diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerHw2Enforcer.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerHw2Enforcer.java
index d98ad74a9d6b6..a18b690f08cd2 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerHw2Enforcer.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerHw2Enforcer.java
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import android.hardware.soundtrigger.V2_3.Properties;
 import android.hardware.soundtrigger.V2_3.RecognitionConfig;
 import android.os.IHwBinder;
 import android.os.RemoteException;
-import android.os.SystemProperties;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -49,130 +48,83 @@ public class SoundTriggerHw2Enforcer implements ISoundTriggerHw2 {
 
     @Override
     public Properties getProperties() {
-        try {
-            return mUnderlying.getProperties();
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
-        }
+        return mUnderlying.getProperties();
     }
 
     @Override
     public int loadSoundModel(ISoundTriggerHw.SoundModel soundModel, Callback callback,
             int cookie) {
-        try {
-            int handle = mUnderlying.loadSoundModel(soundModel, new CallbackEnforcer(callback),
-                    cookie);
-            synchronized (mModelStates) {
-                mModelStates.put(handle, false);
-            }
-            return handle;
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
+        int handle = mUnderlying.loadSoundModel(soundModel, new CallbackEnforcer(callback), cookie);
+        synchronized (mModelStates) {
+            mModelStates.put(handle, false);
         }
+        return handle;
     }
 
     @Override
     public int loadPhraseSoundModel(ISoundTriggerHw.PhraseSoundModel soundModel, Callback callback,
             int cookie) {
-        try {
-            int handle = mUnderlying.loadPhraseSoundModel(soundModel,
-                    new CallbackEnforcer(callback),
-                    cookie);
-            synchronized (mModelStates) {
-                mModelStates.put(handle, false);
-            }
-            return handle;
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
+        int handle = mUnderlying.loadPhraseSoundModel(soundModel, new CallbackEnforcer(callback),
+                cookie);
+        synchronized (mModelStates) {
+            mModelStates.put(handle, false);
         }
+        return handle;
     }
 
     @Override
     public void unloadSoundModel(int modelHandle) {
-        try {
-            mUnderlying.unloadSoundModel(modelHandle);
-            synchronized (mModelStates) {
-                mModelStates.remove(modelHandle);
-            }
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
+        mUnderlying.unloadSoundModel(modelHandle);
+        synchronized (mModelStates) {
+            mModelStates.remove(modelHandle);
         }
     }
 
     @Override
     public void stopRecognition(int modelHandle) {
-        try {
-            mUnderlying.stopRecognition(modelHandle);
-            synchronized (mModelStates) {
-                mModelStates.replace(modelHandle, false);
-            }
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
+        mUnderlying.stopRecognition(modelHandle);
+        synchronized (mModelStates) {
+            mModelStates.replace(modelHandle, false);
         }
     }
 
     @Override
     public void stopAllRecognitions() {
-        try {
-            mUnderlying.stopAllRecognitions();
-            synchronized (mModelStates) {
-                for (Map.Entry<Integer, Boolean> entry : mModelStates.entrySet()) {
-                    entry.setValue(false);
-                }
+        mUnderlying.stopAllRecognitions();
+        synchronized (mModelStates) {
+            for (Map.Entry<Integer, Boolean> entry : mModelStates.entrySet()) {
+                entry.setValue(false);
             }
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
         }
     }
 
     @Override
     public void startRecognition(int modelHandle, RecognitionConfig config, Callback callback,
             int cookie) {
-        try {
-            mUnderlying.startRecognition(modelHandle, config, new CallbackEnforcer(callback),
-                    cookie);
-            synchronized (mModelStates) {
-                mModelStates.replace(modelHandle, true);
-            }
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
+        mUnderlying.startRecognition(modelHandle, config, new CallbackEnforcer(callback), cookie);
+        synchronized (mModelStates) {
+            mModelStates.replace(modelHandle, true);
         }
     }
 
     @Override
     public void getModelState(int modelHandle) {
-        try {
-            mUnderlying.getModelState(modelHandle);
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
-        }
+        mUnderlying.getModelState(modelHandle);
     }
 
     @Override
     public int getModelParameter(int modelHandle, int param) {
-        try {
-            return mUnderlying.getModelParameter(modelHandle, param);
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
-        }
+        return mUnderlying.getModelParameter(modelHandle, param);
     }
 
     @Override
     public void setModelParameter(int modelHandle, int param, int value) {
-        try {
-            mUnderlying.setModelParameter(modelHandle, param, value);
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
-        }
+        mUnderlying.setModelParameter(modelHandle, param, value);
     }
 
     @Override
     public ModelParameterRange queryParameter(int modelHandle, int param) {
-        try {
-            return mUnderlying.queryParameter(modelHandle, param);
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            throw handleException(e);
-        }
+        return mUnderlying.queryParameter(modelHandle, param);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -190,17 +142,6 @@ public class SoundTriggerHw2Enforcer implements ISoundTriggerHw2 {
         return mUnderlying.interfaceDescriptor();
     }
 
-    private static RuntimeException handleException(RuntimeException e) {
-        Log.e(TAG, "Exception caught from HAL, rebooting HAL");
-        rebootHal();
-        throw e;
-    }
-
-    private static void rebootHal() {
-        // This property needs to be defined in an init.rc script and trigger a HAL reboot.
-        SystemProperties.set("sys.audio.restart.hal", "1");
-    }
-
     private class CallbackEnforcer implements Callback {
         private final Callback mUnderlying;
 
@@ -216,8 +157,6 @@ public class SoundTriggerHw2Enforcer implements ISoundTriggerHw2 {
             synchronized (mModelStates) {
                 if (!mModelStates.getOrDefault(model, false)) {
                     Log.wtfStack(TAG, "Unexpected recognition event for model: " + model);
-                    rebootHal();
-                    return;
                 }
                 if (event.header.status
                         != android.media.soundtrigger_middleware.RecognitionStatus.FORCED) {
@@ -234,8 +173,6 @@ public class SoundTriggerHw2Enforcer implements ISoundTriggerHw2 {
             synchronized (mModelStates) {
                 if (!mModelStates.getOrDefault(model, false)) {
                     Log.wtfStack(TAG, "Unexpected recognition event for model: " + model);
-                    rebootHal();
-                    return;
                 }
                 if (event.common.header.status
                         != android.media.soundtrigger_middleware.RecognitionStatus.FORCED) {
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerMiddlewareService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerMiddlewareService.java
index 4b464d2d3e044..635cb613b934d 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerMiddlewareService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/soundtrigger_middleware/SoundTriggerMiddlewareService.java
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ import android.media.soundtrigger_middleware.PhraseSoundModel;
 import android.media.soundtrigger_middleware.RecognitionConfig;
 import android.media.soundtrigger_middleware.SoundModel;
 import android.media.soundtrigger_middleware.SoundTriggerModuleDescriptor;
+import android.os.Parcel;
 import android.os.RemoteException;
+import android.os.SystemProperties;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import com.android.server.SystemService;
@@ -99,6 +101,28 @@ public class SoundTriggerMiddlewareService extends ISoundTriggerMiddlewareServic
         }
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean onTransact(int code, Parcel data, Parcel reply, int flags)
+            throws RemoteException {
+        try {
+            return super.onTransact(code, data, reply, flags);
+        } catch (InternalServerError e) {
+            if (e.getCause() instanceof HalException) {
+                // We recover from any sort of HAL failure by rebooting the HAL process.
+                // This will likely reboot more than just the sound trigger HAL.
+                // The rest of the system should be able to tolerate that.
+                rebootHal();
+            }
+            throw e;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void rebootHal() {
+        Log.i(TAG, "Rebooting the sound trigger HAL");
+        // This property needs to be defined in an init.rc script and trigger a HAL reboot.
+        SystemProperties.set("sys.audio.restart.hal", "1");
+    }
+
     private final static class ModuleService extends ISoundTriggerModule.Stub {
         private final ISoundTriggerModule mDelegate;
 
@@ -158,6 +182,22 @@ public class SoundTriggerMiddlewareService extends ISoundTriggerMiddlewareServic
         public void detach() throws RemoteException {
             mDelegate.detach();
         }
+
+        @Override
+        public boolean onTransact(int code, Parcel data, Parcel reply, int flags)
+                throws RemoteException {
+            try {
+                return super.onTransact(code, data, reply, flags);
+            } catch (InternalServerError e) {
+                if (e.getCause() instanceof HalException) {
+                    // We recover from any sort of HAL failure by rebooting the HAL process.
+                    // This will likely reboot more than just the sound trigger HAL.
+                    // The rest of the system should be able to tolerate that.
+                    rebootHal();
+                }
+                throw e;
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     /**