diff --git a/base/src/com/google/idea/blaze/base/sync/aspects/strategy/SyncAspectTemplateProvider.java b/base/src/com/google/idea/blaze/base/sync/aspects/strategy/SyncAspectTemplateProvider.java
index 7f56bb247be..020146ae02d 100644
--- a/base/src/com/google/idea/blaze/base/sync/aspects/strategy/SyncAspectTemplateProvider.java
+++ b/base/src/com/google/idea/blaze/base/sync/aspects/strategy/SyncAspectTemplateProvider.java
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ private void prepareProjectAspect(Project project) throws SyncFailedException {
     final var templateAspects = AspectRepositoryProvider.findAspectTemplateDirectory()
             .orElseThrow(() -> new SyncFailedException("Couldn't find aspect template directory"));
 
-    writeJavaInfo(manager, realizedAspectsPath, templateAspects);
+    writeJavaInfo(manager, realizedAspectsPath, templateAspects, project);
     writeCodeGeneratorInfo(manager, project, realizedAspectsPath, templateAspects);
   }
 
@@ -106,25 +106,29 @@ private void writeCodeGeneratorInfo(
   }
 
   private void writeJavaInfo(
-      BlazeProjectDataManager manager,
-      Path realizedAspectsPath,
-      File templateAspects) throws SyncFailedException {
+          BlazeProjectDataManager manager,
+          Path realizedAspectsPath,
+          File templateAspects, Project project) throws SyncFailedException {
     var realizedFile = realizedAspectsPath.resolve(REALIZED_JAVA);
     var templateWriter = new TemplateWriter(templateAspects.toPath());
-    var templateVariableMap = getJavaStringStringMap(manager);
+    var templateVariableMap = getJavaStringStringMap(manager, project);
     if (!templateWriter.writeToFile(TEMPLATE_JAVA, realizedFile, templateVariableMap)) {
       throw new SyncFailedException("Could not create template for: " + REALIZED_JAVA);
     }
   }
 
-  private static @NotNull Map<String, String> getJavaStringStringMap(BlazeProjectDataManager manager) {
+  private static @NotNull Map<String, String> getJavaStringStringMap(BlazeProjectDataManager manager, Project project) throws SyncFailedException {
     var projectData = Optional.ofNullable(manager.getBlazeProjectData()); // It can be empty on intial sync. Fall back to no lauguage support
+    var blazeProjectData = BlazeProjectDataManager.getInstance(project).getBlazeProjectData();
     var activeLanguages = projectData.map(it -> it.getWorkspaceLanguageSettings().getActiveLanguages()).orElse(ImmutableSet.of());
+    var isJavaEnabled = activeLanguages.contains(LanguageClass.JAVA)
+            && blazeProjectData != null
+            && blazeProjectData.getExternalWorkspaceData().getByRepoName("rules_java") != null;
     var isAtLeastBazel8 = projectData.map(it -> it.getBlazeVersionData().bazelIsAtLeastVersion(8, 0, 0)).orElse(false);
-      return Map.of(
-              "bazel8OrAbove", isAtLeastBazel8 ? "true" : "false",
-              "isJavaEnabled", activeLanguages.contains(LanguageClass.JAVA) ? "true" : "false"
-      );
+    return Map.of(
+            "bazel8OrAbove", isAtLeastBazel8 ? "true" : "false",
+            "isJavaEnabled", isJavaEnabled ? "true" : "false"
+    );
   }
 
   private static List<String> ruleNamesForLanguageClass(LanguageClass languageClass, ProjectViewSet viewSet) {