diff --git a/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.cpp b/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.cpp
index 9234364..38483c3 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.cpp
@@ -2949,16 +2949,74 @@
 }
 
 status_t AudioFlinger::getEffectDescriptor(const effect_uuid_t *pUuid,
-        effect_descriptor_t *descriptor) const
+                                           const effect_uuid_t *pTypeUuid,
+                                           uint32_t preferredTypeFlag,
+                                           effect_descriptor_t *descriptor) const
 {
+    if (pUuid == NULL || pTypeUuid == NULL || descriptor == NULL) {
+        return BAD_VALUE;
+    }
+
     Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
-    if (mEffectsFactoryHal.get()) {
-        return mEffectsFactoryHal->getDescriptor(pUuid, descriptor);
-    } else {
+
+    if (!mEffectsFactoryHal.get()) {
         return -ENODEV;
     }
-}
 
+    status_t status = NO_ERROR;
+    if (!EffectsFactoryHalInterface::isNullUuid(pUuid)) {
+        // If uuid is specified, request effect descriptor from that.
+        status = mEffectsFactoryHal->getDescriptor(pUuid, descriptor);
+    } else if (!EffectsFactoryHalInterface::isNullUuid(pTypeUuid)) {
+        // If uuid is not specified, look for an available implementation
+        // of the required type instead.
+
+        // Use a temporary descriptor to avoid modifying |descriptor| in the failure case.
+        effect_descriptor_t desc;
+        desc.flags = 0; // prevent compiler warning
+
+        uint32_t numEffects = 0;
+        status = mEffectsFactoryHal->queryNumberEffects(&numEffects);
+        if (status < 0) {
+            ALOGW("getEffectDescriptor() error %d from FactoryHal queryNumberEffects", status);
+            return status;
+        }
+
+        bool found = false;
+        for (uint32_t i = 0; i < numEffects; i++) {
+            status = mEffectsFactoryHal->getDescriptor(i, &desc);
+            if (status < 0) {
+                ALOGW("getEffectDescriptor() error %d from FactoryHal getDescriptor", status);
+                continue;
+            }
+            if (memcmp(&desc.type, pTypeUuid, sizeof(effect_uuid_t)) == 0) {
+                // If matching type found save effect descriptor.
+                found = true;
+                *descriptor = desc;
+
+                // If there's no preferred flag or this descriptor matches the preferred
+                // flag, success! If this descriptor doesn't match the preferred
+                // flag, continue enumeration in case a better matching version of this
+                // effect type is available. Note that this means if no effect with a
+                // correct flag is found, the descriptor returned will correspond to the
+                // last effect that at least had a matching type uuid (if any).
+                if (preferredTypeFlag == EFFECT_FLAG_TYPE_MASK ||
+                    (desc.flags & EFFECT_FLAG_TYPE_MASK) == preferredTypeFlag) {
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!found) {
+            status = NAME_NOT_FOUND;
+            ALOGW("getEffectDescriptor(): Effect not found by type.");
+        }
+    } else {
+        status = BAD_VALUE;
+        ALOGE("getEffectDescriptor(): Either uuid or type uuid must be non-null UUIDs.");
+    }
+    return status;
+}
 
 sp<IEffect> AudioFlinger::createEffect(
         effect_descriptor_t *pDesc,
@@ -3012,60 +3070,15 @@
     }
 
     {
-        if (!EffectsFactoryHalInterface::isNullUuid(&pDesc->uuid)) {
-            // if uuid is specified, request effect descriptor
-            lStatus = mEffectsFactoryHal->getDescriptor(&pDesc->uuid, &desc);
-            if (lStatus < 0) {
-                ALOGW("createEffect() error %d from EffectGetDescriptor", lStatus);
-                goto Exit;
-            }
-        } else {
-            // if uuid is not specified, look for an available implementation
-            // of the required type in effect factory
-            if (EffectsFactoryHalInterface::isNullUuid(&pDesc->type)) {
-                ALOGW("createEffect() no effect type");
-                lStatus = BAD_VALUE;
-                goto Exit;
-            }
-            uint32_t numEffects = 0;
-            effect_descriptor_t d;
-            d.flags = 0; // prevent compiler warning
-            bool found = false;
-
-            lStatus = mEffectsFactoryHal->queryNumberEffects(&numEffects);
-            if (lStatus < 0) {
-                ALOGW("createEffect() error %d from EffectQueryNumberEffects", lStatus);
-                goto Exit;
-            }
-            for (uint32_t i = 0; i < numEffects; i++) {
-                lStatus = mEffectsFactoryHal->getDescriptor(i, &desc);
-                if (lStatus < 0) {
-                    ALOGW("createEffect() error %d from EffectQueryEffect", lStatus);
-                    continue;
-                }
-                if (memcmp(&desc.type, &pDesc->type, sizeof(effect_uuid_t)) == 0) {
-                    // If matching type found save effect descriptor. If the session is
-                    // 0 and the effect is not auxiliary, continue enumeration in case
-                    // an auxiliary version of this effect type is available
-                    found = true;
-                    d = desc;
-                    if (sessionId != AUDIO_SESSION_OUTPUT_MIX ||
-                            (desc.flags & EFFECT_FLAG_TYPE_MASK) == EFFECT_FLAG_TYPE_AUXILIARY) {
-                        break;
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-            if (!found) {
-                lStatus = BAD_VALUE;
-                ALOGW("createEffect() effect not found");
-                goto Exit;
-            }
-            // For same effect type, chose auxiliary version over insert version if
-            // connect to output mix (Compliance to OpenSL ES)
-            if (sessionId == AUDIO_SESSION_OUTPUT_MIX &&
-                    (d.flags & EFFECT_FLAG_TYPE_MASK) != EFFECT_FLAG_TYPE_AUXILIARY) {
-                desc = d;
-            }
+        // Get the full effect descriptor from the uuid/type.
+        // If the session is the output mix, prefer an auxiliary effect,
+        // otherwise no preference.
+        uint32_t preferredType = (sessionId == AUDIO_SESSION_OUTPUT_MIX ?
+                                  EFFECT_FLAG_TYPE_AUXILIARY : EFFECT_FLAG_TYPE_MASK);
+        lStatus = getEffectDescriptor(&pDesc->uuid, &pDesc->type, preferredType, &desc);
+        if (lStatus < 0) {
+            ALOGW("createEffect() error %d from getEffectDescriptor", lStatus);
+            goto Exit;
         }
 
         // Do not allow auxiliary effects on a session different from 0 (output mix)