diff --git a/bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator.js b/bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator.js
index 6828176b..edb7c800 100644
--- a/bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator.js
+++ b/bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator.js
@@ -207,11 +207,11 @@ module.exports.best_image = function () {
 
         var closest = 9999;
         var best = images[0];
-        var project_target = check_reqs.get_target().replace('android-', '');
+        var project_target = parseInt(check_reqs.get_target().replace('android-', ''));
         for (var i in images) {
             var target = images[i].target;
-            if (target) {
-                var num = target.split('(API level ')[1].replace(')', '');
+            if (target && target.indexOf('API level') > -1) {
+                var num = parseInt(target.split('(API level ')[1].replace(')', ''));
                 if (num === project_target) {
                     return images[i];
                 } else if (project_target - num < closest && project_target > num) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f40983f3..88a0da7f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   "author": "Apache Software Foundation",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "dependencies": {
-    "android-versions": "^1.2.0",
+    "android-versions": "^1.2.1",
     "cordova-common": "^2.1.0",
     "elementtree": "0.1.6",
     "nopt": "^3.0.1",
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
     "shelljs": "^0.5.3"
   },
   "bundledDependencies": [
+    "android-versions",
     "cordova-common",
     "elementtree",
     "nopt",
diff --git a/spec/unit/emulator.spec.js b/spec/unit/emulator.spec.js
index 551ab6d0..60d7a8ac 100644
--- a/spec/unit/emulator.spec.js
+++ b/spec/unit/emulator.spec.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 */
 
 var emu = require('../../bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator');
+var check_reqs = require('../../bin/templates/cordova/lib/check_reqs');
 var superspawn = require('cordova-common').superspawn;
 var Q = require('q');
 var fs = require('fs');
@@ -156,4 +157,68 @@ describe('emulator', function () {
             });
         });
     });
+    describe('best_image', function () {
+        var avds_promise;
+        var target_mock;
+        beforeEach(function () {
+            avds_promise = Q.defer();
+            spyOn(emu, 'list_images').and.returnValue(avds_promise.promise);
+            target_mock = spyOn(check_reqs, 'get_target').and.returnValue('android-26');
+        });
+        it('should return undefined if there are no defined AVDs', function (done) {
+            avds_promise.resolve([]);
+            emu.best_image().then(function (best_avd) {
+                expect(best_avd).toBeUndefined();
+            }).fail(function (err) {
+                expect(err).toBeUndefined();
+            }).fin(done);
+        });
+        it('should return the first available image if there is no available target information for existing AVDs', function (done) {
+            var fake_avd = { name: 'MyFakeAVD' };
+            var second_fake_avd = { name: 'AnotherAVD' };
+            avds_promise.resolve([fake_avd, second_fake_avd]);
+            emu.best_image().then(function (best_avd) {
+                expect(best_avd).toBe(fake_avd);
+            }).fail(function (err) {
+                expect(err).toBeUndefined();
+            }).fin(done);
+        });
+        it('should return the first AVD for the API level that matches the project target', function (done) {
+            target_mock.and.returnValue('android-25');
+            var fake_avd = { name: 'MyFakeAVD', target: 'Android 7.0 (API level 24)' };
+            var second_fake_avd = { name: 'AnotherAVD', target: 'Android 7.1 (API level 25)' };
+            var third_fake_avd = { name: 'AVDThree', target: 'Android 8.0 (API level 26)' };
+            avds_promise.resolve([fake_avd, second_fake_avd, third_fake_avd]);
+            emu.best_image().then(function (best_avd) {
+                expect(best_avd).toBe(second_fake_avd);
+            }).fail(function (err) {
+                expect(err).toBeUndefined();
+            }).fin(done);
+        });
+        it('should return the AVD with API level that is closest to the project target API level, without going over', function (done) {
+            target_mock.and.returnValue('android-26');
+            var fake_avd = { name: 'MyFakeAVD', target: 'Android 7.0 (API level 24)' };
+            var second_fake_avd = { name: 'AnotherAVD', target: 'Android 7.1 (API level 25)' };
+            var third_fake_avd = { name: 'AVDThree', target: 'Android 99.0 (API level 134)' };
+            avds_promise.resolve([fake_avd, second_fake_avd, third_fake_avd]);
+            emu.best_image().then(function (best_avd) {
+                expect(best_avd).toBe(second_fake_avd);
+            }).fail(function (err) {
+                expect(err).toBeUndefined();
+            }).fin(done);
+        });
+        it('should not try to compare API levels when an AVD definition is missing API level info', function (done) {
+            avds_promise.resolve([ { name: 'Samsung_S8_API_26',
+                device: 'Samsung S8+ (User)',
+                path: '/Users/daviesd/.android/avd/Samsung_S8_API_26.avd',
+                abi: 'google_apis/x86',
+                target: 'Android 8.0'
+            }]);
+            emu.best_image().then(function (best_avd) {
+                expect(best_avd).toBeDefined();
+            }).fail(function (err) {
+                expect(err).toBeUndefined();
+            }).fin(done);
+        });
+    });
 });