diff --git a/data/etc/services.core.protolog.json b/data/etc/services.core.protolog.json
index 115bd9b08a53d..6076c2ad1a1db 100644
--- a/data/etc/services.core.protolog.json
+++ b/data/etc/services.core.protolog.json
@@ -3307,6 +3307,12 @@
       "group": "WM_DEBUG_WINDOW_TRANSITIONS",
       "at": "com\/android\/server\/wm\/TransitionController.java"
     },
+    "1804245629": {
+      "message": "Attempted to add starting window to token but already cleaned",
+      "level": "WARN",
+      "group": "WM_ERROR",
+      "at": "com\/android\/server\/wm\/WindowManagerService.java"
+    },
     "1810019902": {
       "message": "TRANSIT_FLAG_OPEN_BEHIND,  adding %s to mOpeningApps",
       "level": "DEBUG",
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/ActivityRecord.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/ActivityRecord.java
index d361a8c03fbdc..b12ce67832ef4 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/ActivityRecord.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/ActivityRecord.java
@@ -2247,6 +2247,9 @@ final class ActivityRecord extends WindowToken implements WindowManagerService.A
                 // Go ahead and cancel the request.
                 ProtoLog.v(WM_DEBUG_STARTING_WINDOW, "Clearing startingData for token=%s", this);
                 mStartingData = null;
+                // Clean surface up since we don't want the window to be added back, so we don't
+                // need to keep the surface to remove it.
+                mStartingSurface = null;
             }
             return;
         }
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowManagerService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowManagerService.java
index dce79a093a6f9..c5e000000eee2 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowManagerService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowManagerService.java
@@ -1600,11 +1600,17 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
                     ProtoLog.w(WM_ERROR, "Attempted to add window with exiting application token "
                             + ".%s Aborting.", token);
                     return WindowManagerGlobal.ADD_APP_EXITING;
-                } else if (type == TYPE_APPLICATION_STARTING && activity.mStartingWindow != null) {
-                    ProtoLog.w(WM_ERROR,
-                            "Attempted to add starting window to token with already existing"
-                                    + " starting window");
-                    return WindowManagerGlobal.ADD_DUPLICATE_ADD;
+                } else if (type == TYPE_APPLICATION_STARTING) {
+                    if (activity.mStartingWindow != null) {
+                        ProtoLog.w(WM_ERROR, "Attempted to add starting window to "
+                                + "token with already existing starting window");
+                        return WindowManagerGlobal.ADD_DUPLICATE_ADD;
+                    }
+                    if (activity.mStartingData == null) {
+                        ProtoLog.w(WM_ERROR, "Attempted to add starting window to "
+                                + "token but already cleaned");
+                        return WindowManagerGlobal.ADD_DUPLICATE_ADD;
+                    }
                 }
             } else if (rootType == TYPE_INPUT_METHOD) {
                 if (token.windowType != TYPE_INPUT_METHOD) {