diff --git a/cmd/release_config/main.go b/cmd/release_config/main.go
index 3bb6b3d..b7f7fab 100644
--- a/cmd/release_config/main.go
+++ b/cmd/release_config/main.go
@@ -270,9 +270,6 @@
 
 func (configs *ReleaseConfigs) LoadReleaseConfigMap(path string, ConfigDirIndex int) error {
 	m := ReleaseConfigMapFactory(path)
-	if m.proto.Origin == nil || *m.proto.Origin == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Release config map %s lacks origin", path)
-	}
 	if m.proto.DefaultContainer == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Release config map %s lacks default_container", path)
 	}
@@ -296,13 +293,13 @@
 		if flagDeclaration.Container == nil {
 			flagDeclaration.Container = m.proto.DefaultContainer
 		}
-		// TODO: drop flag_declaration.origin from the proto.
-		if flagDeclaration.Origin == nil {
-			flagDeclaration.Origin = m.proto.Origin
+		// TODO: once we have namespaces initialized, we can throw an error here.
+		if flagDeclaration.Namespace == nil {
+			flagDeclaration.Namespace = proto.String("android_UNKNOWN")
 		}
-		// There is always a default value.
+		// If the input didn't specify a value, create one (== UnspecifiedValue).
 		if flagDeclaration.Value == nil {
-			flagDeclaration.Value = &release_config_proto.Value{Val: &release_config_proto.Value_UnspecifiedValue{true}}
+			flagDeclaration.Value = &release_config_proto.Value{Val: &release_config_proto.Value_UnspecifiedValue{false}}
 		}
 		m.FlagDeclarations = append(m.FlagDeclarations, *flagDeclaration)
 		name := *flagDeclaration.Name
@@ -414,7 +411,7 @@
 		addVar(name, "VALUE", value)
 		addVar(name, "DECLARED_IN", *flag.Traces[0].Source)
 		addVar(name, "SET_IN", *flag.Traces[len(flag.Traces)-1].Source)
-		addVar(name, "ORIGIN", *decl.Origin)
+		addVar(name, "NAMESPACE", *decl.Namespace)
 	}
 	pNames := []string{}
 	for k, _ := range partitions {
@@ -626,15 +623,14 @@
 	return nil
 }
 
-func main() {
-	var targetRelease string
-	var outputDir string
-
+func GetDefaultOutDir() string {
 	outEnv := os.Getenv("OUT_DIR")
 	if outEnv == "" {
 		outEnv = "out"
 	}
-	defaultOutputDir := filepath.Join(outEnv, "soong", "release-config")
+	return filepath.Join(outEnv, "soong", "release-config")
+}
+func GetDefaultMapPaths() StringList {
 	var defaultMapPaths StringList
 	defaultLocations := StringList{
 		"build/release/release_config_map.textproto",
@@ -650,32 +646,47 @@
 	if prodMaps != "" {
 		defaultMapPaths = append(defaultMapPaths, strings.Split(prodMaps, " ")...)
 	}
+	return defaultMapPaths
+}
 
-	flag.BoolVar(&verboseFlag, "debug", false, "print debugging information")
-	flag.Var(&releaseConfigMapPaths, "map", "path to a release_config_map.textproto. may be repeated")
-	flag.StringVar(&targetRelease, "release", "trunk_staging", "TARGET_RELEASE for this build")
-	flag.StringVar(&outputDir, "out_dir", defaultOutputDir, "basepath for the output. Multiple formats are created")
-	flag.Parse()
-
-	if len(releaseConfigMapPaths) == 0 {
-		releaseConfigMapPaths = defaultMapPaths
-		fmt.Printf("No --map argument provided.  Using: --map %s\n", strings.Join(releaseConfigMapPaths, " --map "))
-	}
-
+func ReadReleaseConfigMaps(releaseConfigMapPaths StringList, targetRelease string) (*ReleaseConfigs, error) {
+	var err error
 	configs := ReleaseConfigsFactory()
 	for idx, releaseConfigMapPath := range releaseConfigMapPaths {
 		// Maintain an ordered list of release config directories.
 		configDir := filepath.Dir(releaseConfigMapPath)
 		configs.ConfigDirIndexes[configDir] = idx
 		configs.ConfigDirs = append(configs.ConfigDirs, configDir)
-		err := configs.LoadReleaseConfigMap(releaseConfigMapPath, idx)
+		err = configs.LoadReleaseConfigMap(releaseConfigMapPath, idx)
 		if err != nil {
-			panic(err)
+			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
 
 	// Now that we have all of the release config maps, can meld them and generate the artifacts.
-	err := configs.GenerateReleaseConfigs(targetRelease)
+	err = configs.GenerateReleaseConfigs(targetRelease)
+	return configs, err
+}
+
+func main() {
+	var targetRelease string
+	var outputDir string
+
+	flag.BoolVar(&verboseFlag, "debug", false, "print debugging information")
+	flag.Var(&releaseConfigMapPaths, "map", "path to a release_config_map.textproto. may be repeated")
+	flag.StringVar(&targetRelease, "release", "trunk_staging", "TARGET_RELEASE for this build")
+	flag.StringVar(&outputDir, "out_dir", GetDefaultOutDir(), "basepath for the output. Multiple formats are created")
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	if len(releaseConfigMapPaths) == 0 {
+		releaseConfigMapPaths = GetDefaultMapPaths()
+		if len(releaseConfigMapPaths) == 0 {
+			panic(fmt.Errorf("No maps found"))
+		}
+		fmt.Printf("No --map argument provided.  Using: --map %s\n", strings.Join(releaseConfigMapPaths, " --map "))
+	}
+
+	configs, err := ReadReleaseConfigMaps(releaseConfigMapPaths, targetRelease)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/release_config/release_config_proto/build_flags_src.pb.go b/cmd/release_config/release_config_proto/build_flags_src.pb.go
index 0f2c30b..ccf3b3f 100644
--- a/cmd/release_config/release_config_proto/build_flags_src.pb.go
+++ b/cmd/release_config/release_config_proto/build_flags_src.pb.go
@@ -287,6 +287,9 @@
 	// The name of the flag.
 	// See # name for format detail
 	Name *string `protobuf:"bytes,1,opt,name=name" json:"name,omitempty"`
+	// Namespace the flag belongs to (required)
+	// See # namespace for format detail
+	Namespace *string `protobuf:"bytes,2,opt,name=namespace" json:"namespace,omitempty"`
 	// Text description of the flag's purpose.
 	Description *string `protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=description" json:"description,omitempty"`
 	// Value for the flag
@@ -296,9 +299,6 @@
 	// The container for this flag.  This overrides any default container given
 	// in the release_config_map message.
 	Container *Container `protobuf:"varint,206,opt,name=container,enum=android.release_config_proto.Container" json:"container,omitempty"`
-	// Temporarily allow origin at the flag declaration level while we
-	// move flags to their own locations.
-	Origin *string `protobuf:"bytes,208,opt,name=origin" json:"origin,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (x *FlagDeclaration) Reset() {
@@ -340,6 +340,13 @@
 	return ""
 }
 
+func (x *FlagDeclaration) GetNamespace() string {
+	if x != nil && x.Namespace != nil {
+		return *x.Namespace
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
 func (x *FlagDeclaration) GetDescription() string {
 	if x != nil && x.Description != nil {
 		return *x.Description
@@ -368,13 +375,6 @@
 	return Container_UNSPECIFIED_container
 }
 
-func (x *FlagDeclaration) GetOrigin() string {
-	if x != nil && x.Origin != nil {
-		return *x.Origin
-	}
-	return ""
-}
-
 type FlagValue struct {
 	state         protoimpl.MessageState
 	sizeCache     protoimpl.SizeCache
@@ -568,8 +568,6 @@
 
 	// Any aliases.
 	Aliases []*ReleaseAlias `protobuf:"bytes,1,rep,name=aliases" json:"aliases,omitempty"`
-	// The origin for flags declared here.
-	Origin *string `protobuf:"bytes,2,opt,name=origin" json:"origin,omitempty"`
 	// The default container for flags declared here.
 	DefaultContainer *Container `protobuf:"varint,3,opt,name=default_container,json=defaultContainer,enum=android.release_config_proto.Container" json:"default_container,omitempty"`
 }
@@ -613,13 +611,6 @@
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (x *ReleaseConfigMap) GetOrigin() string {
-	if x != nil && x.Origin != nil {
-		return *x.Origin
-	}
-	return ""
-}
-
 func (x *ReleaseConfigMap) GetDefaultContainer() Container {
 	if x != nil && x.DefaultContainer != nil {
 		return *x.DefaultContainer
@@ -643,71 +634,70 @@
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 }
 
 var (
diff --git a/cmd/release_config/release_config_proto/build_flags_src.proto b/cmd/release_config/release_config_proto/build_flags_src.proto
index 0662716..8501524 100644
--- a/cmd/release_config/release_config_proto/build_flags_src.proto
+++ b/cmd/release_config/release_config_proto/build_flags_src.proto
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@
 //      RELEASE_MY_PACKAGE_FLAG is a valid name, while MY_PACKAGE_FLAG, and
 //      RELEASE_MY_PACKAGE__FLAG are invalid.
 //
+// # namespace: namespace the flag belongs to
+//
+//    format: a lowercase string in snake_case format, no consecutive underscores, and no leading
+//      digit. For example android_bar_system
+//
 // # package: package to which the flag belongs
 //
 //    format: lowercase strings in snake_case format, delimited by dots, no
@@ -77,6 +82,10 @@
   // See # name for format detail
   optional string name = 1;
 
+  // Namespace the flag belongs to (required)
+  // See # namespace for format detail
+  optional string namespace = 2;
+
   // Text description of the flag's purpose.
   optional string description = 3;
 
@@ -96,12 +105,6 @@
   // The package associated with this flag.
   // (when Gantry is ready for it) optional string package = 207;
   reserved 207;
-
-  // Temporarily allow origin at the flag declaration level while we
-  // move flags to their own locations.
-  optional string origin = 208;
-
-  // TODO: do we want to include "first used in" (= ap2a)?
 }
 
 message flag_value {
@@ -141,9 +144,6 @@
   // Any aliases.
   repeated release_alias aliases = 1;
 
-  // The origin for flags declared here.
-  optional string origin = 2;
-
   // The default container for flags declared here.
   optional container default_container = 3;