diff --git a/cmds/app_process/app_main.cpp b/cmds/app_process/app_main.cpp
index 6e77e1324e03f..1bb28c38ceef2 100644
--- a/cmds/app_process/app_main.cpp
+++ b/cmds/app_process/app_main.cpp
@@ -133,8 +133,7 @@ static size_t computeArgBlockSize(int argc, char* const argv[]) {
     // names if the zygote command line decreases in size.
     uintptr_t start = reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(argv[0]);
     uintptr_t end = reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(argv[argc - 1]);
-    end += strlen(argv[argc - 1]);
-
+    end += strlen(argv[argc - 1]) + 1;
     return (end - start);
 }
 
@@ -220,15 +219,27 @@ int main(int argc, char* const argv[])
     //
     // For zygote starts, all remaining arguments are passed to the zygote.
     // main function.
+    //
+    // Note that we must copy argument string values since we will rewrite the
+    // entire argument block when we apply the nice name to argv0.
 
-
-    int i = runtime.addVmArguments(argc, argv);
+    int i;
+    for (i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
+        if (argv[i][0] != '-') {
+            break;
+        }
+        if (argv[i][1] == '-' && argv[i][2] == 0) {
+            ++i; // Skip --.
+            break;
+        }
+        runtime.addOption(strdup(argv[i]));
+    }
 
     // Parse runtime arguments.  Stop at first unrecognized option.
     bool zygote = false;
     bool startSystemServer = false;
     bool application = false;
-    const char* niceName = NULL;
+    String8 niceName;
     String8 className;
 
     ++i;  // Skip unused "parent dir" argument.
@@ -242,7 +253,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* const argv[])
         } else if (strcmp(arg, "--application") == 0) {
             application = true;
         } else if (strncmp(arg, "--nice-name=", 12) == 0) {
-            niceName = arg + 12;
+            niceName.setTo(arg + 12);
         } else if (strncmp(arg, "--", 2) != 0) {
             className.setTo(arg);
             break;
@@ -287,9 +298,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* const argv[])
         }
     }
 
-    if (niceName && *niceName) {
-        runtime.setArgv0(niceName);
-        set_process_name(niceName);
+    if (!niceName.isEmpty()) {
+        runtime.setArgv0(niceName.string());
+        set_process_name(niceName.string());
     }
 
     if (zygote) {
diff --git a/core/jni/AndroidRuntime.cpp b/core/jni/AndroidRuntime.cpp
index a63258c8e6574..157310657c594 100644
--- a/core/jni/AndroidRuntime.cpp
+++ b/core/jni/AndroidRuntime.cpp
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ AndroidRuntime::~AndroidRuntime()
 }
 
 void AndroidRuntime::setArgv0(const char* argv0) {
+    memset(mArgBlockStart, 0, mArgBlockLength);
     strlcpy(mArgBlockStart, argv0, mArgBlockLength);
 }
 
@@ -345,28 +346,6 @@ static bool runtime_isSensitiveThread() {
     return state && state->getStrictModePolicy() != 0;
 }
 
-
-/**
- * Add VM arguments to the to-be-executed VM
- * Stops at first non '-' argument (also stops at an argument of '--')
- * Returns the number of args consumed
- */
-int AndroidRuntime::addVmArguments(int argc, const char* const argv[])
-{
-    int i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i<argc; i++) {
-        if (argv[i][0] != '-') {
-            return i;
-        }
-        if (argv[i][1] == '-' && argv[i][2] == 0) {
-            return i+1;
-        }
-        addOption(argv[i]);
-    }
-    return i;
-}
-
 static int hasDir(const char* dir)
 {
     struct stat s;
diff --git a/include/android_runtime/AndroidRuntime.h b/include/android_runtime/AndroidRuntime.h
index 51e47e6e24d8d..f3cfd97d58ee3 100644
--- a/include/android_runtime/AndroidRuntime.h
+++ b/include/android_runtime/AndroidRuntime.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public:
     };
 
     void setArgv0(const char* argv0);
+    void addOption(const char* optionString, void* extra_info = NULL);
 
     /**
      * Register a set of methods in the specified class.
@@ -63,8 +64,6 @@ public:
      */
     static jclass findClass(JNIEnv* env, const char* className);
 
-    int addVmArguments(int argc, const char* const argv[]);
-
     void start(const char *classname, const Vector<String8>& options);
 
     void exit(int code);
@@ -116,7 +115,6 @@ public:
 
 private:
     static int startReg(JNIEnv* env);
-    void addOption(const char* optionString, void* extra_info = NULL);
     bool parseRuntimeOption(const char* property,
                             char* buffer,
                             const char* runtimeArg,