diff --git a/adapter/HidlBinderAdapter.cpp b/adapter/HidlBinderAdapter.cpp
index b6aa58e..ed6dad1 100644
--- a/adapter/HidlBinderAdapter.cpp
+++ b/adapter/HidlBinderAdapter.cpp
@@ -36,42 +36,92 @@
 
 const static std::string kDeactivateProp = "test.hidl.adapters.deactivated";
 
-void usage(const std::string& me) {
-    std::cerr << "usage: " << me << " [-p] interface-name instance-name number-of-threads."
+int usage(const std::string& me) {
+    std::cerr << "usage: " << me
+              << " [-p|P] [-n instance-name] interface-name instance-name number-of-threads."
               << std::endl;
     std::cerr << "    -p: stop based on property " << kDeactivateProp << "and reset it."
               << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << "    -P: stop based on interface specific property " << kDeactivateProp
+              << ".<fq-name>.<instance-name>" << std::endl;
+    std::cerr
+        << "    -n instance-name: register as a different instance name (does not de-register)"
+        << std::endl;
+    return EINVAL;
 }
 
-bool processArguments(int* argc, char*** argv, bool* propertyStop) {
+enum class StopMethod {
+    NONE,
+    ALL,
+    SPECIFIC,
+};
+
+struct Args {
+    StopMethod stopMethod = StopMethod::NONE;
+    std::string interface;     // e.x. IFoo
+    std::string instanceName;  // e.x. default
+    int threadNumber;
+    std::string registerInstanceName;  // e.x. default
+};
+
+bool processArguments(int argc, char** argv, Args* args) {
     int c;
-    while ((c = getopt(*argc, *argv, "p")) != -1) {
+    while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "pPn:")) != -1) {
         switch (c) {
             case 'p': {
-                *propertyStop = true;
+                args->stopMethod = StopMethod::ALL;
+                break;
+            }
+            case 'P': {
+                args->stopMethod = StopMethod::SPECIFIC;
+                break;
+            }
+            case 'n': {
+                args->registerInstanceName = optarg;
                 break;
             }
             default: { return false; }
         }
     }
 
-    *argc -= optind;
-    *argv += optind;
+    argc -= optind;
+    argv += optind;
+
+    if (argc != 3) {
+        std::cerr << "ERROR: requires exactly three positional arguments for "
+                     "interface, instance name, and number of threads, but "
+                  << argc << " provided." << std::endl;
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    args->interface = argv[0];
+    args->instanceName = argv[1];
+    args->threadNumber = std::stoi(argv[2]);
+
+    if (args->threadNumber <= 0) {
+        std::cerr << "ERROR: invalid thread number " << args->threadNumber
+                  << " must be a positive integer." << std::endl;
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (args->registerInstanceName.empty()) {
+        args->registerInstanceName = args->instanceName;
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
 // only applies for -p argument
-void waitForAdaptersDeactivated() {
+void waitForAdaptersDeactivated(const std::string& property) {
     using std::literals::chrono_literals::operator""s;
 
-    while (!WaitForProperty(kDeactivateProp, "true", 30s)) {
+    while (!WaitForProperty(property, "true", 30s)) {
         // Log this so that when using this option on testing devices, there is
         // a clear indication if adapters are not properly stopped
-        LOG(WARNING) << "Adapter use in progress. Waiting for stop based on 'true' "
-                     << kDeactivateProp;
+        LOG(WARNING) << "Adapter use in progress. Waiting for stop based on 'true' " << property;
     }
 
-    SetProperty(kDeactivateProp, "false");
+    SetProperty(property, "false");
 }
 
 int adapterMain(const std::string& package, int argc, char** argv,
@@ -82,25 +132,12 @@
 
     const std::string& me = argc > 0 ? argv[0] : "(error)";
 
-    bool propertyStop = false;
-    if (!processArguments(&argc, &argv, &propertyStop)) {
-        usage(me);
-        return EINVAL;
+    Args args;
+    if (!processArguments(argc, argv, &args)) {
+        return usage(me);
     }
 
-    if (argc != 3) {
-        usage(me);
-        return EINVAL;
-    }
-
-    std::string interfaceName = package + "::" + argv[0];
-    std::string instanceName = argv[1];
-    int threadNumber = std::stoi(argv[2]);
-
-    if (threadNumber <= 0) {
-        std::cerr << "ERROR: invalid thread number " << threadNumber
-                  << " must be a positive integer.";
-    }
+    std::string interfaceName = package + "::" + args.interface;
 
     auto it = adapters.find(interfaceName);
     if (it == adapters.end()) {
@@ -108,9 +145,10 @@
         return 1;
     }
 
-    std::cout << "Trying to adapt down " << interfaceName << "/" << instanceName << std::endl;
+    std::cout << "Trying to adapt down " << interfaceName << "/" << args.instanceName << " to "
+              << args.registerInstanceName << std::endl;
 
-    configureRpcThreadpool(threadNumber, false /* callerWillJoin */);
+    configureRpcThreadpool(args.threadNumber, false /* callerWillJoin */);
 
     sp<IServiceManager> manager = IServiceManager::getService();
     if (manager == nullptr) {
@@ -118,7 +156,7 @@
         return 1;
     }
 
-    sp<IBase> implementation = manager->get(interfaceName, instanceName).withDefault(nullptr);
+    sp<IBase> implementation = manager->get(interfaceName, args.instanceName).withDefault(nullptr);
     if (implementation == nullptr) {
         std::cerr << "ERROR: could not retrieve desired implementation" << std::endl;
         return 1;
@@ -130,25 +168,40 @@
         return 1;
     }
 
-    bool replaced = manager->add(instanceName, adapter).withDefault(false);
+    bool replaced = manager->add(args.registerInstanceName, adapter).withDefault(false);
     if (!replaced) {
         std::cerr << "ERROR: could not register the service with the service manager." << std::endl;
         return 1;
     }
 
-    if (propertyStop) {
-        std::cout << "Set " << kDeactivateProp << " to true to deactivate." << std::endl;
-        waitForAdaptersDeactivated();
-    } else {
-        std::cout << "Press any key to disassociate adapter." << std::endl;
-        getchar();
+    switch (args.stopMethod) {
+        case StopMethod::NONE: {
+            std::cout << "Press any key to disassociate adapter." << std::endl;
+            getchar();
+            break;
+        };
+        case StopMethod::SPECIFIC: {
+            const std::string property =
+                kDeactivateProp + "." + interfaceName + "." + args.registerInstanceName;
+            std::cout << "Set " << property << " to true to deactivate." << std::endl;
+            waitForAdaptersDeactivated(property);
+            break;
+        };
+        case StopMethod::ALL: {
+            std::cout << "Set " << kDeactivateProp << " to true to deactivate." << std::endl;
+            waitForAdaptersDeactivated(kDeactivateProp);
+            break;
+        };
     }
 
-    bool restored = manager->add(instanceName, implementation).withDefault(false);
-    if (!restored) {
-        std::cerr << "ERROR: could not re-register interface with the service manager."
-                  << std::endl;
-        return 1;
+    // automatically unregistered on process exit if it is a new instance name
+    if (args.registerInstanceName == args.instanceName) {
+        bool restored = manager->add(args.instanceName, implementation).withDefault(false);
+        if (!restored) {
+            std::cerr << "ERROR: could not re-register interface with the service manager."
+                      << std::endl;
+            return 1;
+        }
     }
 
     std::cout << "Success." << std::endl;
diff --git a/base/HidlSupport.cpp b/base/HidlSupport.cpp
index 8f3c057..a69faa2 100644
--- a/base/HidlSupport.cpp
+++ b/base/HidlSupport.cpp
@@ -254,6 +254,14 @@
     if (size > UINT32_MAX) {
         LOG(FATAL) << "string size can't exceed 2^32 bytes: " << size;
     }
+
+    // When the binder driver copies this data into its buffer, it must
+    // have a zero byte there because the remote process will have a pointer
+    // directly into the read-only binder buffer. If we manually copy the
+    // data now to add a zero, then we lose the efficiency of this method.
+    // Checking here (it's also checked in the parceling code later).
+    CHECK(data[size] == '\0');
+
     clear();
 
     mBuffer = data;
diff --git a/base/include/hidl/HidlSupport.h b/base/include/hidl/HidlSupport.h
index f09eb63..5859b6a 100644
--- a/base/include/hidl/HidlSupport.h
+++ b/base/include/hidl/HidlSupport.h
@@ -40,18 +40,22 @@
 namespace hidl {
 namespace memory {
 namespace V1_0 {
-    struct IMemory;
-}; // namespace V1_0
-}; // namespace manager
-}; // namespace hidl
+
+struct IMemory;
+
+}  // namespace V1_0
+}  // namespace memory
+}  // namespace hidl
 
 namespace hidl {
 namespace base {
 namespace V1_0 {
-    struct IBase;
-}; // namespace V1_0
-}; // namespace base
-}; // namespace hidl
+
+struct IBase;
+
+}  // namespace V1_0
+}  // namespace base
+}  // namespace hidl
 
 namespace hardware {
 
@@ -155,6 +159,8 @@
     // Reference an external char array. Ownership is _not_ transferred.
     // Caller is responsible for ensuring that underlying memory is valid
     // for the lifetime of this hidl_string.
+    //
+    // size == strlen(data)
     void setToExternal(const char *data, size_t size);
 
     // offsetof(hidl_string, mBuffer) exposed since mBuffer is private.
diff --git a/libhidlcache/HidlCache.h b/libhidlcache/HidlCache.h
index db778d3..39a7b3a 100644
--- a/libhidlcache/HidlCache.h
+++ b/libhidlcache/HidlCache.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 template <class Key, class Value, class Compare>
 sp<Value> HidlCache<Key, Value, Compare>::unlock(const Key& key) {
     Lock lock(mMutex);
-    if (locked(key) > 0) {
+    if (locked(key)) {
         sp<Value> v = mLocked[key];
         mLocked.erase(key);
         return v;
diff --git a/transport/allocator/1.0/default/Android.bp b/transport/allocator/1.0/default/Android.bp
index fc352c3..1fdfb26 100644
--- a/transport/allocator/1.0/default/Android.bp
+++ b/transport/allocator/1.0/default/Android.bp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
         "service.cpp"
     ],
     init_rc: ["android.hidl.allocator@1.0-service.rc"],
+    vintf_fragments: ["android.hidl.allocator@1.0-service.xml"],
 
     shared_libs: [
         "android.hidl.allocator@1.0",
diff --git a/transport/allocator/1.0/default/android.hidl.allocator@1.0-service.xml b/transport/allocator/1.0/default/android.hidl.allocator@1.0-service.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5218241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/transport/allocator/1.0/default/android.hidl.allocator@1.0-service.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<manifest version="1.0" type="framework">
+    <hal>
+        <name>android.hidl.allocator</name>
+        <transport>hwbinder</transport>
+        <version>1.0</version>
+        <interface>
+            <name>IAllocator</name>
+            <instance>ashmem</instance>
+        </interface>
+    </hal>
+</manifest>
diff --git a/vintfdata/manifest.xml b/vintfdata/manifest.xml
index 51d68eb..66f5bd0 100644
--- a/vintfdata/manifest.xml
+++ b/vintfdata/manifest.xml
@@ -9,15 +9,6 @@
         </interface>
     </hal>
     <hal>
-        <name>android.hidl.allocator</name>
-        <transport>hwbinder</transport>
-        <version>1.0</version>
-        <interface>
-            <name>IAllocator</name>
-            <instance>ashmem</instance>
-        </interface>
-    </hal>
-    <hal>
         <name>android.hidl.memory</name>
         <transport arch="32+64">passthrough</transport>
         <version>1.0</version>