diff --git a/media/mediaserver/manifest_media_c2_software.xml b/media/mediaserver/manifest_media_c2_software.xml
index d7fb1a0..31dfafb 100644
--- a/media/mediaserver/manifest_media_c2_software.xml
+++ b/media/mediaserver/manifest_media_c2_software.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <manifest version="1.0" type="framework">
-    <hal>
+    <hal format="hidl" max-level="8">
         <name>android.hardware.media.c2</name>
         <transport>hwbinder</transport>
         <version>1.2</version>
diff --git a/media/module/codecserviceregistrant/CodecServiceRegistrant.cpp b/media/module/codecserviceregistrant/CodecServiceRegistrant.cpp
index f95fc4d..caf2524 100644
--- a/media/module/codecserviceregistrant/CodecServiceRegistrant.cpp
+++ b/media/module/codecserviceregistrant/CodecServiceRegistrant.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <C2Component.h>
 #include <C2PlatformSupport.h>
 
+#include <android/hidl/manager/1.2/IServiceManager.h>
 #include <codec2/hidl/1.0/ComponentStore.h>
 #include <codec2/hidl/1.1/ComponentStore.h>
 #include <codec2/hidl/1.2/ComponentStore.h>
@@ -834,15 +835,26 @@
         }
     }
 
-    if (!hidlStore) {
-        hidlStore = ::android::sp<V1_2::utils::ComponentStore>::make(
-                std::make_shared<H2C2ComponentStore>(nullptr));
-        hidlVer = "1.2";
-    }
-    if (hidlStore->registerAsService("software") == android::OK) {
-        registered = true;
+    // If the software component store isn't declared in the manifest, we don't
+    // need to create the service and register it.
+    using ::android::hidl::manager::V1_2::IServiceManager;
+    IServiceManager::Transport transport =
+            android::hardware::defaultServiceManager1_2()->getTransport(
+                    V1_2::utils::ComponentStore::descriptor, "software");
+    if (transport == IServiceManager::Transport::HWBINDER) {
+        if (!hidlStore) {
+            hidlStore = ::android::sp<V1_2::utils::ComponentStore>::make(
+                    std::make_shared<H2C2ComponentStore>(nullptr));
+            hidlVer = "1.2";
+        }
+        if (hidlStore->registerAsService("software") == android::OK) {
+            registered = true;
+        } else {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Cannot register software Codec2 v" << hidlVer << " service.";
+        }
     } else {
-        LOG(ERROR) << "Cannot register software Codec2 v" << hidlVer << " service.";
+        LOG(INFO) << "The HIDL software Codec2 service is deprecated"
+                     " so it is not being registered with hwservicemanager.";
     }
 
     if (registered) {