diff --git a/cc/library.go b/cc/library.go
index 346e7d8..2ced2c5 100644
--- a/cc/library.go
+++ b/cc/library.go
@@ -749,10 +749,12 @@
 
 func (library *libraryDecorator) linkerDeps(ctx DepsContext, deps Deps) Deps {
 	if library.static() {
+		// Compare with nil because an empty list needs to be propagated.
 		if library.StaticProperties.Static.System_shared_libs != nil {
 			library.baseLinker.Properties.System_shared_libs = library.StaticProperties.Static.System_shared_libs
 		}
 	} else if library.shared() {
+		// Compare with nil because an empty list needs to be propagated.
 		if library.SharedProperties.Shared.System_shared_libs != nil {
 			library.baseLinker.Properties.System_shared_libs = library.SharedProperties.Shared.System_shared_libs
 		}
@@ -828,10 +830,21 @@
 	}
 
 	specifiedDeps.sharedLibs = append(specifiedDeps.sharedLibs, properties.Shared_libs...)
-	specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs = append(specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs, properties.System_shared_libs...)
+
+	// Must distinguish nil and [] in system_shared_libs - ensure that [] in
+	// either input list doesn't come out as nil.
+	if specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs == nil {
+		specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs = properties.System_shared_libs
+	} else {
+		specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs = append(specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs, properties.System_shared_libs...)
+	}
 
 	specifiedDeps.sharedLibs = android.FirstUniqueStrings(specifiedDeps.sharedLibs)
-	specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs = android.FirstUniqueStrings(specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs)
+	if len(specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs) > 0 {
+		// Skip this if systemSharedLibs is either nil or [], to ensure they are
+		// retained.
+		specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs = android.FirstUniqueStrings(specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs)
+	}
 	return specifiedDeps
 }
 
@@ -1371,6 +1384,8 @@
 			len(sharedCompiler.SharedProperties.Shared.Static_libs) == 0 &&
 			len(staticCompiler.StaticProperties.Static.Shared_libs) == 0 &&
 			len(sharedCompiler.SharedProperties.Shared.Shared_libs) == 0 &&
+			// Compare System_shared_libs properties with nil because empty lists are
+			// semantically significant for them.
 			staticCompiler.StaticProperties.Static.System_shared_libs == nil &&
 			sharedCompiler.SharedProperties.Shared.System_shared_libs == nil {