diff --git a/dexpreopt/config.go b/dexpreopt/config.go
index 02f112074..26ff5baab 100644
--- a/dexpreopt/config.go
+++ b/dexpreopt/config.go
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ type ModuleConfig struct {
 	DexLocation     string // dex location on device
 	BuildPath       android.OutputPath
 	DexPath         android.Path
-	ManifestPath    android.Path
+	ManifestPath    android.OptionalPath
 	UncompressedDex bool
 	HasApkLibraries bool
 	PreoptFlags     []string
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ func ParseModuleConfig(ctx android.PathContext, data []byte) (*ModuleConfig, err
 	// Construct paths that require a PathContext.
 	config.ModuleConfig.BuildPath = constructPath(ctx, config.BuildPath).(android.OutputPath)
 	config.ModuleConfig.DexPath = constructPath(ctx, config.DexPath)
-	config.ModuleConfig.ManifestPath = constructPath(ctx, config.ManifestPath)
+	config.ModuleConfig.ManifestPath = android.OptionalPathForPath(constructPath(ctx, config.ManifestPath))
 	config.ModuleConfig.ProfileClassListing = android.OptionalPathForPath(constructPath(ctx, config.ProfileClassListing))
 	config.ModuleConfig.EnforceUsesLibrariesStatusFile = constructPath(ctx, config.EnforceUsesLibrariesStatusFile)
 	config.ModuleConfig.ClassLoaderContexts = fromJsonClassLoaderContext(ctx, config.ClassLoaderContexts)
diff --git a/dexpreopt/dexpreopt.go b/dexpreopt/dexpreopt.go
index 81a63b061..dc17c0a43 100644
--- a/dexpreopt/dexpreopt.go
+++ b/dexpreopt/dexpreopt.go
@@ -276,9 +276,9 @@ func dexpreoptCommand(ctx android.PathContext, globalSoong *GlobalSoongConfig, g
 		// no time/space is wasted on AOT-compiling modules that will fail CLC check on device.
 
 		var manifestOrApk android.Path
-		if module.ManifestPath != nil {
+		if module.ManifestPath.Valid() {
 			// Ok, there is an XML manifest.
-			manifestOrApk = module.ManifestPath
+			manifestOrApk = module.ManifestPath.Path()
 		} else if filepath.Ext(base) == ".apk" {
 			// Ok, there is is an APK with the manifest inside.
 			manifestOrApk = module.DexPath
diff --git a/java/dexpreopt.go b/java/dexpreopt.go
index b4cf012af..3571590db 100644
--- a/java/dexpreopt.go
+++ b/java/dexpreopt.go
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func (d *dexpreopter) dexpreopt(ctx android.ModuleContext, dexJarFile android.Wr
 		DexLocation:     dexLocation,
 		BuildPath:       android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "dexpreopt", ctx.ModuleName()+".jar").OutputPath,
 		DexPath:         dexJarFile,
-		ManifestPath:    d.manifestFile,
+		ManifestPath:    android.OptionalPathForPath(d.manifestFile),
 		UncompressedDex: d.uncompressedDex,
 		HasApkLibraries: false,
 		PreoptFlags:     nil,