diff --git a/services/audioflinger/MelReporter.cpp b/services/audioflinger/MelReporter.cpp
index 7902444..b185959 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/MelReporter.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/MelReporter.cpp
@@ -33,8 +33,14 @@
 constexpr std::string_view kSoundDoseInterfaceModule = "/default";
 
 bool AudioFlinger::MelReporter::activateHalSoundDoseComputation(const std::string& module) {
+    if (mSoundDoseManager->forceUseFrameworkMel()) {
+        ALOGD("%s: Forcing use of internal MEL computation.", __func__);
+        activateInternalSoundDoseComputation();
+        return false;
+    }
+
     if (mSoundDoseFactory == nullptr) {
-        ALOGW("%s sound dose HAL reporting not available", __func__);
+        ALOGW("%s: sound dose HAL reporting not available", __func__);
         activateInternalSoundDoseComputation();
         return false;
     }
@@ -42,14 +48,14 @@
     std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose> soundDoseInterface;
     auto result = mSoundDoseFactory->getSoundDose(module, &soundDoseInterface);
     if (!result.isOk()) {
-        ALOGW("%s HAL cannot provide sound dose interface for module %s",
+        ALOGW("%s: HAL cannot provide sound dose interface for module %s",
               __func__, module.c_str());
         activateInternalSoundDoseComputation();
         return false;
     }
 
     if (!mSoundDoseManager->setHalSoundDoseInterface(soundDoseInterface)) {
-        ALOGW("%s cannot activate HAL MEL reporting for module %s", __func__, module.c_str());
+        ALOGW("%s: cannot activate HAL MEL reporting for module %s", __func__, module.c_str());
         activateInternalSoundDoseComputation();
         return false;
     }
@@ -61,10 +67,16 @@
 }
 
 void AudioFlinger::MelReporter::activateInternalSoundDoseComputation() {
-    mSoundDoseManager->setHalSoundDoseInterface(nullptr);
+    {
+        std::lock_guard _l(mLock);
+        if (!mUseHalSoundDoseInterface) {
+            // no need to start internal MEL on active patches
+            return;
+        }
+        mUseHalSoundDoseInterface = false;
+    }
 
-    std::lock_guard _l(mLock);
-    mUseHalSoundDoseInterface = false;
+    mSoundDoseManager->setHalSoundDoseInterface(nullptr);
 
     for (const auto& activePatches : mActiveMelPatches) {
         for (const auto& deviceId : activePatches.second.deviceHandles) {
@@ -88,7 +100,7 @@
 }
 
 bool AudioFlinger::MelReporter::shouldComputeMelForDeviceType(audio_devices_t device) {
-    if (mSoundDoseManager->computeCsdOnAllDevices()) {
+    if (mSoundDoseManager->forceComputeCsdOnAllDevices()) {
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -130,10 +142,10 @@
                                     patch.mAudioPatch.sinks[i].ext.device.address};
             mSoundDoseManager->mapAddressToDeviceId(adt, deviceId);
 
-            bool useHalSoundDoseInterface;
+            bool useHalSoundDoseInterface = !mSoundDoseManager->forceUseFrameworkMel();
             {
                 std::lock_guard _l(mLock);
-                useHalSoundDoseInterface = mUseHalSoundDoseInterface;
+                useHalSoundDoseInterface &= mUseHalSoundDoseInterface;
             }
             if (!useHalSoundDoseInterface) {
                 startMelComputationForNewPatch(streamHandle, deviceId);
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/sounddose/SoundDoseManager.cpp b/services/audioflinger/sounddose/SoundDoseManager.cpp
index ad19fb1..df6eb5b 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/sounddose/SoundDoseManager.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/sounddose/SoundDoseManager.cpp
@@ -194,6 +194,13 @@
         return ndk::ScopedAStatus::fromExceptionCode(EX_ILLEGAL_STATE);
     }
 
+    std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose> halSoundDose;
+    soundDoseManager->getHalSoundDose(&halSoundDose);
+    if(halSoundDose == nullptr) {
+        ALOGW("%s: HAL sound dose interface deactivated. Ignoring", __func__);
+        return ndk::ScopedAStatus::fromExceptionCode(EX_ILLEGAL_STATE);
+    }
+
     auto id = soundDoseManager->getIdForAudioDevice(in_audioDevice);
     if (id == AUDIO_PORT_HANDLE_NONE) {
         ALOGW("%s: no mapped id for audio device with type %d and address %s",
@@ -213,6 +220,14 @@
     if (soundDoseManager == nullptr) {
         return ndk::ScopedAStatus::fromExceptionCode(EX_ILLEGAL_STATE);
     }
+
+    std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose> halSoundDose;
+    soundDoseManager->getHalSoundDose(&halSoundDose);
+    if(halSoundDose == nullptr) {
+        ALOGW("%s: HAL sound dose interface deactivated. Ignoring", __func__);
+        return ndk::ScopedAStatus::fromExceptionCode(EX_ILLEGAL_STATE);
+    }
+
     auto id = soundDoseManager->getIdForAudioDevice(in_audioDevice);
     if (id == AUDIO_PORT_HANDLE_NONE) {
         ALOGW("%s: no mapped id for audio device with type %d and address %s",
@@ -294,11 +309,14 @@
 }
 
 void SoundDoseManager::setUseFrameworkMel(bool useFrameworkMel) {
+    // invalidate any HAL sound dose interface used
+    setHalSoundDoseInterface(nullptr);
+
     std::lock_guard _l(mLock);
     mUseFrameworkMel = useFrameworkMel;
 }
 
-bool SoundDoseManager::useFrameworkMel() const {
+bool SoundDoseManager::forceUseFrameworkMel() const {
     std::lock_guard _l(mLock);
     return mUseFrameworkMel;
 }
@@ -308,11 +326,16 @@
     mComputeCsdOnAllDevices = computeCsdOnAllDevices;
 }
 
-bool SoundDoseManager::computeCsdOnAllDevices() const {
+bool SoundDoseManager::forceComputeCsdOnAllDevices() const {
     std::lock_guard _l(mLock);
     return mComputeCsdOnAllDevices;
 }
 
+void SoundDoseManager::getHalSoundDose(std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose>* halSoundDose) const {
+    std::lock_guard _l(mLock);
+    *halSoundDose = mHalSoundDose;
+}
+
 void SoundDoseManager::resetSoundDose() {
     std::lock_guard lock(mLock);
     mSoundDose = nullptr;
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/sounddose/SoundDoseManager.h b/services/audioflinger/sounddose/SoundDoseManager.h
index 199e8c9..b10874f 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/sounddose/SoundDoseManager.h
+++ b/services/audioflinger/sounddose/SoundDoseManager.h
@@ -104,11 +104,10 @@
 
     std::string dump() const;
 
-    // used for testing
+    // used for testing only
     size_t getCachedMelRecordsSize() const;
-    bool useFrameworkMel() const;
-    bool computeCsdOnAllDevices() const;
-
+    bool forceUseFrameworkMel() const;
+    bool forceComputeCsdOnAllDevices() const;
 
     /** Method for converting from audio_utils::CsdRecord to media::SoundDoseRecord. */
     static media::SoundDoseRecord csdRecordToSoundDoseRecord(const audio_utils::CsdRecord& legacy);
@@ -166,6 +165,8 @@
 
     void setUseFrameworkMel(bool useFrameworkMel);
     void setComputeCsdOnAllDevices(bool computeCsdOnAllDevices);
+    /** Returns the HAL sound dose interface or null if internal MEL computation is used. */
+    void getHalSoundDose(std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose>* halSoundDose) const;
 
     mutable std::mutex mLock;
 
@@ -185,8 +186,8 @@
     std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose> mHalSoundDose GUARDED_BY(mLock);
     std::shared_ptr<HalSoundDoseCallback> mHalSoundDoseCallback GUARDED_BY(mLock);
 
-    bool mUseFrameworkMel GUARDED_BY(mLock);
-    bool mComputeCsdOnAllDevices GUARDED_BY(mLock);
+    bool mUseFrameworkMel GUARDED_BY(mLock) = false;
+    bool mComputeCsdOnAllDevices GUARDED_BY(mLock) = false;
 };
 
 }  // namespace android
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/sounddose/tests/sounddosemanager_tests.cpp b/services/audioflinger/sounddose/tests/sounddosemanager_tests.cpp
index 658efe1..ba2edcf 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/sounddose/tests/sounddosemanager_tests.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/sounddose/tests/sounddosemanager_tests.cpp
@@ -154,6 +154,28 @@
     EXPECT_FALSE(status.isOk());
 }
 
+TEST_F(SoundDoseManagerTest, MomentaryExposureFromHalAfterInternalSelectedReturnsException) {
+    std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose::IHalSoundDoseCallback> halCallback;
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(*mHalSoundDose.get(), setOutputRs2).Times(1);
+    EXPECT_CALL(*mHalSoundDose.get(), registerSoundDoseCallback)
+       .Times(1)
+       .WillOnce([&] (const std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose::IHalSoundDoseCallback>& callback) {
+           halCallback = callback;
+           return ndk::ScopedAStatus::ok();
+       });
+
+    EXPECT_TRUE(mSoundDoseManager->setHalSoundDoseInterface(mHalSoundDose));
+    EXPECT_NE(nullptr, halCallback);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(mSoundDoseManager->setHalSoundDoseInterface(nullptr));
+
+    AudioDevice audioDevice = {};
+    audioDevice.address.set<AudioDeviceAddress::id>("test");
+    auto status = halCallback->onMomentaryExposureWarning(
+        /*in_currentDbA=*/101.f, audioDevice);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(status.isOk());
+}
+
 TEST_F(SoundDoseManagerTest, OnNewMelValuesFromHalWithNoAddressIllegalArgument) {
     std::shared_ptr<ISoundDose::IHalSoundDoseCallback> halCallback;
 
@@ -207,5 +229,13 @@
     EXPECT_EQ(AUDIO_PORT_HANDLE_NONE, mSoundDoseManager->getIdForAudioDevice(audioDevice));
 }
 
+TEST_F(SoundDoseManagerTest, GetDefaultForceComputeCsdOnAllDevices) {
+    EXPECT_FALSE(mSoundDoseManager->forceComputeCsdOnAllDevices());
+}
+
+TEST_F(SoundDoseManagerTest, GetDefaultForceUseFrameworkMel) {
+    EXPECT_FALSE(mSoundDoseManager->forceUseFrameworkMel());
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 }  // namespace android