diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/AppOpsPolicy.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/AppOpsPolicy.java
index e157a277366f5..a8ed70b91442c 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/AppOpsPolicy.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/AppOpsPolicy.java
@@ -202,9 +202,8 @@ public final class AppOpsPolicy implements AppOpsManagerInternal.CheckOpsDelegat
     }
 
     private static boolean isHotwordDetectionServiceRequired(PackageManager pm) {
-        // The HotwordDetectionService APIs aren't ready yet for Auto or TV.
-        return !(pm.hasSystemFeature(PackageManager.FEATURE_AUTOMOTIVE)
-                || pm.hasSystemFeature(PackageManager.FEATURE_LEANBACK));
+        // Usage of the HotwordDetectionService won't be enforced until a later release.
+        return false;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerMiddlewarePermission.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerMiddlewarePermission.java
index f3d151fe5cc4f..24eb0ebe33117 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerMiddlewarePermission.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerMiddlewarePermission.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import static android.Manifest.permission.RECORD_AUDIO;
 
 import android.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.annotation.Nullable;
+import android.app.AppOpsManager;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.PermissionChecker;
 import android.media.permission.Identity;
@@ -112,16 +113,27 @@ public class SoundTriggerMiddlewarePermission implements ISoundTriggerMiddleware
      * originator temporarily doesn't have the right permissions to use this service.
      */
     private void enforcePermissionsForPreflight(@NonNull Identity identity) {
-        enforcePermissionForPreflight(mContext, identity, RECORD_AUDIO);
-        enforcePermissionForPreflight(mContext, identity, CAPTURE_AUDIO_HOTWORD);
+        enforcePermissionForPreflight(mContext, identity, RECORD_AUDIO,
+                /* allowSoftDenial= */ true);
+        enforcePermissionForPreflight(mContext, identity, CAPTURE_AUDIO_HOTWORD,
+                /* allowSoftDenial= */ true);
     }
 
     /**
      * Throws a {@link SecurityException} iff the originator has permission to receive data.
      */
     void enforcePermissionsForDataDelivery(@NonNull Identity identity, @NonNull String reason) {
-        enforcePermissionForDataDelivery(mContext, identity, RECORD_AUDIO,
-                reason);
+        // SoundTrigger data is treated the same as Hotword-source audio. This should incur the
+        // HOTWORD op instead of the RECORD_AUDIO op. The RECORD_AUDIO permission is still required,
+        // and since this is a data delivery check, soft denials aren't accepted.
+        // TODO(b/212458940): Find a better approach for checking the permission that doesn't
+        // require the client to know such details about the permissions logic.
+        enforcePermissionForPreflight(mContext, identity, RECORD_AUDIO,
+                /* allowSoftDenial= */ false);
+        int hotwordOp = AppOpsManager.strOpToOp(AppOpsManager.OPSTR_RECORD_AUDIO_HOTWORD);
+        mContext.getSystemService(AppOpsManager.class).noteOpNoThrow(hotwordOp, identity.uid,
+                identity.packageName, identity.attributionTag, reason);
+
         enforcePermissionForDataDelivery(mContext, identity, CAPTURE_AUDIO_HOTWORD,
                 reason);
     }
@@ -150,20 +162,25 @@ public class SoundTriggerMiddlewarePermission implements ISoundTriggerMiddleware
     /**
      * Throws a {@link SecurityException} if originator permanently doesn't have the given
      * permission.
-     * Soft (temporary) denials are considered OK for preflight purposes.
      *
-     * @param context    A {@link Context}, used for permission checks.
-     * @param identity   The identity to check.
-     * @param permission The identifier of the permission we want to check.
+     * @param context         A {@link Context}, used for permission checks.
+     * @param identity        The identity to check.
+     * @param permission      The identifier of the permission we want to check.
+     * @param allowSoftDenial If true, the operation succeeds even for soft (temporary) denials.
      */
+    // TODO: Consider splitting up this method instead of using `allowSoftDenial`, to make it
+    // clearer when soft denials are not allowed.
     private static void enforcePermissionForPreflight(@NonNull Context context,
-            @NonNull Identity identity, @NonNull String permission) {
+            @NonNull Identity identity, @NonNull String permission, boolean allowSoftDenial) {
         final int status = PermissionUtil.checkPermissionForPreflight(context, identity,
                 permission);
         switch (status) {
             case PermissionChecker.PERMISSION_GRANTED:
-            case PermissionChecker.PERMISSION_SOFT_DENIED:
                 return;
+            case PermissionChecker.PERMISSION_SOFT_DENIED:
+                if (allowSoftDenial) {
+                    return;
+                } // else fall through
             case PermissionChecker.PERMISSION_HARD_DENIED:
                 throw new SecurityException(
                         String.format("Failed to obtain permission %s for identity %s", permission,
diff --git a/services/voiceinteraction/java/com/android/server/voiceinteraction/HotwordDetectionConnection.java b/services/voiceinteraction/java/com/android/server/voiceinteraction/HotwordDetectionConnection.java
index 2cb3982047435..3610d8362d6a4 100644
--- a/services/voiceinteraction/java/com/android/server/voiceinteraction/HotwordDetectionConnection.java
+++ b/services/voiceinteraction/java/com/android/server/voiceinteraction/HotwordDetectionConnection.java
@@ -46,11 +46,9 @@ import static com.android.internal.util.FrameworkStatsLog.HOTWORD_DETECTOR_KEYPH
 import static com.android.internal.util.FrameworkStatsLog.HOTWORD_DETECTOR_KEYPHRASE_TRIGGERED__RESULT__REJECTED;
 import static com.android.internal.util.FrameworkStatsLog.HOTWORD_DETECTOR_KEYPHRASE_TRIGGERED__RESULT__REJECTED_FROM_RESTART;
 import static com.android.internal.util.FrameworkStatsLog.HOTWORD_DETECTOR_KEYPHRASE_TRIGGERED__RESULT__REJECT_UNEXPECTED_CALLBACK;
-import static com.android.server.voiceinteraction.SoundTriggerSessionPermissionsDecorator.enforcePermissionForPreflight;
 
 import android.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.annotation.Nullable;
-import android.app.AppOpsManager;
 import android.content.ComponentName;
 import android.content.ContentCaptureOptions;
 import android.content.Context;
@@ -1111,11 +1109,12 @@ final class HotwordDetectionConnection {
     // TODO: Share this code with SoundTriggerMiddlewarePermission.
     private void enforcePermissionsForDataDelivery() {
         Binder.withCleanCallingIdentity(() -> {
-            enforcePermissionForPreflight(mContext, mVoiceInteractorIdentity, RECORD_AUDIO);
-            int hotwordOp = AppOpsManager.strOpToOp(AppOpsManager.OPSTR_RECORD_AUDIO_HOTWORD);
-            mContext.getSystemService(AppOpsManager.class).noteOpNoThrow(hotwordOp,
-                    mVoiceInteractorIdentity.uid, mVoiceInteractorIdentity.packageName,
-                    mVoiceInteractorIdentity.attributionTag, OP_MESSAGE);
+            // Hack to make sure we show the mic privacy-indicator since the Trusted Hotword
+            // requirement isn't being enforced for now. Normally, we would note the HOTWORD op here
+            // instead.
+            enforcePermissionForDataDelivery(mContext, mVoiceInteractorIdentity,
+                    RECORD_AUDIO, OP_MESSAGE);
+
             enforcePermissionForDataDelivery(mContext, mVoiceInteractorIdentity,
                     CAPTURE_AUDIO_HOTWORD, OP_MESSAGE);
         });