diff --git a/api/system-current.txt b/api/system-current.txt
index 19c710fb501fe..24ce076ef5188 100755
--- a/api/system-current.txt
+++ b/api/system-current.txt
@@ -8265,10 +8265,10 @@ package android.net.wifi.wificond {
     method @Nullable public android.net.wifi.wificond.DeviceWiphyCapabilities getDeviceWiphyCapabilities(@NonNull String);
     method @NonNull public java.util.List<android.net.wifi.wificond.NativeScanResult> getScanResults(@NonNull String, int);
     method @Nullable public android.net.wifi.wificond.WifiCondManager.TxPacketCounters getTxPacketCounters(@NonNull String);
-    method public boolean initialize(@NonNull Runnable);
     method @Nullable public static android.net.wifi.wificond.WifiCondManager.OemSecurityType parseOemSecurityTypeElement(int, int, @NonNull byte[]);
     method public boolean registerApCallback(@NonNull String, @NonNull java.util.concurrent.Executor, @NonNull android.net.wifi.wificond.WifiCondManager.SoftApCallback);
     method public void sendMgmtFrame(@NonNull String, @NonNull byte[], int, @NonNull java.util.concurrent.Executor, @NonNull android.net.wifi.wificond.WifiCondManager.SendMgmtFrameCallback);
+    method public void setOnServiceDeadCallback(@NonNull Runnable);
     method public boolean setupInterfaceForClientMode(@NonNull String, @NonNull java.util.concurrent.Executor, @NonNull android.net.wifi.wificond.WifiCondManager.ScanEventCallback, @NonNull android.net.wifi.wificond.WifiCondManager.ScanEventCallback);
     method public boolean setupInterfaceForSoftApMode(@NonNull String);
     method @Nullable public android.net.wifi.wificond.WifiCondManager.SignalPollResult signalPoll(@NonNull String);
diff --git a/wifi/java/android/net/wifi/wificond/WifiCondManager.java b/wifi/java/android/net/wifi/wificond/WifiCondManager.java
index d4be38a885a40..d556ac9e42059 100644
--- a/wifi/java/android/net/wifi/wificond/WifiCondManager.java
+++ b/wifi/java/android/net/wifi/wificond/WifiCondManager.java
@@ -496,22 +496,17 @@ public class WifiCondManager {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Initializes WifiCondManager & registers a death notification for the WifiCondManager which
-     * acts as a proxy for the wificond daemon (i.e. the death listener will be called when and if
-     * the wificond daemon dies).
-     *
-     * Note: This method clears any existing state in wificond daemon.
+     * Register a death notification for the WifiCondManager which acts as a proxy for the
+     * wificond daemon (i.e. the death listener will be called when and if the wificond daemon
+     * dies).
      *
      * @param deathEventHandler A {@link Runnable} to be called whenever the wificond daemon dies.
-     * @return Returns true on success.
      */
-    public boolean initialize(@NonNull Runnable deathEventHandler) {
+    public void setOnServiceDeadCallback(@NonNull Runnable deathEventHandler) {
         if (mDeathEventHandler != null) {
             Log.e(TAG, "Death handler already present");
         }
         mDeathEventHandler = deathEventHandler;
-        tearDownInterfaces();
-        return true;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/wifi/tests/src/android/net/wifi/wificond/WifiCondManagerTest.java b/wifi/tests/src/android/net/wifi/wificond/WifiCondManagerTest.java
index 5ba02a7796635..32105be6ae4c4 100644
--- a/wifi/tests/src/android/net/wifi/wificond/WifiCondManagerTest.java
+++ b/wifi/tests/src/android/net/wifi/wificond/WifiCondManagerTest.java
@@ -720,8 +720,7 @@ public class WifiCondManagerTest {
     @Test
     public void testRegisterDeathHandler() throws Exception {
         Runnable deathHandler = mock(Runnable.class);
-        assertTrue(mWificondControl.initialize(deathHandler));
-        verify(mWificond).tearDownInterfaces();
+        mWificondControl.setOnServiceDeadCallback(deathHandler);
         mWificondControl.binderDied();
         mLooper.dispatchAll();
         verify(deathHandler).run();
@@ -734,7 +733,7 @@ public class WifiCondManagerTest {
     @Test
     public void testDeathHandling() throws Exception {
         Runnable deathHandler = mock(Runnable.class);
-        assertTrue(mWificondControl.initialize(deathHandler));
+        mWificondControl.setOnServiceDeadCallback(deathHandler);
 
         testSetupInterfaceForClientMode();