diff --git a/core/packaging/flags.mk b/core/packaging/flags.mk
index 697fe24859..ca319ce1ec 100644
--- a/core/packaging/flags.mk
+++ b/core/packaging/flags.mk
@@ -69,31 +69,45 @@ $(foreach partition, $(_FLAG_PARTITIONS), \
 # Aconfig Flags
 
 # Create a summary file of build flags for each partition
-# $(1): built aconfig flags textprot file (out)
-# $(2): installed aconfig flags textprot file (out)
+# $(1): built aconfig flags file (out)
+# $(2): installed aconfig flags file (out)
 # $(3): input aconfig files for the partition (in)
+# $(4): file format, passed to `aconfig dump` (in)
+# $(5): text placed in aconfig file when no flags present (out)
 define generate-partition-aconfig-flag-file
 $(eval $(strip $(1)): PRIVATE_OUT := $(strip $(1)))
 $(eval $(strip $(1)): PRIVATE_IN := $(strip $(3)))
 $(strip $(1)): $(ACONFIG) $(strip $(3))
 	mkdir -p $$(dir $$(PRIVATE_OUT))
 	$$(if $$(PRIVATE_IN), \
-		$$(ACONFIG) dump --format textproto --out $$(PRIVATE_OUT) \
+		$$(ACONFIG) dump --format $(4) --out $$(PRIVATE_OUT) \
 			$$(addprefix --cache ,$$(PRIVATE_IN)), \
-		echo "# No aconfig flags" > $$(PRIVATE_OUT) \
+		echo $(5) > $$(PRIVATE_OUT) \
 	)
 $(call copy-one-file, $(1), $(2))
 endef
 
 
 $(foreach partition, $(_FLAG_PARTITIONS), \
-	$(eval aconfig_flag_summaries.$(partition) := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/$(partition)/etc/aconfig_flags.textproto) \
+	$(eval aconfig_flag_summaries_textproto.$(partition) := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/$(partition)/etc/aconfig_flags.textproto) \
+	$(eval aconfig_flag_summaries_protobuf.$(partition) := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/$(partition)/etc/aconfig_flags.pb) \
 	$(eval $(call generate-partition-aconfig-flag-file, \
 				$(TARGET_OUT_FLAGS)/$(partition)/aconfig_flags.textproto, \
-				$(aconfig_flag_summaries.$(partition)), \
+				$(aconfig_flag_summaries_textproto.$(partition)), \
 				$(sort $(foreach m,$(call register-names-for-partition, $(partition)), \
 					$(ALL_MODULES.$(m).ACONFIG_FILES) \
-				)) \
+				)), \
+				textproto, \
+				"# No aconfig flags" \
+	)) \
+	$(eval $(call generate-partition-aconfig-flag-file, \
+				$(TARGET_OUT_FLAGS)/$(partition)/aconfig_flags.pb, \
+				$(aconfig_flag_summaries_protobuf.$(partition)), \
+				$(sort $(foreach m,$(call register-names-for-partition, $(partition)), \
+					$(ALL_MODULES.$(m).ACONFIG_FILES) \
+				)), \
+				protobuf, \
+				"" \
 	)) \
 )
 
@@ -103,7 +117,8 @@ $(foreach partition, $(_FLAG_PARTITIONS), \
 required_flags_files := \
 		$(sort $(foreach partition, $(filter $(IMAGES_TO_BUILD), $(_FLAG_PARTITIONS)), \
 			$(build_flag_summaries.$(partition)) \
-			$(aconfig_flag_summaries.$(partition)) \
+			$(aconfig_flag_summaries_textproto.$(partition)) \
+			$(aconfig_flag_summaries_protobuf.$(partition)) \
 		))
 
 ALL_DEFAULT_INSTALLED_MODULES += $(required_flags_files)
@@ -118,6 +133,7 @@ flag-files: $(required_flags_files)
 required_flags_files:=
 $(foreach partition, $(_FLAG_PARTITIONS), \
 	$(eval build_flag_summaries.$(partition):=) \
-	$(eval aconfig_flag_summaries.$(partition):=) \
+	$(eval aconfig_flag_summaries_textproto.$(partition):=) \
+	$(eval aconfig_flag_summaries_protobuf.$(partition):=) \
 )