diff --git a/java/builder.go b/java/builder.go
index ade9784..dff0032 100644
--- a/java/builder.go
+++ b/java/builder.go
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@
 
 	gatherReleasedFlaggedApisRule = pctx.AndroidStaticRule("gatherReleasedFlaggedApisRule",
 		blueprint.RuleParams{
-			Command: `${aconfig} dump-cache --dedup --format='{fully_qualified_name}' ` +
+			Command: `${aconfig} dump-cache --dedup --format=protobuf ` +
 				`--out ${out} ` +
 				`${flags_path} ` +
 				`${filter_args} `,
@@ -320,8 +320,8 @@
 
 	generateMetalavaRevertAnnotationsRule = pctx.AndroidStaticRule("generateMetalavaRevertAnnotationsRule",
 		blueprint.RuleParams{
-			Command:     `${keep-flagged-apis} ${in} > ${out}`,
-			CommandDeps: []string{"${keep-flagged-apis}"},
+			Command:     `${aconfig-to-metalava-flags} ${in} > ${out}`,
+			CommandDeps: []string{"${aconfig-to-metalava-flags}"},
 		})
 
 	generateApiXMLRule = pctx.AndroidStaticRule("generateApiXMLRule",
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@
 	pctx.HostBinToolVariable("aconfig", "aconfig")
 	pctx.HostBinToolVariable("ravenizer", "ravenizer")
 	pctx.HostBinToolVariable("apimapper", "apimapper")
-	pctx.HostBinToolVariable("keep-flagged-apis", "keep-flagged-apis")
+	pctx.HostBinToolVariable("aconfig-to-metalava-flags", "aconfig-to-metalava-flags")
 }
 
 type javaBuilderFlags struct {
diff --git a/java/droidstubs.go b/java/droidstubs.go
index caad688..b3241cc 100644
--- a/java/droidstubs.go
+++ b/java/droidstubs.go
@@ -821,19 +821,17 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	if len(aconfigFlagsPaths) == 0 {
-		// This argument should not be added for "everything" stubs
-		cmd.Flag("--revert-annotation android.annotation.FlaggedApi")
-		return
-	}
+	// If aconfigFlagsPaths is empty then it is still important to generate the
+	// Metalava flags config file, albeit with an empty set of flags, so that all
+	// flagged APIs will be reverted.
 
-	releasedFlaggedApisFile := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("released-flagged-apis-%s.txt", stubsType.String()))
-	revertAnnotationsFile := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("revert-annotations-%s.txt", stubsType.String()))
+	releasedFlagsFile := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("released-flags-%s.pb", stubsType.String()))
+	metalavaFlagsConfigFile := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("flags-config-%s.xml", stubsType.String()))
 
 	ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
 		Rule:        gatherReleasedFlaggedApisRule,
 		Inputs:      aconfigFlagsPaths,
-		Output:      releasedFlaggedApisFile,
+		Output:      releasedFlagsFile,
 		Description: fmt.Sprintf("%s gather aconfig flags", stubsType),
 		Args: map[string]string{
 			"flags_path":  android.JoinPathsWithPrefix(aconfigFlagsPaths, "--cache "),
@@ -843,12 +841,12 @@
 
 	ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
 		Rule:        generateMetalavaRevertAnnotationsRule,
-		Input:       releasedFlaggedApisFile,
-		Output:      revertAnnotationsFile,
-		Description: fmt.Sprintf("%s revert annotations", stubsType),
+		Input:       releasedFlagsFile,
+		Output:      metalavaFlagsConfigFile,
+		Description: fmt.Sprintf("%s metalava flags config", stubsType),
 	})
 
-	cmd.FlagWithInput("@", revertAnnotationsFile)
+	cmd.FlagWithInput("--config-file ", metalavaFlagsConfigFile)
 }
 
 func (d *Droidstubs) commonMetalavaStubCmd(ctx android.ModuleContext, rule *android.RuleBuilder,
diff --git a/java/droidstubs_test.go b/java/droidstubs_test.go
index dfdf877..1f9d223 100644
--- a/java/droidstubs_test.go
+++ b/java/droidstubs_test.go
@@ -410,12 +410,12 @@
 
 	m := result.ModuleForTests(t, "foo", "android_common")
 	android.AssertStringDoesContain(t, "foo generates revert annotations file",
-		strings.Join(m.AllOutputs(), ""), "revert-annotations-exportable.txt")
+		strings.Join(m.AllOutputs(), ""), "flags-config-exportable.xml")
 
 	// revert-annotations.txt passed to exportable stubs generation metalava command
 	manifest := m.Output("metalava_exportable.sbox.textproto")
 	cmdline := String(android.RuleBuilderSboxProtoForTests(t, result.TestContext, manifest).Commands[0].Command)
-	android.AssertStringDoesContain(t, "flagged api hide command not included", cmdline, "revert-annotations-exportable.txt")
+	android.AssertStringDoesContain(t, "flagged api hide command not included", cmdline, "flags-config-exportable.xml")
 
 	android.AssertStringDoesContain(t, "foo generates exportable stubs jar",
 		strings.Join(m.AllOutputs(), ""), "exportable/foo-stubs.srcjar")
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@
 
 	m := result.ModuleForTests(t, "foo", "android_common")
 
-	rule := m.Output("released-flagged-apis-exportable.txt")
+	rule := m.Output("released-flags-exportable.pb")
 	exposeWritableApisFilter := "--filter='state:ENABLED+permission:READ_ONLY' --filter='permission:READ_WRITE'"
 	android.AssertStringEquals(t, "Filter argument expected to contain READ_WRITE permissions", exposeWritableApisFilter, rule.Args["filter_args"])
 }
diff --git a/java/java_test.go b/java/java_test.go
index a6290a6..6df81e5 100644
--- a/java/java_test.go
+++ b/java/java_test.go
@@ -2912,12 +2912,12 @@
 
 	m := result.ModuleForTests(t, "foo", "android_common")
 	android.AssertStringDoesContain(t, "foo generates revert annotations file",
-		strings.Join(m.AllOutputs(), ""), "revert-annotations-exportable.txt")
+		strings.Join(m.AllOutputs(), ""), "flags-config-exportable.xml")
 
 	// revert-annotations.txt passed to exportable stubs generation metalava command
 	manifest := m.Output("metalava.sbox.textproto")
 	cmdline := String(android.RuleBuilderSboxProtoForTests(t, result.TestContext, manifest).Commands[0].Command)
-	android.AssertStringDoesContain(t, "flagged api hide command not included", cmdline, "revert-annotations-exportable.txt")
+	android.AssertStringDoesContain(t, "flagged api hide command not included", cmdline, "flags-config-exportable.xml")
 }
 
 func TestTestOnly(t *testing.T) {