diff --git a/java/droiddoc.go b/java/droiddoc.go
index a8e2b0e..f7595b1 100644
--- a/java/droiddoc.go
+++ b/java/droiddoc.go
@@ -226,11 +226,8 @@
 	srcJars     android.Paths
 	srcFiles    android.Paths
 	sourcepaths android.Paths
-	argFiles    android.Paths
 	implicits   android.Paths
 
-	args []string
-
 	docZip      android.WritablePath
 	stubsSrcJar android.WritablePath
 }
@@ -480,15 +477,20 @@
 		j.sourcepaths = android.PathsForModuleSrc(ctx, []string{"."})
 	}
 
-	j.argFiles = android.PathsForModuleSrc(ctx, j.properties.Arg_files)
+	return deps
+}
+
+func (j *Javadoc) expandArgs(ctx android.ModuleContext, cmd *android.RuleBuilderCommand) {
+	var argFiles android.Paths
 	argFilesMap := map[string]string{}
 	argFileLabels := []string{}
 
 	for _, label := range j.properties.Arg_files {
 		var paths = android.PathsForModuleSrc(ctx, []string{label})
 		if _, exists := argFilesMap[label]; !exists {
-			argFilesMap[label] = strings.Join(paths.Strings(), " ")
+			argFilesMap[label] = strings.Join(cmd.PathsForInputs(paths), " ")
 			argFileLabels = append(argFileLabels, label)
+			argFiles = append(argFiles, paths...)
 		} else {
 			ctx.ModuleErrorf("multiple arg_files for %q, %q and %q",
 				label, argFilesMap[label], paths)
@@ -508,7 +510,7 @@
 	}
 
 	for _, flag := range flags {
-		args, err := android.Expand(flag, func(name string) (string, error) {
+		expanded, err := android.Expand(flag, func(name string) (string, error) {
 			if strings.HasPrefix(name, "location ") {
 				label := strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(name, "location "))
 				if paths, ok := argFilesMap[label]; ok {
@@ -526,10 +528,10 @@
 		if err != nil {
 			ctx.PropertyErrorf(argsPropertyName, "%s", err.Error())
 		}
-		j.args = append(j.args, args)
+		cmd.Flag(expanded)
 	}
 
-	return deps
+	cmd.Implicits(argFiles)
 }
 
 func (j *Javadoc) DepsMutator(ctx android.BottomUpMutatorContext) {
@@ -563,6 +565,8 @@
 		Flag("-XDignore.symbol.file").
 		Flag("-Xdoclint:none")
 
+	j.expandArgs(ctx, cmd)
+
 	rule.Command().
 		BuiltTool("soong_zip").
 		Flag("-write_if_changed").
@@ -821,7 +825,7 @@
 			deps.bootClasspath, deps.classpath, d.Javadoc.sourcepaths)
 	}
 
-	cmd.Flag(strings.Join(d.Javadoc.args, " ")).Implicits(d.Javadoc.argFiles)
+	d.expandArgs(ctx, cmd)
 
 	if d.properties.Compat_config != nil {
 		compatConfig := android.PathForModuleSrc(ctx, String(d.properties.Compat_config))
diff --git a/java/droidstubs.go b/java/droidstubs.go
index e453e62..b42cb66 100644
--- a/java/droidstubs.go
+++ b/java/droidstubs.go
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@
 		cmd.Flag("--include-annotations")
 
 		validatingNullability :=
-			android.InList("--validate-nullability-from-merged-stubs", d.Javadoc.args) ||
+			strings.Contains(String(d.Javadoc.properties.Args), "--validate-nullability-from-merged-stubs") ||
 				String(d.properties.Validate_nullability_from_list) != ""
 
 		migratingNullability := String(d.properties.Previous_api) != ""
@@ -509,14 +509,8 @@
 	d.inclusionAnnotationsFlags(ctx, cmd)
 	d.apiLevelsAnnotationsFlags(ctx, cmd)
 
-	if android.InList("--generate-documentation", d.Javadoc.args) {
-		// Currently Metalava have the ability to invoke Javadoc in a separate process.
-		// Pass "-nodocs" to suppress the Javadoc invocation when Metalava receives
-		// "--generate-documentation" arg. This is not needed when Metalava removes this feature.
-		d.Javadoc.args = append(d.Javadoc.args, "-nodocs")
-	}
+	d.expandArgs(ctx, cmd)
 
-	cmd.Flag(strings.Join(d.Javadoc.args, " ")).Implicits(d.Javadoc.argFiles)
 	for _, o := range d.Javadoc.properties.Out {
 		cmd.ImplicitOutput(android.PathForModuleGen(ctx, o))
 	}
diff --git a/java/droidstubs_test.go b/java/droidstubs_test.go
index c6db979..6ad9323 100644
--- a/java/droidstubs_test.go
+++ b/java/droidstubs_test.go
@@ -81,10 +81,19 @@
 
 func TestDroidstubsSandbox(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, _ := testJavaWithFS(t, `
+		genrule {
+			name: "foo",
+			out: ["foo.txt"],
+			cmd: "touch $(out)",
+		}
+
 		droidstubs {
 			name: "bar-stubs",
 			srcs: ["bar-doc/a.java"],
 			sandbox: true,
+
+			args: "--reference $(location :foo)",
+			arg_files: [":foo"],
 		}
 		`,
 		map[string][]byte{
@@ -96,6 +105,11 @@
 	if g, w := metalava.Inputs.Strings(), []string{"bar-doc/a.java"}; !reflect.DeepEqual(w, g) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected inputs %q, got %q", w, g)
 	}
+
+	manifest := android.RuleBuilderSboxProtoForTests(t, m.Output("metalava.sbox.textproto"))
+	if g, w := manifest.Commands[0].GetCommand(), "reference __SBOX_SANDBOX_DIR__/out/.intermediates/foo/gen/foo.txt"; !strings.Contains(g, w) {
+		t.Errorf("Expected command to contain %q, got %q", w, g)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestDroidstubsWithSystemModules(t *testing.T) {