diff --git a/templates/android/template/app/src/main/java/org/haxe/lime/GameActivity.java b/templates/android/template/app/src/main/java/org/haxe/lime/GameActivity.java
index e0c37f44c..3c28d7a6c 100644
--- a/templates/android/template/app/src/main/java/org/haxe/lime/GameActivity.java
+++ b/templates/android/template/app/src/main/java/org/haxe/lime/GameActivity.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import android.net.Uri;
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Handler;
+import android.os.VibrationEffect;
 import android.os.Vibrator;
 import android.util.DisplayMetrics;
 import android.util.Log;
@@ -29,10 +30,10 @@ public class GameActivity extends SDLActivity {
 	private static AssetManager assetManager;
 	private static List<Extension> extensions;
 	private static DisplayMetrics metrics;
+	private static Vibrator vibrator;
 
 	public Handler handler;
 
-
 	public static double getDisplayXDPI () {
 
 		if (metrics == null) {
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ public class GameActivity extends SDLActivity {
 		super.onCreate (state);
 
 		assetManager = getAssets ();
+		vibrator = (Vibrator)mSingleton.getSystemService (Context.VIBRATOR_SERVICE);
 		handler = new Handler ();
 
 		Extension.assetManager = assetManager;
@@ -176,6 +178,12 @@ public class GameActivity extends SDLActivity {
 
 	@Override protected void onPause () {
 
+		if (vibrator != null) {
+
+			vibrator.cancel ();
+
+		}
+
 		super.onPause ();
 
 		for (Extension extension : extensions) {
@@ -370,25 +378,47 @@ public class GameActivity extends SDLActivity {
 
 	public static void vibrate (int period, int duration) {
 
-		Vibrator v = (Vibrator)mSingleton.getSystemService (Context.VIBRATOR_SERVICE);
+		if (vibrator == null || !vibrator.hasVibrator () || period < 0 || duration <= 0) {
+
+			return;
+
+		}
 
 		if (period == 0) {
 
-			v.vibrate (duration);
+			if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
+
+				vibrator.vibrate (VibrationEffect.createOneShot (duration, VibrationEffect.DEFAULT_AMPLITUDE));
+
+			} else {
+
+				vibrator.vibrate (duration);
+
+			}
 
 		} else {
 
-			int periodMS = (int)Math.ceil (period / 2);
-			int count = (int)Math.ceil ((duration / period) * 2);
+			// each period has two halves (vibrator off/vibrator on), and each half requires a separate entry in the array
+			int periodMS = (int)Math.ceil (period / 2.0);
+			int count = (int)Math.ceil (duration / (double) periodMS);
 			long[] pattern = new long[count];
 
-			for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+			// the first entry is the delay before vibration starts, so leave it as 0
+			for (int i = 1; i < count; i++) {
 
 				pattern[i] = periodMS;
 
 			}
 
-			v.vibrate (pattern, -1);
+			if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
+
+				vibrator.vibrate (VibrationEffect.createWaveform (pattern, -1));
+
+			} else {
+
+				vibrator.vibrate (pattern, -1);
+
+			}
 
 		}