diff --git a/java/androidmk.go b/java/androidmk.go
index 4da40d2..a3f94cd 100644
--- a/java/androidmk.go
+++ b/java/androidmk.go
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@
 						entries.SetPath("LOCAL_SOONG_DEXPREOPT_CONFIG", library.dexpreopter.configPath)
 					}
 					// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-					entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", library.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+
+					entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", library.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@
 						entries.SetString("LOCAL_SOONG_BUILT_INSTALLED", binary.dexpreopter.builtInstalled)
 					}
 					// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-					entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", binary.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+					entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", binary.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 				},
 			},
 			ExtraFooters: []android.AndroidMkExtraFootersFunc{
@@ -461,7 +462,7 @@
 
 				if app.Name() != "framework-res" {
 					// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-					entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", app.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+					entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", app.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 				}
 			},
 		},
@@ -540,7 +541,7 @@
 		entries.SetPath("LOCAL_SOONG_EXPORT_PROGUARD_FLAGS", a.combinedExportedProguardFlagsFile)
 		entries.SetBoolIfTrue("LOCAL_UNINSTALLABLE_MODULE", true)
 		// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-		entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", a.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+		entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", a.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 	})
 
 	return entriesList
diff --git a/java/base.go b/java/base.go
index 7e1381b..c4b4026 100644
--- a/java/base.go
+++ b/java/base.go
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
 
 	"android/soong/ui/metrics/bp2build_metrics_proto"
 
+	"github.com/google/blueprint"
 	"github.com/google/blueprint/pathtools"
 	"github.com/google/blueprint/proptools"
-	"github.com/google/blueprint"
 
 	"android/soong/aconfig"
 	"android/soong/android"
@@ -514,8 +514,8 @@
 	// or the module should override Stem().
 	stem string
 
-	// Aconfig files for all transitive deps.  Also exposed via TransitiveDeclarationsInfo
-	transitiveAconfigFiles map[string]*android.DepSet[android.Path]
+	// Single aconfig "cache file" merged from this module and all dependencies.
+	mergedAconfigFiles map[string]android.Paths
 }
 
 func (j *Module) CheckStableSdkVersion(ctx android.BaseModuleContext) error {
@@ -1721,7 +1721,7 @@
 
 	ctx.CheckbuildFile(outputFile)
 
-	aconfig.CollectTransitiveAconfigFiles(ctx, &j.transitiveAconfigFiles)
+	aconfig.CollectDependencyAconfigFiles(ctx, &j.mergedAconfigFiles)
 
 	ctx.SetProvider(JavaInfoProvider, JavaInfo{
 		HeaderJars:                     android.PathsIfNonNil(j.headerJarFile),
@@ -2078,10 +2078,6 @@
 	return Bool(j.properties.Installable)
 }
 
-func (j *Module) getTransitiveAconfigFiles(container string) []android.Path {
-	return j.transitiveAconfigFiles[container].ToList()
-}
-
 type sdkLinkType int
 
 const (