diff --git a/bin/android_sdk_version b/bin/android_sdk_version
index 547f41bd..6140e11d 100755
--- a/bin/android_sdk_version
+++ b/bin/android_sdk_version
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
        under the License.
 */
 
-var android_sdk_version = require('./lib/android_sdk_version');
+var android_sdk_version = require('./lib/android_sdk');
 
 android_sdk_version.run().done(null, function(err) {
     console.log(err);
diff --git a/bin/lib/android_sdk_version.js b/bin/lib/android_sdk.js
similarity index 90%
rename from bin/lib/android_sdk_version.js
rename to bin/lib/android_sdk.js
index 79af2727..dbec25e2 100755
--- a/bin/lib/android_sdk_version.js
+++ b/bin/lib/android_sdk.js
@@ -62,3 +62,17 @@ module.exports.run = function() {
     return Q.all([get_sdks()]);
 };
 
+module.exports.version_string_to_api_level = {
+    '4.0': 14,
+    '4.0.3': 15,
+    '4.1': 16,
+    '4.2': 17,
+    '4.3': 18,
+    '4.4': 19,
+    '4.4W': 20,
+    '5.0': 21,
+    '5.1': 22,
+    '6.0': 23,
+    '7.0': 24,
+    '7.1.1': 25
+};
diff --git a/bin/lib/create.js b/bin/lib/create.js
index ef5827ac..0bbb5c94 100755
--- a/bin/lib/create.js
+++ b/bin/lib/create.js
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ function copyScripts(projectPath) {
     shell.cp('-r', path.join(ROOT, 'node_modules'), destScriptsDir);
     shell.cp(path.join(ROOT, 'bin', 'check_reqs*'), destScriptsDir);
     shell.cp(path.join(ROOT, 'bin', 'lib', 'check_reqs.js'), path.join(projectPath, 'cordova', 'lib', 'check_reqs.js'));
-    shell.cp(path.join(ROOT, 'bin', 'android_sdk_version'), path.join(destScriptsDir, 'android_sdk_version'));
-    shell.cp(path.join(ROOT, 'bin', 'lib', 'android_sdk_version.js'), path.join(projectPath, 'cordova', 'lib', 'android_sdk_version.js'));
+    shell.cp(path.join(ROOT, 'bin', 'android_sdk_version*'), destScriptsDir);
+    shell.cp(path.join(ROOT, 'bin', 'lib', 'android_sdk.js'), path.join(projectPath, 'cordova', 'lib', 'android_sdk.js'));
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator.js b/bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator.js
index ff1e261c..7a58479a 100644
--- a/bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator.js
+++ b/bin/templates/cordova/lib/emulator.js
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@ var AndroidManifest = require('./AndroidManifest');
 var events = require('cordova-common').events;
 var spawn = require('cordova-common').superspawn.spawn;
 var CordovaError = require('cordova-common').CordovaError;
+var shelljs = require('shelljs');
 
 var Q             = require('q');
 var os            = require('os');
+var fs            = require('fs');
 var child_process = require('child_process');
 
 // constants
@@ -42,18 +44,16 @@ var NUM_INSTALL_RETRIES     = 3;
 var CHECK_BOOTED_INTERVAL   = 3 * ONE_SECOND; // in milliseconds
 var EXEC_KILL_SIGNAL        = 'SIGKILL';
 
-/**
- * Returns a Promise for a list of emulator images in the form of objects
- * {
-       name   : <emulator_name>,
-       path   : <path_to_emulator_image>,
-       target : <api_target>,
-       abi    : <cpu>,
-       skin   : <skin>
-   }
- */
-module.exports.list_images = function() {
-    return spawn('android', ['list', 'avds'])
+function forgivingWhichSync(cmd) {
+    try {
+        return fs.realpathSync(shelljs.which(cmd));
+    } catch (e) {
+        return '';
+    }
+}
+
+function list_images_using_avdmanager() {
+    return spawn('avdmanager', ['list', 'avd'])
     .then(function(output) {
         var response = output.split('\n');
         var emulator_list = [];
@@ -70,14 +70,32 @@ module.exports.list_images = function() {
                     i++;
                     img_obj['path'] = response[i].split('Path: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
                 }
-                if (response[i + 1].match(/\(API\slevel\s/) || (response[i + 2] && response[i + 2].match(/\(API\slevel\s/))) {
+                if (response[i + 1].match(/Target:\s/)) {
                     i++;
-                    var secondLine = response[i + 1].match(/\(API\slevel\s/) ? response[i + 1] : '';
-                    img_obj['target'] = (response[i] + secondLine).split('Target: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
-                }
-                if (response[i + 1].match(/ABI:\s/)) {
-                    i++;
-                    img_obj['abi'] = response[i].split('ABI: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                    if (response[i + 1].match(/ABI:\s/)) {
+                        img_obj['abi'] = response[i + 1].split('ABI: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                    }
+                    // This next conditional just aims to match the old output of `android list avd`
+                    // We do so so that we don't have to change the logic when parsing for the
+                    // best emulator target to spawn (see below in `best_image`)
+                    // This allows us to transitionally support both `android` and `avdmanager` binaries,
+                    // depending on what SDK version the user has
+                    if (response[i + 1].match(/Based\son:\s/)) {
+                        img_obj['target'] = response[i + 1].split('Based on:')[1];
+                        if (img_obj['target'].match(/Tag\/ABI:\s/)) {
+                            img_obj['target'] = img_obj['target'].split('Tag/ABI:')[0].replace('\r', '').trim();
+                            if (img_obj['target'].indexOf('(') > -1) {
+                                img_obj['target'] = img_obj['target'].substr(0, img_obj['target'].indexOf('(') - 1).trim();
+                            }
+                        }
+                        var version_string = img_obj['target'].replace(/Android\s+/, '');
+
+                        var android_sdk = require('./android_sdk');
+                        var api_level = android_sdk.version_string_to_api_level[version_string];
+                        if (api_level) {
+                            img_obj['target'] += ' (API level ' + api_level + ')';
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
                 if (response[i + 1].match(/Skin:\s/)) {
                     i++;
@@ -94,6 +112,73 @@ module.exports.list_images = function() {
         }
         return emulator_list;
     });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns a Promise for a list of emulator images in the form of objects
+ * {
+       name   : <emulator_name>,
+       path   : <path_to_emulator_image>,
+       target : <api_target>,
+       abi    : <cpu>,
+       skin   : <skin>
+   }
+ */
+module.exports.list_images = function() {
+    if (forgivingWhichSync('android')) {
+        return spawn('android', ['list', 'avds'])
+        .then(function(output) {
+            var response = output.split('\n');
+            var emulator_list = [];
+            for (var i = 1; i < response.length; i++) {
+                // To return more detailed information use img_obj
+                var img_obj = {};
+                if (response[i].match(/Name:\s/)) {
+                    img_obj['name'] = response[i].split('Name: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                    if (response[i + 1].match(/Device:\s/)) {
+                        i++;
+                        img_obj['device'] = response[i].split('Device: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                    }
+                    if (response[i + 1].match(/Path:\s/)) {
+                        i++;
+                        img_obj['path'] = response[i].split('Path: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                    }
+                    if (response[i + 1].match(/\(API\slevel\s/) || (response[i + 2] && response[i + 2].match(/\(API\slevel\s/))) {
+                        i++;
+                        var secondLine = response[i + 1].match(/\(API\slevel\s/) ? response[i + 1] : '';
+                        img_obj['target'] = (response[i] + secondLine).split('Target: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                    }
+                    if (response[i + 1].match(/ABI:\s/)) {
+                        i++;
+                        img_obj['abi'] = response[i].split('ABI: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                    }
+                    if (response[i + 1].match(/Skin:\s/)) {
+                        i++;
+                        img_obj['skin'] = response[i].split('Skin: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                    }
+
+                    emulator_list.push(img_obj);
+                }
+                /* To just return a list of names use this
+                if (response[i].match(/Name:\s/)) {
+                    emulator_list.push(response[i].split('Name: ')[1].replace('\r', '');
+                }*/
+
+            }
+            return emulator_list;
+        }).catch(function(stderr) {
+            // try to use `avdmanager` in case `android` has problems
+            // this likely means the target machine is using a newer version of
+            // the android sdk, and possibly `avdmanager` is available.
+            return list_images_using_avdmanager();
+        });
+    } else if (forgivingWhichSync('avdmanager')) {
+        return list_images_using_avdmanager();
+    } else {
+        return Q().then(function() {
+            throw new CordovaError('Could not find either `android` or `avdmanager` on your $PATH! Are you sure the Android SDK is installed and available?');
+        });
+    }
 };
 
 /**
@@ -199,10 +284,13 @@ module.exports.start = function(emulator_ID, boot_timeout) {
     }).then(function(emulatorId) {
         return self.get_available_port()
         .then(function (port) {
+            // Figure out the directory the emulator binary runs in, and set the cwd to that directory.
+            // Workaround for https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=235461
+            var emulator_dir = path.dirname(shelljs.which('emulator'));
             var args = ['-avd', emulatorId, '-port', port];
             // Don't wait for it to finish, since the emulator will probably keep running for a long time.
             child_process
-                .spawn('emulator', args, { stdio: 'inherit', detached: true })
+                .spawn('emulator', args, { stdio: 'inherit', detached: true, cwd: emulator_dir })
                 .unref();
 
             // wait for emulator to start