diff --git a/media/java/android/media/soundtrigger/SoundTriggerManager.java b/media/java/android/media/soundtrigger/SoundTriggerManager.java
index b6d70afa85b78..7835287118772 100644
--- a/media/java/android/media/soundtrigger/SoundTriggerManager.java
+++ b/media/java/android/media/soundtrigger/SoundTriggerManager.java
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ import android.util.Slog;
 
 import com.android.internal.app.ISoundTriggerService;
 import com.android.internal.app.ISoundTriggerSession;
-import com.android.internal.util.Preconditions;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -67,6 +66,8 @@ import java.util.concurrent.Executor;
  * models. Usage of this class is restricted to system or signature applications only. This allows
  * OEMs to write apps that can manage non-voice based sound trigger models.
  *
+ * If no ST module is available, {@link getModuleProperties()} will return {@code null}, and all
+ * other methods will throw {@link IllegalStateException}.
  * @hide
  */
 @SystemApi
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
 
     // Stores a mapping from the sound model UUID to the SoundTriggerInstance created by
     // the createSoundTriggerDetector() call.
-    private final HashMap<UUID, SoundTriggerDetector> mReceiverInstanceMap;
+    private final HashMap<UUID, SoundTriggerDetector> mReceiverInstanceMap = new HashMap<>();
 
     /**
      * @hide
@@ -121,7 +122,6 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
         }
         mContext = context;
         mSoundTriggerService = soundTriggerService;
-        mReceiverInstanceMap = new HashMap<UUID, SoundTriggerDetector>();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
                 .findFirst()
                 .orElse(null);
         if (moduleProps == null) {
-            throw new IllegalStateException("Fake ST HAL should always be available");
+            throw new AssertionError("Fake ST HAL should always be available");
         }
         return moduleProps;
     }
@@ -183,7 +183,6 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
         }
         mContext = Objects.requireNonNull(context);
         mSoundTriggerService = Objects.requireNonNull(soundTriggerService);
-        mReceiverInstanceMap = new HashMap<UUID, SoundTriggerDetector>();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -241,7 +240,8 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
         }
         try {
             GenericSoundModel model =
-                    mSoundTriggerSession.getSoundModel(new ParcelUuid(soundModelId));
+                    mSoundTriggerSession.getSoundModel(
+                            new ParcelUuid(Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId)));
             if (model == null) {
                 return null;
             }
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
         }
 
         try {
-            mSoundTriggerSession.deleteSoundModel(new ParcelUuid(soundModelId));
+            mSoundTriggerSession.deleteSoundModel(
+                    new ParcelUuid(Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId)));
         } catch (RemoteException e) {
             throw e.rethrowFromSystemServer();
         }
@@ -291,8 +292,8 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     @RequiresPermission(android.Manifest.permission.MANAGE_SOUND_TRIGGER)
     public SoundTriggerDetector createSoundTriggerDetector(UUID soundModelId,
             @NonNull SoundTriggerDetector.Callback callback, @Nullable Handler handler) {
-        if (soundModelId == null || mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
-            return null;
+        if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
         }
 
         SoundTriggerDetector oldInstance = mReceiverInstanceMap.get(soundModelId);
@@ -301,7 +302,8 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
         }
         try {
             SoundTriggerDetector newInstance = new SoundTriggerDetector(mSoundTriggerSession,
-                    mSoundTriggerSession.getSoundModel(new ParcelUuid(soundModelId)),
+                    mSoundTriggerSession.getSoundModel(
+                        new ParcelUuid(Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId))),
                     callback, handler);
             mReceiverInstanceMap.put(soundModelId, newInstance);
             return newInstance;
@@ -469,8 +471,8 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     @UnsupportedAppUsage
     @TestApi
     public int loadSoundModel(@NonNull SoundModel soundModel) {
-        if (soundModel == null || mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
-            return STATUS_ERROR;
+        if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
         }
 
         try {
@@ -513,11 +515,11 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     @UnsupportedAppUsage
     public int startRecognition(@NonNull UUID soundModelId, @Nullable Bundle params,
         @NonNull ComponentName detectionService, @NonNull RecognitionConfig config) {
-        Preconditions.checkNotNull(soundModelId);
-        Preconditions.checkNotNull(detectionService);
-        Preconditions.checkNotNull(config);
+        Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId);
+        Objects.requireNonNull(detectionService);
+        Objects.requireNonNull(config);
         if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
-            return STATUS_ERROR;
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
         }
         try {
             return mSoundTriggerSession.startRecognitionForService(new ParcelUuid(soundModelId),
@@ -534,11 +536,12 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     @RequiresPermission(android.Manifest.permission.MANAGE_SOUND_TRIGGER)
     @UnsupportedAppUsage(maxTargetSdk = Build.VERSION_CODES.R, trackingBug = 170729553)
     public int stopRecognition(UUID soundModelId) {
-        if (soundModelId == null || mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
-            return STATUS_ERROR;
+        if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
         }
         try {
-            return mSoundTriggerSession.stopRecognitionForService(new ParcelUuid(soundModelId));
+            return mSoundTriggerSession.stopRecognitionForService(
+                    new ParcelUuid(Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId)));
         } catch (RemoteException e) {
             throw e.rethrowFromSystemServer();
         }
@@ -551,12 +554,12 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     @RequiresPermission(android.Manifest.permission.MANAGE_SOUND_TRIGGER)
     @UnsupportedAppUsage(maxTargetSdk = Build.VERSION_CODES.R, trackingBug = 170729553)
     public int unloadSoundModel(UUID soundModelId) {
-        if (soundModelId == null || mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
-            return STATUS_ERROR;
+        if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
         }
         try {
             return mSoundTriggerSession.unloadSoundModel(
-                    new ParcelUuid(soundModelId));
+                    new ParcelUuid(Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId)));
         } catch (RemoteException e) {
             throw e.rethrowFromSystemServer();
         }
@@ -604,7 +607,10 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     @RequiresPermission(android.Manifest.permission.MANAGE_SOUND_TRIGGER)
     @UnsupportedAppUsage
     public int getModelState(UUID soundModelId) {
-        if (soundModelId == null || mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
+        if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
+        }
+        if (soundModelId == null) {
             return STATUS_ERROR;
         }
         try {
@@ -652,11 +658,12 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     public int setParameter(@Nullable UUID soundModelId,
             @ModelParams int modelParam, int value) {
         if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
-            return SoundTrigger.STATUS_INVALID_OPERATION;
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
         }
 
         try {
-            return mSoundTriggerSession.setParameter(new ParcelUuid(soundModelId), modelParam,
+            return mSoundTriggerSession.setParameter(
+                    new ParcelUuid(Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId)), modelParam,
                     value);
         } catch (RemoteException e) {
             throw e.rethrowFromSystemServer();
@@ -679,11 +686,11 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     public int getParameter(@NonNull UUID soundModelId,
             @ModelParams int modelParam) {
         if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Sound model is not loaded: "
-                            + soundModelId.toString());
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
         }
         try {
-            return mSoundTriggerSession.getParameter(new ParcelUuid(soundModelId), modelParam);
+            return mSoundTriggerSession.getParameter(
+                    new ParcelUuid(Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId)), modelParam);
         } catch (RemoteException e) {
             throw e.rethrowFromSystemServer();
         }
@@ -703,10 +710,11 @@ public final class SoundTriggerManager {
     public ModelParamRange queryParameter(@Nullable UUID soundModelId,
             @ModelParams int modelParam) {
         if (mSoundTriggerSession == null) {
-            return null;
+            throw new IllegalStateException("No underlying SoundTriggerModule available");
         }
         try {
-            return mSoundTriggerSession.queryParameter(new ParcelUuid(soundModelId), modelParam);
+            return mSoundTriggerSession.queryParameter(
+                    new ParcelUuid(Objects.requireNonNull(soundModelId)), modelParam);
         } catch (RemoteException e) {
             throw e.rethrowFromSystemServer();
         }