diff --git a/libc/bionic/system_property_api.cpp b/libc/bionic/system_property_api.cpp
index 051bc4c..a641f12 100644
--- a/libc/bionic/system_property_api.cpp
+++ b/libc/bionic/system_property_api.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,13 @@
 
 __BIONIC_WEAK_FOR_NATIVE_BRIDGE
 uint32_t __system_property_serial(const prop_info* pi) {
-  return system_properties.Serial(pi);
+  // N.B. a previous version of this function was much heavier-weight
+  // and enforced acquire semantics, so give our load here acquire
+  // semantics just in case somebody depends on
+  // __system_property_serial enforcing memory order, e.g., in case
+  // someone spins on the result of this function changing before
+  // loading some value.
+  return atomic_load_explicit(&pi->serial, memory_order_acquire);
 }
 
 __BIONIC_WEAK_FOR_NATIVE_BRIDGE