diff --git a/apex/builder.go b/apex/builder.go
index 4bc740f..1956b44 100644
--- a/apex/builder.go
+++ b/apex/builder.go
@@ -83,11 +83,6 @@
 		Description: "prepare ${out}",
 	}, "provideNativeLibs", "requireNativeLibs", "default_version", "opt")
 
-	stripCommentsApexManifestRule = pctx.StaticRule("stripCommentsApexManifestRule", blueprint.RuleParams{
-		Command:     `sed '/^\s*\/\//d' $in > $out`,
-		Description: "strip lines starting with // ${in}=>${out}",
-	})
-
 	stripApexManifestRule = pctx.StaticRule("stripApexManifestRule", blueprint.RuleParams{
 		Command:     `rm -f $out && ${conv_apex_manifest} strip $in -o $out`,
 		CommandDeps: []string{"${conv_apex_manifest}"},
@@ -113,7 +108,6 @@
 			`--canned_fs_config ${canned_fs_config} ` +
 			`--include_build_info ` +
 			`--payload_type image ` +
-			`--apex_version ${apex_version} ` +
 			`--key ${key} ${opt_flags} ${image_dir} ${out} `,
 		CommandDeps: []string{"${apexer}", "${avbtool}", "${e2fsdroid}", "${merge_zips}",
 			"${mke2fs}", "${resize2fs}", "${sefcontext_compile}", "${make_f2fs}", "${sload_f2fs}", "${make_erofs}",
@@ -121,7 +115,7 @@
 		Rspfile:        "${out}.copy_commands",
 		RspfileContent: "${copy_commands}",
 		Description:    "APEX ${image_dir} => ${out}",
-	}, "tool_path", "image_dir", "copy_commands", "file_contexts", "canned_fs_config", "key", "opt_flags", "manifest", "payload_fs_type", "apex_version")
+	}, "tool_path", "image_dir", "copy_commands", "file_contexts", "canned_fs_config", "key", "opt_flags", "manifest", "payload_fs_type")
 
 	zipApexRule = pctx.StaticRule("zipApexRule", blueprint.RuleParams{
 		Command: `rm -rf ${image_dir} && mkdir -p ${image_dir} && ` +
@@ -129,13 +123,12 @@
 			`APEXER_TOOL_PATH=${tool_path} ` +
 			`${apexer} --force --manifest ${manifest} ` +
 			`--payload_type zip ` +
-			`--apex_version ${apex_version} ` +
 			`${image_dir} ${out} `,
 		CommandDeps:    []string{"${apexer}", "${merge_zips}", "${soong_zip}", "${zipalign}", "${aapt2}"},
 		Rspfile:        "${out}.copy_commands",
 		RspfileContent: "${copy_commands}",
 		Description:    "ZipAPEX ${image_dir} => ${out}",
-	}, "tool_path", "image_dir", "copy_commands", "manifest", "apex_version")
+	}, "tool_path", "image_dir", "copy_commands", "manifest")
 
 	apexProtoConvertRule = pctx.AndroidStaticRule("apexProtoConvertRule",
 		blueprint.RuleParams{
@@ -213,17 +206,10 @@
 		optCommands = append(optCommands, "-a jniLibs "+strings.Join(jniLibs, " "))
 	}
 
-	manifestJsonCommentsStripped := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "apex_manifest_comments_stripped.json")
-	ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
-		Rule:   stripCommentsApexManifestRule,
-		Input:  src,
-		Output: manifestJsonCommentsStripped,
-	})
-
 	manifestJsonFullOut := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "apex_manifest_full.json")
 	ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
 		Rule:   apexManifestRule,
-		Input:  manifestJsonCommentsStripped,
+		Input:  src,
 		Output: manifestJsonFullOut,
 		Args: map[string]string{
 			"provideNativeLibs": strings.Join(provideNativeLibs, " "),
@@ -686,7 +672,6 @@
 				"file_contexts":    fileContexts.String(),
 				"canned_fs_config": cannedFsConfig.String(),
 				"key":              a.privateKeyFile.String(),
-				"apex_version":     defaultManifestVersion,
 				"opt_flags":        strings.Join(optFlags, " "),
 			},
 		})
@@ -783,7 +768,6 @@
 				"image_dir":     imageDir.String(),
 				"copy_commands": strings.Join(copyCommands, " && "),
 				"manifest":      a.manifestPbOut.String(),
-				"apex_version":  defaultManifestVersion,
 			},
 		})
 	}