diff --git a/aconfig/aconfig_declarations.go b/aconfig/aconfig_declarations.go
index e662f1da4..05a637129 100644
--- a/aconfig/aconfig_declarations.go
+++ b/aconfig/aconfig_declarations.go
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ var DeclarationsProviderKey = blueprint.NewProvider(DeclarationsProviderData{})
 // This is used to collect the aconfig declarations info on the transitive closure,
 // the data is keyed on the container.
 type TransitiveDeclarationsInfo struct {
-	AconfigFiles map[string]*android.DepSet[android.Path]
+	AconfigFiles map[string]android.Paths
 }
 
 var TransitiveDeclarationsInfoProvider = blueprint.NewProvider(TransitiveDeclarationsInfo{})
@@ -177,40 +177,49 @@ func (module *DeclarationsModule) GenerateAndroidBuildActions(ctx android.Module
 	})
 
 }
-
-func CollectTransitiveAconfigFiles(ctx android.ModuleContext, transitiveAconfigFiles *map[string]*android.DepSet[android.Path]) {
-	if *transitiveAconfigFiles == nil {
-		*transitiveAconfigFiles = make(map[string]*android.DepSet[android.Path])
+func CollectDependencyAconfigFiles(ctx android.ModuleContext, mergedAconfigFiles *map[string]android.Paths) {
+	if *mergedAconfigFiles == nil {
+		*mergedAconfigFiles = make(map[string]android.Paths)
 	}
 	ctx.VisitDirectDeps(func(module android.Module) {
 		if dep := ctx.OtherModuleProvider(module, DeclarationsProviderKey).(DeclarationsProviderData); dep.IntermediatePath != nil {
-			aconfigMap := make(map[string]*android.DepSet[android.Path])
-			aconfigMap[dep.Container] = android.NewDepSet(android.POSTORDER, []android.Path{dep.IntermediatePath}, nil)
-			mergeTransitiveAconfigFiles(aconfigMap, *transitiveAconfigFiles)
+			(*mergedAconfigFiles)[dep.Container] = append((*mergedAconfigFiles)[dep.Container], dep.IntermediatePath)
 			return
 		}
 		if dep := ctx.OtherModuleProvider(module, TransitiveDeclarationsInfoProvider).(TransitiveDeclarationsInfo); len(dep.AconfigFiles) > 0 {
-			mergeTransitiveAconfigFiles(dep.AconfigFiles, *transitiveAconfigFiles)
+			for container, v := range dep.AconfigFiles {
+				(*mergedAconfigFiles)[container] = append((*mergedAconfigFiles)[container], v...)
+			}
 		}
 	})
 
+	for container, aconfigFiles := range *mergedAconfigFiles {
+		(*mergedAconfigFiles)[container] = mergeAconfigFiles(ctx, aconfigFiles)
+	}
+
 	ctx.SetProvider(TransitiveDeclarationsInfoProvider, TransitiveDeclarationsInfo{
-		AconfigFiles: *transitiveAconfigFiles,
+		AconfigFiles: *mergedAconfigFiles,
 	})
 }
 
-func mergeTransitiveAconfigFiles(from, to map[string]*android.DepSet[android.Path]) {
-	for fromKey, fromValue := range from {
-		if fromValue == nil {
-			continue
-		}
-		toValue, ok := to[fromKey]
-		if !ok {
-			to[fromKey] = fromValue
-		} else {
-			to[fromKey] = android.NewDepSet(android.POSTORDER, toValue.ToList(), []*android.DepSet[android.Path]{fromValue})
-		}
+func mergeAconfigFiles(ctx android.ModuleContext, inputs android.Paths) android.Paths {
+	if len(inputs) == 1 {
+		return android.Paths{inputs[0]}
 	}
+
+	output := android.PathForModuleOut(ctx, "aconfig_merged.pb")
+
+	ctx.Build(pctx, android.BuildParams{
+		Rule:        mergeAconfigFilesRule,
+		Description: "merge aconfig files",
+		Inputs:      inputs,
+		Output:      output,
+		Args: map[string]string{
+			"flags": android.JoinWithPrefix(inputs.Strings(), "--cache "),
+		},
+	})
+
+	return android.Paths{output}
 }
 
 type bazelAconfigDeclarationsAttributes struct {
diff --git a/aconfig/codegen/java_aconfig_library_test.go b/aconfig/codegen/java_aconfig_library_test.go
index cbfdc2179..2523abcbc 100644
--- a/aconfig/codegen/java_aconfig_library_test.go
+++ b/aconfig/codegen/java_aconfig_library_test.go
@@ -60,9 +60,8 @@ func runJavaAndroidMkTest(t *testing.T, bp string) {
 	entry := android.AndroidMkEntriesForTest(t, result.TestContext, module)[0]
 
 	makeVar := entry.EntryMap["LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES"]
-	android.AssertIntEquals(t, "len(LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES)", 2, len(makeVar))
-	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, makeVar, "my_aconfig_declarations_foo/intermediate.pb")
-	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, makeVar, "my_aconfig_declarations_bar/intermediate.pb")
+	android.AssertIntEquals(t, "len(LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES)", 1, len(makeVar))
+	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, makeVar, "android_common/aconfig_merged.pb")
 }
 
 func TestAndroidMkJavaLibrary(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/aconfig/init.go b/aconfig/init.go
index 79bf0027b..2e24db94d 100644
--- a/aconfig/init.go
+++ b/aconfig/init.go
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ var (
 				"${aconfig}",
 			},
 		}, "cache_files")
+
+	mergeAconfigFilesRule = pctx.AndroidStaticRule("mergeAconfigFilesRule",
+		blueprint.RuleParams{
+			Command:     `${aconfig} dump --dedup --format protobuf --out $out $flags`,
+			CommandDeps: []string{"${aconfig}"},
+		}, "flags")
 )
 
 func init() {
diff --git a/apex/apex.go b/apex/apex.go
index 5d67c7aa5..7ddb3e6c5 100644
--- a/apex/apex.go
+++ b/apex/apex.go
@@ -2394,7 +2394,7 @@ func (a *apexBundle) depVisitor(vctx *visitorContext, ctx android.ModuleContext,
 func addAconfigFiles(vctx *visitorContext, ctx android.ModuleContext, module blueprint.Module) {
 	dep := ctx.OtherModuleProvider(module, aconfig.TransitiveDeclarationsInfoProvider).(aconfig.TransitiveDeclarationsInfo)
 	if len(dep.AconfigFiles) > 0 && dep.AconfigFiles[ctx.ModuleName()] != nil {
-		vctx.aconfigFiles = append(vctx.aconfigFiles, dep.AconfigFiles[ctx.ModuleName()].ToList()...)
+		vctx.aconfigFiles = append(vctx.aconfigFiles, dep.AconfigFiles[ctx.ModuleName()]...)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/apex/apex_test.go b/apex/apex_test.go
index 2f6acff58..2ed053ed8 100644
--- a/apex/apex_test.go
+++ b/apex/apex_test.go
@@ -11103,7 +11103,7 @@ func TestAconfigFilesJavaAndCcDeps(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected 3 commands, got %d in:\n%s", len(aconfigArgs), s)
 	}
 	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, aconfigArgs, "my_aconfig_declarations_foo/intermediate.pb")
-	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, aconfigArgs, "my_aconfig_declarations_bar/intermediate.pb")
+	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, aconfigArgs, "my_cc_library_bar/android_arm64_armv8-a_shared_apex10000/aconfig_merged.pb")
 	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, aconfigArgs, "my_aconfig_declarations_baz/intermediate.pb")
 
 	buildParams := combineAconfigRule.BuildParams
@@ -11111,7 +11111,7 @@ func TestAconfigFilesJavaAndCcDeps(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected 3 input, got %d", len(buildParams.Inputs))
 	}
 	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, buildParams.Inputs.Strings(), "my_aconfig_declarations_foo/intermediate.pb")
-	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, buildParams.Inputs.Strings(), "my_aconfig_declarations_bar/intermediate.pb")
+	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, buildParams.Inputs.Strings(), "my_cc_library_bar/android_arm64_armv8-a_shared_apex10000/aconfig_merged.pb")
 	android.EnsureListContainsSuffix(t, buildParams.Inputs.Strings(), "my_aconfig_declarations_baz/intermediate.pb")
 	ensureContains(t, buildParams.Output.String(), "android_common_myapex/aconfig_flags.pb")
 }
diff --git a/bp2build/Android.bp b/bp2build/Android.bp
index 64ee01f88..c998074fe 100644
--- a/bp2build/Android.bp
+++ b/bp2build/Android.bp
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ bootstrap_go_package {
     name: "soong-bp2build",
     pkgPath: "android/soong/bp2build",
     srcs: [
-        "aconfig_conversion_test.go",
         "androidbp_to_build_templates.go",
         "bp2build.go",
         "bp2build_product_config.go",
@@ -43,6 +42,7 @@ bootstrap_go_package {
     testSrcs: [
         "go_conversion_test.go",
         "aar_conversion_test.go",
+        "aconfig_conversion_test.go",
         "aidl_library_conversion_test.go",
         "android_app_certificate_conversion_test.go",
         "android_app_conversion_test.go",
diff --git a/bp2build/aconfig_conversion_test.go b/bp2build/aconfig_conversion_test.go
index d6e20df12..ac830c69f 100644
--- a/bp2build/aconfig_conversion_test.go
+++ b/bp2build/aconfig_conversion_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package bp2build
 
 import (
+	"android/soong/aconfig/codegen"
 	"testing"
 
 	"android/soong/aconfig"
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 
 func registerAconfigModuleTypes(ctx android.RegistrationContext) {
 	aconfig.RegisterBuildComponents(ctx)
+	codegen.RegisterBuildComponents(ctx)
 	ctx.RegisterModuleType("cc_library", cc.LibraryFactory)
 	ctx.RegisterModuleType("java_library", java.LibraryFactory)
 }
diff --git a/cc/androidmk.go b/cc/androidmk.go
index 224ea9623..8cae634a8 100644
--- a/cc/androidmk.go
+++ b/cc/androidmk.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func (c *Module) AndroidMkEntries() []android.AndroidMkEntries {
 						"$(SOONG_SDK_VARIANT_MODULES) $(patsubst %.sdk,%,$(LOCAL_MODULE))")
 				}
 				// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-				entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", c.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+				entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", c.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 			},
 		},
 		ExtraFooters: []android.AndroidMkExtraFootersFunc{
diff --git a/cc/cc.go b/cc/cc.go
index 5d4ceb81d..f800dc0a0 100644
--- a/cc/cc.go
+++ b/cc/cc.go
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ type Module struct {
 	hideApexVariantFromMake bool
 
 	// Aconfig files for all transitive deps.  Also exposed via TransitiveDeclarationsInfo
-	transitiveAconfigFiles map[string]*android.DepSet[android.Path]
+	mergedAconfigFiles map[string]android.Paths
 }
 
 func (c *Module) AddJSONData(d *map[string]interface{}) {
@@ -2324,7 +2324,7 @@ func (c *Module) GenerateAndroidBuildActions(actx android.ModuleContext) {
 	}
 	ctx.SetProvider(blueprint.SrcsFileProviderKey, blueprint.SrcsFileProviderData{SrcPaths: deps.GeneratedSources.Strings()})
 
-	aconfig.CollectTransitiveAconfigFiles(ctx, &c.transitiveAconfigFiles)
+	aconfig.CollectDependencyAconfigFiles(ctx, &c.mergedAconfigFiles)
 
 	c.maybeInstall(ctx, apexInfo)
 }
@@ -2345,10 +2345,6 @@ func (c *Module) maybeUnhideFromMake() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *Module) getTransitiveAconfigFiles(container string) []android.Path {
-	return c.transitiveAconfigFiles[container].ToList()
-}
-
 // maybeInstall is called at the end of both GenerateAndroidBuildActions and
 // ProcessBazelQueryResponse to run the install hooks for installable modules,
 // like binaries and tests.
diff --git a/java/androidmk.go b/java/androidmk.go
index 4da40d246..a3f94cd8c 100644
--- a/java/androidmk.go
+++ b/java/androidmk.go
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@ func (library *Library) AndroidMkEntries() []android.AndroidMkEntries {
 						entries.SetPath("LOCAL_SOONG_DEXPREOPT_CONFIG", library.dexpreopter.configPath)
 					}
 					// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-					entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", library.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+
+					entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", library.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@ func (binary *Binary) AndroidMkEntries() []android.AndroidMkEntries {
 						entries.SetString("LOCAL_SOONG_BUILT_INSTALLED", binary.dexpreopter.builtInstalled)
 					}
 					// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-					entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", binary.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+					entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", binary.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 				},
 			},
 			ExtraFooters: []android.AndroidMkExtraFootersFunc{
@@ -461,7 +462,7 @@ func (app *AndroidApp) AndroidMkEntries() []android.AndroidMkEntries {
 
 				if app.Name() != "framework-res" {
 					// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-					entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", app.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+					entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", app.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 				}
 			},
 		},
@@ -540,7 +541,7 @@ func (a *AndroidLibrary) AndroidMkEntries() []android.AndroidMkEntries {
 		entries.SetPath("LOCAL_SOONG_EXPORT_PROGUARD_FLAGS", a.combinedExportedProguardFlagsFile)
 		entries.SetBoolIfTrue("LOCAL_UNINSTALLABLE_MODULE", true)
 		// TODO(b/311155208): The container here should be system.
-		entries.SetOptionalPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", a.getTransitiveAconfigFiles(""))
+		entries.SetPaths("LOCAL_ACONFIG_FILES", a.mergedAconfigFiles[""])
 	})
 
 	return entriesList
diff --git a/java/base.go b/java/base.go
index 7e1381b34..c4b402620 100644
--- a/java/base.go
+++ b/java/base.go
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ import (
 
 	"android/soong/ui/metrics/bp2build_metrics_proto"
 
+	"github.com/google/blueprint"
 	"github.com/google/blueprint/pathtools"
 	"github.com/google/blueprint/proptools"
-	"github.com/google/blueprint"
 
 	"android/soong/aconfig"
 	"android/soong/android"
@@ -514,8 +514,8 @@ type Module struct {
 	// or the module should override Stem().
 	stem string
 
-	// Aconfig files for all transitive deps.  Also exposed via TransitiveDeclarationsInfo
-	transitiveAconfigFiles map[string]*android.DepSet[android.Path]
+	// Single aconfig "cache file" merged from this module and all dependencies.
+	mergedAconfigFiles map[string]android.Paths
 }
 
 func (j *Module) CheckStableSdkVersion(ctx android.BaseModuleContext) error {
@@ -1721,7 +1721,7 @@ func (j *Module) compile(ctx android.ModuleContext, extraSrcJars, extraClasspath
 
 	ctx.CheckbuildFile(outputFile)
 
-	aconfig.CollectTransitiveAconfigFiles(ctx, &j.transitiveAconfigFiles)
+	aconfig.CollectDependencyAconfigFiles(ctx, &j.mergedAconfigFiles)
 
 	ctx.SetProvider(JavaInfoProvider, JavaInfo{
 		HeaderJars:                     android.PathsIfNonNil(j.headerJarFile),
@@ -2078,10 +2078,6 @@ func (j *Module) IsInstallable() bool {
 	return Bool(j.properties.Installable)
 }
 
-func (j *Module) getTransitiveAconfigFiles(container string) []android.Path {
-	return j.transitiveAconfigFiles[container].ToList()
-}
-
 type sdkLinkType int
 
 const (