diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/AppDataHelper.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/AppDataHelper.java
index 2e86df89f63eb..f95f7bc0d165d 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/AppDataHelper.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/AppDataHelper.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package com.android.server.pm;
 
 import static android.os.Trace.TRACE_TAG_PACKAGE_MANAGER;
 
-import static com.android.server.pm.DexOptHelper.useArtService;
 import static com.android.server.pm.PackageManagerService.TAG;
 import static com.android.server.pm.PackageManagerServiceUtils.getPackageManagerLocal;
 import static com.android.server.pm.PackageManagerServiceUtils.logCriticalInfo;
@@ -245,7 +244,7 @@ public class AppDataHelper {
                 }
             }
 
-            if (!useArtService()) { // ART Service handles this on demand instead.
+            if (!DexOptHelper.useArtService()) { // ART Service handles this on demand instead.
                 // Prepare the application profiles only for upgrades and
                 // first boot (so that we don't repeat the same operation at
                 // each boot).
@@ -591,7 +590,7 @@ public class AppDataHelper {
             Slog.wtf(TAG, "Package was null!", new Throwable());
             return;
         }
-        if (useArtService()) {
+        if (DexOptHelper.useArtService()) {
             destroyAppProfilesWithArtService(pkg);
         } else {
             try {
@@ -637,7 +636,7 @@ public class AppDataHelper {
     }
 
     private void destroyAppProfilesLeafLIF(AndroidPackage pkg) {
-        if (useArtService()) {
+        if (DexOptHelper.useArtService()) {
             destroyAppProfilesWithArtService(pkg);
         } else {
             try {
@@ -651,6 +650,15 @@ public class AppDataHelper {
     }
 
     private void destroyAppProfilesWithArtService(AndroidPackage pkg) {
+        if (!DexOptHelper.artManagerLocalIsInitialized()) {
+            // This function may get called while PackageManagerService is constructed (via e.g.
+            // InitAppsHelper.initSystemApps), and ART Service hasn't yet been started then (it
+            // requires a registered PackageManagerLocal instance). We can skip clearing any stale
+            // app profiles in this case, because ART Service and the runtime will ignore stale or
+            // otherwise invalid ref and cur profiles.
+            return;
+        }
+
         try (PackageManagerLocal.FilteredSnapshot snapshot =
                         getPackageManagerLocal().withFilteredSnapshot()) {
             try {
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/DexOptHelper.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/DexOptHelper.java
index a9d4115b4b79f..064be7c5ddc7c 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/DexOptHelper.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/DexOptHelper.java
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ import java.util.function.Predicate;
 public final class DexOptHelper {
     private static final long SEVEN_DAYS_IN_MILLISECONDS = 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
 
+    private static boolean sArtManagerLocalIsInitialized = false;
+
     private final PackageManagerService mPm;
 
     // Start time for the boot dexopt in performPackageDexOptUpgradeIfNeeded when ART Service is
@@ -1035,6 +1037,7 @@ public final class DexOptHelper {
         artManager.addDexoptDoneCallback(false /* onlyIncludeUpdates */, Runnable::run,
                 pm.getDexOptHelper().new DexoptDoneHandler());
         LocalManagerRegistry.addManager(ArtManagerLocal.class, artManager);
+        sArtManagerLocalIsInitialized = true;
 
         // Schedule the background job when boot is complete. This decouples us from when
         // JobSchedulerService is initialized.
@@ -1047,6 +1050,15 @@ public final class DexOptHelper {
         }, new IntentFilter(Intent.ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns true if an {@link ArtManagerLocal} instance has been created.
+     *
+     * Avoid this function if at all possible, because it may hide initialization order problems.
+     */
+    public static boolean artManagerLocalIsInitialized() {
+        return sArtManagerLocalIsInitialized;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the registered {@link ArtManagerLocal} instance, or else throws an unchecked error.
      */