diff --git a/android/defaults.go b/android/defaults.go
index fd707a45f..6a908ea83 100644
--- a/android/defaults.go
+++ b/android/defaults.go
@@ -176,18 +176,18 @@ func InitDefaultsModule(module DefaultsModule) {
 	defaultsVisibility := module.defaultsVisibility()
 	module.AddProperties(&base.nameProperties, defaultsVisibility)
 
-	// The defaults_visibility property controls the visibility of a defaults module.
-	base.primaryVisibilityProperty =
-		newVisibilityProperty("defaults_visibility", &defaultsVisibility.Defaults_visibility)
-
 	// Unlike non-defaults modules the visibility property is not stored in m.base().commonProperties.
-	// Instead it is stored in a separate instance of commonProperties created above so use that.
+	// Instead it is stored in a separate instance of commonProperties created above so clear the
+	// existing list of properties.
+	clearVisibilityProperties(module)
+
+	// The defaults_visibility property controls the visibility of a defaults module so it must be
+	// set as the primary property, which also adds it to the list.
+	setPrimaryVisibilityProperty(module, "defaults_visibility", &defaultsVisibility.Defaults_visibility)
+
 	// The visibility property needs to be checked (but not parsed) by the visibility module during
-	// its checking phase and parsing phase.
-	base.visibilityPropertyInfo = []visibilityProperty{
-		base.primaryVisibilityProperty,
-		newVisibilityProperty("visibility", &commonProperties.Visibility),
-	}
+	// its checking phase and parsing phase so add it to the list as a normal property.
+	AddVisibilityProperty(module, "visibility", &commonProperties.Visibility)
 
 	base.module = module
 }
diff --git a/android/module.go b/android/module.go
index 02b2c8926..f5cfe6601 100644
--- a/android/module.go
+++ b/android/module.go
@@ -611,10 +611,8 @@ func InitAndroidModule(m Module) {
 	base.customizableProperties = m.GetProperties()
 
 	// The default_visibility property needs to be checked and parsed by the visibility module during
-	// its checking and parsing phases.
-	base.primaryVisibilityProperty =
-		newVisibilityProperty("visibility", &base.commonProperties.Visibility)
-	base.visibilityPropertyInfo = []visibilityProperty{base.primaryVisibilityProperty}
+	// its checking and parsing phases so make it the primary visibility property.
+	setPrimaryVisibilityProperty(m, "visibility", &base.commonProperties.Visibility)
 }
 
 func InitAndroidArchModule(m Module, hod HostOrDeviceSupported, defaultMultilib Multilib) {
diff --git a/android/package.go b/android/package.go
index 077c4a464..bb5f4e79e 100644
--- a/android/package.go
+++ b/android/package.go
@@ -101,10 +101,8 @@ func PackageFactory() Module {
 	module.AddProperties(&module.properties)
 
 	// The default_visibility property needs to be checked and parsed by the visibility module during
-	// its checking and parsing phases.
-	module.primaryVisibilityProperty =
-		newVisibilityProperty("default_visibility", &module.properties.Default_visibility)
-	module.visibilityPropertyInfo = []visibilityProperty{module.primaryVisibilityProperty}
+	// its checking and parsing phases so make it the primary visibility property.
+	setPrimaryVisibilityProperty(module, "default_visibility", &module.properties.Default_visibility)
 
 	return module
 }
diff --git a/android/visibility.go b/android/visibility.go
index 3f04123cd..ab1644465 100644
--- a/android/visibility.go
+++ b/android/visibility.go
@@ -480,3 +480,28 @@ func EffectiveVisibilityRules(ctx BaseModuleContext, module Module) []string {
 
 	return rule.Strings()
 }
+
+// Clear the default visibility properties so they can be replaced.
+func clearVisibilityProperties(module Module) {
+	module.base().visibilityPropertyInfo = nil
+}
+
+// Add a property that contains visibility rules so that they are checked for
+// correctness.
+func AddVisibilityProperty(module Module, name string, stringsProperty *[]string) {
+	addVisibilityProperty(module, name, stringsProperty)
+}
+
+func addVisibilityProperty(module Module, name string, stringsProperty *[]string) visibilityProperty {
+	base := module.base()
+	property := newVisibilityProperty(name, stringsProperty)
+	base.visibilityPropertyInfo = append(base.visibilityPropertyInfo, property)
+	return property
+}
+
+// Set the primary visibility property.
+//
+// Also adds the property to the list of properties to be validated.
+func setPrimaryVisibilityProperty(module Module, name string, stringsProperty *[]string) {
+	module.base().primaryVisibilityProperty = addVisibilityProperty(module, name, stringsProperty)
+}