diff --git a/media/libstagefright/MediaCodecList.cpp b/media/libstagefright/MediaCodecList.cpp
index 3d58d4b54d..a267f7e786 100644
--- a/media/libstagefright/MediaCodecList.cpp
+++ b/media/libstagefright/MediaCodecList.cpp
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ sp<IMediaCodecList> MediaCodecList::getLocalInstance() {
 sp<IMediaCodecList> MediaCodecList::sRemoteList;
 
 sp<MediaCodecList::BinderDeathObserver> MediaCodecList::sBinderDeathObserver;
+sp<IBinder> MediaCodecList::sMediaPlayer;  // kept since linked to death
 
 void MediaCodecList::BinderDeathObserver::binderDied(const wp<IBinder> &who __unused) {
     Mutex::Autolock _l(sRemoteInitMutex);
@@ -181,15 +182,14 @@ void MediaCodecList::BinderDeathObserver::binderDied(const wp<IBinder> &who __un
 sp<IMediaCodecList> MediaCodecList::getInstance() {
     Mutex::Autolock _l(sRemoteInitMutex);
     if (sRemoteList == nullptr) {
-        sp<IBinder> binder =
-            defaultServiceManager()->getService(String16("media.player"));
+        sMediaPlayer = defaultServiceManager()->getService(String16("media.player"));
         sp<IMediaPlayerService> service =
-            interface_cast<IMediaPlayerService>(binder);
+            interface_cast<IMediaPlayerService>(sMediaPlayer);
         if (service.get() != nullptr) {
             sRemoteList = service->getCodecList();
             if (sRemoteList != nullptr) {
                 sBinderDeathObserver = new BinderDeathObserver();
-                binder->linkToDeath(sBinderDeathObserver.get());
+                sMediaPlayer->linkToDeath(sBinderDeathObserver.get());
             }
         }
         if (sRemoteList == nullptr) {
diff --git a/media/libstagefright/include/media/stagefright/MediaCodecList.h b/media/libstagefright/include/media/stagefright/MediaCodecList.h
index e44b0a4573..e681d25c09 100644
--- a/media/libstagefright/include/media/stagefright/MediaCodecList.h
+++ b/media/libstagefright/include/media/stagefright/MediaCodecList.h
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ private:
     };
 
     static sp<BinderDeathObserver> sBinderDeathObserver;
+    static sp<IBinder> sMediaPlayer;
 
     static sp<IMediaCodecList> sCodecList;
     static sp<IMediaCodecList> sRemoteList;
diff --git a/services/audiopolicy/service/AudioPolicyService.cpp b/services/audiopolicy/service/AudioPolicyService.cpp
index 77f7997a2a..85ea94f177 100644
--- a/services/audiopolicy/service/AudioPolicyService.cpp
+++ b/services/audiopolicy/service/AudioPolicyService.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include <utils/Log.h>
 #include <cutils/properties.h>
 #include <binder/IPCThreadState.h>
-#include <binder/ActivityManager.h>
 #include <binder/PermissionController.h>
 #include <binder/IResultReceiver.h>
 #include <utils/String16.h>
@@ -774,28 +773,26 @@ status_t AudioPolicyService::printHelp(int out) {
 // -----------  AudioPolicyService::UidPolicy implementation ----------
 
 void AudioPolicyService::UidPolicy::registerSelf() {
-    ActivityManager am;
-    am.registerUidObserver(this, ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_GONE
+    status_t res = mAm.linkToDeath(this);
+    mAm.registerUidObserver(this, ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_GONE
             | ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_IDLE
             | ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_ACTIVE
             | ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_PROCSTATE,
             ActivityManager::PROCESS_STATE_UNKNOWN,
             String16("audioserver"));
-    status_t res = am.linkToDeath(this);
     if (!res) {
         Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
         mObserverRegistered = true;
     } else {
         ALOGE("UidPolicy::registerSelf linkToDeath failed: %d", res);
 
-        am.unregisterUidObserver(this);
+        mAm.unregisterUidObserver(this);
     }
 }
 
 void AudioPolicyService::UidPolicy::unregisterSelf() {
-    ActivityManager am;
-    am.unlinkToDeath(this);
-    am.unregisterUidObserver(this);
+    mAm.unlinkToDeath(this);
+    mAm.unregisterUidObserver(this);
     Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
     mObserverRegistered = false;
 }
diff --git a/services/audiopolicy/service/AudioPolicyService.h b/services/audiopolicy/service/AudioPolicyService.h
index e467f704b3..74aea0da50 100644
--- a/services/audiopolicy/service/AudioPolicyService.h
+++ b/services/audiopolicy/service/AudioPolicyService.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <utils/String8.h>
 #include <utils/Vector.h>
 #include <utils/SortedVector.h>
+#include <binder/ActivityManager.h>
 #include <binder/BinderService.h>
 #include <binder/IUidObserver.h>
 #include <system/audio.h>
@@ -387,6 +388,7 @@ private:
 
         wp<AudioPolicyService> mService;
         Mutex mLock;
+        ActivityManager mAm;
         bool mObserverRegistered;
         std::unordered_map<uid_t, std::pair<bool, int>> mOverrideUids;
         std::unordered_map<uid_t, std::pair<bool, int>> mCachedUids;
diff --git a/services/camera/libcameraservice/CameraService.cpp b/services/camera/libcameraservice/CameraService.cpp
index 3e6210294b..e663485cd9 100644
--- a/services/camera/libcameraservice/CameraService.cpp
+++ b/services/camera/libcameraservice/CameraService.cpp
@@ -2607,14 +2607,13 @@ void CameraService::Client::OpsCallback::opChanged(int32_t op,
 void CameraService::UidPolicy::registerSelf() {
     Mutex::Autolock _l(mUidLock);
 
-    ActivityManager am;
     if (mRegistered) return;
-    am.registerUidObserver(this, ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_GONE
+    status_t res = mAm.linkToDeath(this);
+    mAm.registerUidObserver(this, ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_GONE
             | ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_IDLE
             | ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_ACTIVE | ActivityManager::UID_OBSERVER_PROCSTATE,
             ActivityManager::PROCESS_STATE_UNKNOWN,
             String16("cameraserver"));
-    status_t res = am.linkToDeath(this);
     if (res == OK) {
         mRegistered = true;
         ALOGV("UidPolicy: Registered with ActivityManager");
@@ -2624,9 +2623,8 @@ void CameraService::UidPolicy::registerSelf() {
 void CameraService::UidPolicy::unregisterSelf() {
     Mutex::Autolock _l(mUidLock);
 
-    ActivityManager am;
-    am.unregisterUidObserver(this);
-    am.unlinkToDeath(this);
+    mAm.unregisterUidObserver(this);
+    mAm.unlinkToDeath(this);
     mRegistered = false;
     mActiveUids.clear();
     ALOGV("UidPolicy: Unregistered with ActivityManager");
diff --git a/services/camera/libcameraservice/CameraService.h b/services/camera/libcameraservice/CameraService.h
index 065157dad4..cf93a4147c 100644
--- a/services/camera/libcameraservice/CameraService.h
+++ b/services/camera/libcameraservice/CameraService.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <cutils/multiuser.h>
 #include <utils/Vector.h>
 #include <utils/KeyedVector.h>
+#include <binder/ActivityManager.h>
 #include <binder/AppOpsManager.h>
 #include <binder/BinderService.h>
 #include <binder/IAppOpsCallback.h>
@@ -564,6 +565,7 @@ private:
 
         Mutex mUidLock;
         bool mRegistered;
+        ActivityManager mAm;
         wp<CameraService> mService;
         std::unordered_set<uid_t> mActiveUids;
         // Monitored uid map to cached procState and refCount pair