Android 5.x ClassNotFoundException works fine on 6.0+

Question

I have updated my project's minSdkVersion from 19 to 21. This has caused an issue on 5.0/5.1 devices where I can't run the app. I keep getting a ClassNotFoundException on my Application class. The full log, Application class, and gradle file are below. If I revert my project back to minSdkVersion 19 then the app will run on 4.4+ with no problems.

What I have tried

• Cleaning/Rebuilding

• Updating and downgrading the build tools version

• All support library's across projects have same version number

• Making all my manifest classes relative and then absolute

• Updated all Sdk and build tools

Log

04-27 14:37:07.152 6278-6278/? E/AndroidRuntime: FATAL EXCEPTION: main
     Process: com.package.testapp, PID: 6278
     java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to instantiate application com.package.TestApplication: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.package.Application" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.package.testapp-1/base.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app/com.package.testapp-1/lib/x86_64, /vendor/lib64, /system/lib64]]
         at android.app.LoadedApk.makeApplication(LoadedApk.java:563)
         at android.app.ActivityThread.handleBindApplication(ActivityThread.java:4526)
         at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1500(ActivityThread.java:151)
         at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1364)
         at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
         at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:135)
         at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5254)
         at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
         at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372)
         at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:903)
         at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:698)
      Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.package.TestApplication" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.package.testapp-1/base.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app/com.package.testapp-1/lib/x86_64, /vendor/lib64, /system/lib64]]
         at dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader.findClass(BaseDexClassLoader.java:56)
         at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:511)
         at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:469)
         at android.app.Instrumentation.newApplication(Instrumentation.java:980)
         at android.app.LoadedApk.makeApplication(LoadedApk.java:558)
         at android.app.ActivityThread.handleBindApplication(ActivityThread.java:4526) 
         at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1500(ActivityThread.java:151) 
         at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1364) 
         at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102) 
         at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:135) 
         at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5254) 
         at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) 
         at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372) 
         at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:903) 
         at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:698) 
        Suppressed: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.package.testapp.welcome.TestClaimApplication
         at java.lang.Class.classForName(Native Method)
         at java.lang.BootClassLoader.findClass(ClassLoader.java:781)
         at java.lang.BootClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:841)
         at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:504)
                ... 13 more
      Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Class not found using the boot class loader; no stack available

Gradle

    buildscript {
    repositories {
        maven { url 'https://maven.fabric.io/public' }
    }

    dependencies {
        classpath 'io.fabric.tools:gradle:1.+'
    }
    }

    apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
    apply plugin: 'io.fabric'

    repositories {
    maven { url 'https://maven.fabric.io/public' }
    }

android {

    compileSdkVersion 25
    buildToolsVersion '25.0.3'

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.package.testapp"
        minSdkVersion 21
        multiDexEnabled = true
        targetSdkVersion 25
        versionCode 2
        versionName "0.7"
        renderscriptTargetApi 18 // support mode not supported 21+
        renderscriptSupportModeEnabled true
        testInstrumentationRunner 
    "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    }
    dexOptions {
        javaMaxHeapSize "4g"
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
    lintOptions {
        checkReleaseBuilds false
        abortOnError false
    }

    productFlavors {
        companylocal
        companymaven
    }
}

dependencies {


    def ext = rootProject.ext;

    compile fileTree(include: ['*.jar'], dir: 'libs')
    compile "com.android.support:appcompat-v7:${ext.supportLibraryVersion}"
    compile "com.android.support:design:${ext.supportLibraryVersion}"
    compile 'com.romandanylyk:pageindicatorview:0.0.9'
    compile "com.jakewharton:butterknife:${ext.butterknifeLibraryVersion}"
    annotationProcessor "com.jakewharton:butterknife-compiler:${ext.butterknifeLibraryVersion}"
    compile "uk.co.chrisjenx:calligraphy:2.2.0"
    compile 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.1'
    // Crashlytics Kit - for crash handling
    compile('com.crashlytics.sdk.android:crashlytics:2.5.2@aar') {
        transitive = true
    }
    androidTestCompile('com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:2.2.2', {
        exclude group: 'com.android.support', module: 'support-annotations'
    })

    testCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
    testCompile 'org.robolectric:robolectric:3.0'
    testCompile "com.squareup.okhttp3:mockwebserver:${ext.okHttp3LibraryVersion}"
    testCompile('com.squareup.assertj:assertj-android:1.1.1') {
        exclude module: 'support-annotations'
    }
}

Application

public class TestApplication extends Application {

    Engine engine;

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();

        String privateServerUrlLocal = getString(R.string.server_url);
        ProfileLauncher profileLauncher = getProfileLauncher();
        LoginLauncher loginLauncher = getLoginLauncher();

        // Set up Crash Analytics
        final CrashlyticsCore crashlyticsCore = new CrashlyticsCore.Builder().disabled(DEBUG).build();
        Fabric.with(this, new Crashlytics.Builder().core(crashlyticsCore).build());

        Intent intent = new Intent(this, LogoutService.class);
        startService(intent);

        CertificatePinner certificatePinner = new CertificatePinner.Builder()
                .add("")
                .add("")
                .build();

        engine = new Engine.Builder(privateServerUrlLocal, getString(R.string.other_server_url))
                .setCertificatePinner(certificatePinner)
                .setSDKPartnerSetupManager(getSdkPartnerManager())
                .setLogoutActionHandler(getLogoutActionHandler())
                .setVLocationManager(new VLocationManagerImp())
                .setDebug(DEBUG)
                .addDeepLinkHandler(new ClaimDeepLinkHandler(loginLauncher, profileLauncher))
                .addDeepLinkHandler(new LinkGiftCodeDeeplinkHandler(loginLauncher, profileLauncher))
                .addDeepLinkHandler(new OpenLinkDeepLinkHandler())
                .addDeepLinkHandler(new DetailsDeepLinkHandler())
                .addClaimConfig(new ClaimConfig(false, false, false, false, true))
                .build();
        engine.startup(this);
    }



    @Override
    protected void attachBaseContext(Context base) {
        super.attachBaseContext(base);
        MultiDex.install(base);
    }

}

Manifest

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
package="com.package.testapp">

<uses-feature
    android:name="android.hardware.camera"
    android:required="true" />
<uses-feature
    android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus"
    android:required="false" />
<uses-feature
    android:name="android.hardware.camera.flash"
    android:required="false" />

<!-- Required for g+ login -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />

    <application
        android:name=".TestApplication"
        android:allowBackup="false"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">

        <service
            android:name="com.package.companycommon.ui.LogoutService"
            android:stopWithTask="true" />

        <activity
            android:name=".LaunchActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>

        <activity
            android:name=".welcome.WelcomeActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus" />
        <activity
            android:name=".RegisterActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize" />
        <activity
            android:name=".LoginActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize" />
        <activity
            android:name=".ActivationActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize" />
        <activity
            android:name=".AddPhoneNumberActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize" />
        <activity
            android:name=".ForgotPasswordActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize" />
        <activity
            android:name=".GiftHistoryActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus" />
        <activity
            android:name="com.package.PartnerLoginHiddenActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus" />
        <activity
            android:name=".tutorial.TutorialActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus" />
        <activity
            android:name=".CreateNewPasswordActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar.ClearStatus" />
        <activity
            android:name=".settings.SettingsActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait">
            <meta-data
                android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
                android:value=".GiftHistoryActivity" />
        </activity>
        <activity
            android:name=".settings.ExtraSettingsActivity"
            android:label="@string/settings"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait">
            <meta-data
                android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
                android:value=".settings.SettingsActivity" />
        </activity>
        <activity
            android:name="companyapp.company.NewsActivity"
            android:label="@string/notifications"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme" />
        <activity
            android:name=".termsandconditions.CompanyTermsAndConditionsActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme" />

        <activity
            android:name="com.package.companycommon.ui.PhotoViewerActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme" />

        <activity
            android:name="com.package.company.details.CompanyDetailActivity"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme" />
        <activity
            android:name="com.package.company.details.CompanyDetailActivityLocation"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
            <meta-data
                android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
                android:value="com.package.company.details.CompanyDetailActivity" />
        </activity>
        <activity
            android:name="com.package.company.ClaimActivity"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar"
            tools:replace="android:theme" />
    </application>

</manifest>

Answer 1

When targeting api 21 the compiler has a limit of 100 dex files it will read. So a simple solution I found was to add this to your dexOptions in your gradle file. This will merge all your dex files into the lowest possible amount.

In your build.gradle file add the following

android {
    ...
    dexOptions {
        preDexLibraries = false
    }
}

Answer 2

Please try to disable the Instant Run option and then run the app . It worked for me after trying lot of solutions I finally solved this.