diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/audio/AudioService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/audio/AudioService.java
index 517ff82d9fd28..1786bc5793854 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/audio/AudioService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/audio/AudioService.java
@@ -340,7 +340,8 @@ public class AudioService extends IAudioService.Stub
     private static final int MSG_DISPATCH_AUDIO_MODE = 40;
     private static final int MSG_ROUTING_UPDATED = 41;
     private static final int MSG_INIT_HEADTRACKING_SENSORS = 42;
-    private static final int MSG_PERSIST_SPATIAL_AUDIO_ENABLED = 43;
+    // commented out for now, will be reused for other SA persisting
+    //private static final int MSG_PERSIST_SPATIAL_AUDIO_ENABLED = 43;
     private static final int MSG_ADD_ASSISTANT_SERVICE_UID = 44;
     private static final int MSG_REMOVE_ASSISTANT_SERVICE_UID = 45;
     private static final int MSG_UPDATE_ACTIVE_ASSISTANT_SERVICE_UID = 46;
@@ -1543,9 +1544,7 @@ public class AudioService extends IAudioService.Stub
             }
         }
 
-        if (mHasSpatializerEffect) {
-            mSpatializerHelper.reset(/* featureEnabled */ isSpatialAudioEnabled());
-        }
+        mSpatializerHelper.reset(/* featureEnabled */ mHasSpatializerEffect);
 
         onIndicateSystemReady();
         // indicate the end of reconfiguration phase to audio HAL
@@ -8114,9 +8113,7 @@ public class AudioService extends IAudioService.Stub
 
                 case MSG_INIT_SPATIALIZER:
                     mSpatializerHelper.init(/*effectExpected*/ mHasSpatializerEffect);
-                    if (mHasSpatializerEffect) {
-                        mSpatializerHelper.setFeatureEnabled(isSpatialAudioEnabled());
-                    }
+                    mSpatializerHelper.setFeatureEnabled(mHasSpatializerEffect);
                     mAudioEventWakeLock.release();
                     break;
 
@@ -8257,10 +8254,6 @@ public class AudioService extends IAudioService.Stub
                     onRoutingUpdatedFromAudioThread();
                     break;
 
-                case MSG_PERSIST_SPATIAL_AUDIO_ENABLED:
-                    onPersistSpatialAudioEnabled(msg.arg1 == 1);
-                    break;
-
                 case MSG_ADD_ASSISTANT_SERVICE_UID:
                     onAddAssistantServiceUids(new int[]{msg.arg1});
                     break;
@@ -8864,31 +8857,6 @@ public class AudioService extends IAudioService.Stub
      */
     private static final boolean SPATIAL_AUDIO_ENABLED_DEFAULT = true;
 
-    /**
-     * persist in user settings whether the feature is enabled.
-     * Can change when {@link Spatializer#setEnabled(boolean)} is called and successfully
-     * changes the state of the feature
-     * @param featureEnabled
-     */
-    void persistSpatialAudioEnabled(boolean featureEnabled) {
-        sendMsg(mAudioHandler,
-                MSG_PERSIST_SPATIAL_AUDIO_ENABLED,
-                SENDMSG_REPLACE, featureEnabled ? 1 : 0, 0, null,
-                /*delay ms*/ 100);
-    }
-
-    void onPersistSpatialAudioEnabled(boolean enabled) {
-        mSettings.putSecureIntForUser(mContentResolver,
-                Settings.Secure.SPATIAL_AUDIO_ENABLED, enabled ? 1 : 0,
-                UserHandle.USER_CURRENT);
-    }
-
-    boolean isSpatialAudioEnabled() {
-        return mSettings.getSecureIntForUser(mContentResolver,
-                Settings.Secure.SPATIAL_AUDIO_ENABLED, SPATIAL_AUDIO_ENABLED_DEFAULT ? 1 : 0,
-                UserHandle.USER_CURRENT) == 1;
-    }
-
     private void enforceModifyDefaultAudioEffectsPermission() {
         if (mContext.checkCallingOrSelfPermission(
                 android.Manifest.permission.MODIFY_DEFAULT_AUDIO_EFFECTS)
@@ -9906,9 +9874,8 @@ public class AudioService extends IAudioService.Stub
 
         pw.println("\n");
         pw.println("\nSpatial audio:");
-        pw.println("mHasSpatializerEffect:" + mHasSpatializerEffect);
-        pw.println("isSpatializerEnabled:" + isSpatializerEnabled());
-        pw.println("isSpatialAudioEnabled:" + isSpatialAudioEnabled());
+        pw.println("mHasSpatializerEffect:" + mHasSpatializerEffect + " (effect present)");
+        pw.println("isSpatializerEnabled:" + isSpatializerEnabled() + " (routing dependent)");
         mSpatializerHelper.dump(pw);
 
         mAudioSystem.dump(pw);
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/audio/SpatializerHelper.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/audio/SpatializerHelper.java
index 40a63504fb6bf..b027d72ab4dac 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/audio/SpatializerHelper.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/audio/SpatializerHelper.java
@@ -445,6 +445,7 @@ public class SpatializerHelper {
 
     synchronized void addCompatibleAudioDevice(@NonNull AudioDeviceAttributes ada) {
         // TODO add log
+        Log.i(TAG, "addCompatibleAudioDevice: dev=" + ada);
         final int deviceType = ada.getType();
         final boolean wireless = isWireless(deviceType);
         boolean updateRouting = false;
@@ -468,13 +469,14 @@ public class SpatializerHelper {
             mSADevices.add(dev);
             updateRouting = true;
         }
-        if (updateRouting) {
+        //if (updateRouting) {
             onRoutingUpdated();
-        }
+        //}
     }
 
     synchronized void removeCompatibleAudioDevice(@NonNull AudioDeviceAttributes ada) {
         // TODO add log
+        Log.i(TAG, "removeCompatibleAudioDevice: dev=" + ada);
         final int deviceType = ada.getType();
         final boolean wireless = isWireless(deviceType);
         boolean updateRouting = false;
@@ -489,9 +491,9 @@ public class SpatializerHelper {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        if (updateRouting) {
+        //###if (updateRouting) {
             onRoutingUpdated();
-        }
+        //###}
     }
 
     /**
@@ -747,7 +749,6 @@ public class SpatializerHelper {
             }
         }
         mStateCallbacks.finishBroadcast();
-        mAudioService.persistSpatialAudioEnabled(featureEnabled);
     }
 
     private synchronized void setDispatchAvailableState(boolean available) {