diff --git a/android/util_test.go b/android/util_test.go
index 20161e52d..699135bfc 100644
--- a/android/util_test.go
+++ b/android/util_test.go
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ func TestReverseSlice(t *testing.T) {
 			if !reflect.DeepEqual(slice, testCase.expected) {
 				t.Errorf("expected %#v, got %#v", testCase.expected, slice)
 			}
-			if slice != nil && unsafe.SliceData(testCase.in) == unsafe.SliceData(slice) {
+			if cap(slice) > 0 && unsafe.SliceData(testCase.in) == unsafe.SliceData(slice) {
 				t.Errorf("expected slices to have different backing arrays")
 			}
 		})
diff --git a/cmd/soong_ui/main.go b/cmd/soong_ui/main.go
index 34b158963..c94ff0721 100644
--- a/cmd/soong_ui/main.go
+++ b/cmd/soong_ui/main.go
@@ -692,9 +692,11 @@ func setMaxFiles(ctx build.Context) {
 	}
 
 	ctx.Verbosef("Current file limits: %d soft, %d hard", limits.Cur, limits.Max)
-	if limits.Cur == limits.Max {
-		return
-	}
+
+	// Go 1.21 modifies the file limit but restores the original when
+	// execing subprocesses if it hasn't be overridden.  Call Setrlimit
+	// here even if it doesn't appear to be necessary so that the
+	// syscall package considers it set.
 
 	limits.Cur = limits.Max
 	err = syscall.Setrlimit(syscall.RLIMIT_NOFILE, &limits)