diff --git a/javalib/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachine.java b/javalib/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachine.java
index a6b3ed6..5f39b1c 100644
--- a/javalib/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachine.java
+++ b/javalib/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachine.java
@@ -1033,11 +1033,13 @@
             }
             checkStopped();
 
-            // Delete any existing file before recreating; that ensures any VirtualMachineDescriptor
-            // that refers to the old file does not see the new config.
-            mConfigFilePath.delete();
-            newConfig.serialize(mConfigFilePath);
-            mConfig = newConfig;
+            if (oldConfig != newConfig) {
+                // Delete any existing file before recreating; that ensures any
+                // VirtualMachineDescriptor that refers to the old file does not see the new config.
+                mConfigFilePath.delete();
+                newConfig.serialize(mConfigFilePath);
+                mConfig = newConfig;
+            }
             return oldConfig;
         }
     }
diff --git a/javalib/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineConfig.java b/javalib/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineConfig.java
index c364b42..668d7dc 100644
--- a/javalib/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineConfig.java
+++ b/javalib/src/android/system/virtualmachine/VirtualMachineConfig.java
@@ -421,6 +421,9 @@
      */
     @SystemApi
     public boolean isCompatibleWith(@NonNull VirtualMachineConfig other) {
+        if (this == other) {
+            return true;
+        }
         return this.mDebugLevel == other.mDebugLevel
                 && this.mProtectedVm == other.mProtectedVm
                 && this.mEncryptedStorageBytes == other.mEncryptedStorageBytes