValue="KeyboardLayoutSet=qwerty,AsciiCapable,EnabledWhenDefaultIsNotAsciiCapable"
     />
+    <!-- Emoji subtype has to be an addtional subtype added at boot time because ICS doesn't
+         support Emoji. -->
+    <!--
+    <subtype android:icon="@drawable/ic_subtype_keyboard"
+            android:label="@string/subtype_emoji"
+            android:subtypeId="0xc14d88b2"
+            android:imeSubtypeLocale="zz"
+            android:imeSubtypeMode="keyboard"
+            android:imeSubtypeExtraValue="KeyboardLayoutSet=emoji"
+    />
+    -->
 </input-method>
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SubtypeSwitcher.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SubtypeSwitcher.java
index be03d4ae5..0889f22ca 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SubtypeSwitcher.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SubtypeSwitcher.java
@@ -53,12 +53,22 @@ public final class SubtypeSwitcher {
     private InputMethodInfo mShortcutInputMethodInfo;
     private InputMethodSubtype mShortcutSubtype;
     private InputMethodSubtype mNoLanguageSubtype;
+    private InputMethodSubtype mEmojiSubtype;
     private boolean mIsNetworkConnected;
 
     // Dummy no language QWERTY subtype. See {@link R.xml.method}.
     private static final InputMethodSubtype DUMMY_NO_LANGUAGE_SUBTYPE = new InputMethodSubtype(
-            R.string.subtype_no_language_qwerty, R.drawable.ic_subtype_keyboard, "zz", "keyboard",
-            "KeyboardLayoutSet=qwerty,AsciiCapable,EnabledWhenDefaultIsNotAsciiCapable",
+            R.string.subtype_no_language_qwerty, R.drawable.ic_subtype_keyboard,
+            SubtypeLocaleUtils.NO_LANGUAGE, "keyboard",
+            "KeyboardLayoutSet=" + SubtypeLocaleUtils.QWERTY
+            + ",AsciiCapable,EnabledWhenDefaultIsNotAsciiCapable",
+            false /* isAuxiliary */, false /* overridesImplicitlyEnabledSubtype */);
+    // Caveat: We probably should remove this when we add an Emoji subtype in {@link R.xml.method}.
+    // Dummy Emoji subtype. See {@link R.xml.method}.
+    private static final InputMethodSubtype DUMMY_EMOJI_SUBTYPE = new InputMethodSubtype(
+            R.string.subtype_emoji, R.drawable.ic_subtype_keyboard,
+            SubtypeLocaleUtils.NO_LANGUAGE, "keyboard",
+            "KeyboardLayoutSet=" + SubtypeLocaleUtils.EMOJI,
             false /* isAuxiliary */, false /* overridesImplicitlyEnabledSubtype */);
 
     static final class NeedsToDisplayLanguage {
@@ -271,4 +281,17 @@ public final class SubtypeSwitcher {
                 + DUMMY_NO_LANGUAGE_SUBTYPE);
         return DUMMY_NO_LANGUAGE_SUBTYPE;
     }
+
+    public InputMethodSubtype getEmojiSubtype() {
+        if (mEmojiSubtype == null) {
+            mEmojiSubtype = mRichImm.findSubtypeByLocaleAndKeyboardLayoutSet(
+                    SubtypeLocaleUtils.NO_LANGUAGE, SubtypeLocaleUtils.EMOJI);
+        }
+        if (mEmojiSubtype != null) {
+            return mEmojiSubtype;
+        }
+        Log.w(TAG, "Can't find Emoji subtype");
+        Log.w(TAG, "No input method subtype found; return dummy subtype: " + DUMMY_EMOJI_SUBTYPE);
+        return DUMMY_EMOJI_SUBTYPE;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/SubtypeLocaleUtils.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/SubtypeLocaleUtils.java
index 16728092d..102a41b4e 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/SubtypeLocaleUtils.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/SubtypeLocaleUtils.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public final class SubtypeLocaleUtils {
     // Special language code to represent "no language".
     public static final String NO_LANGUAGE = "zz";
     public static final String QWERTY = "qwerty";
+    public static final String EMOJI = "emoji";
     public static final int UNKNOWN_KEYBOARD_LAYOUT = R.string.subtype_generic;
 
     private static boolean sInitialized = false;