diff --git a/api/current.txt b/api/current.txt
index b880f85e3830c..26d77ef4318ef 100644
--- a/api/current.txt
+++ b/api/current.txt
@@ -28810,6 +28810,7 @@ package android.media.session {
   public final class MediaController {
     ctor public MediaController(@NonNull android.content.Context, @NonNull android.media.session.MediaSession.Token);
     method public void adjustVolume(int, int);
+    method @Deprecated public boolean controlsSameSession(@Nullable android.media.session.MediaController);
     method public boolean dispatchMediaButtonEvent(@NonNull android.view.KeyEvent);
     method @Nullable public android.os.Bundle getExtras();
     method public long getFlags();
diff --git a/media/java/android/media/session/MediaController.java b/media/java/android/media/session/MediaController.java
index 3af2e17960ae0..38e2bdfc308d4 100644
--- a/media/java/android/media/session/MediaController.java
+++ b/media/java/android/media/session/MediaController.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import android.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.annotation.Nullable;
 import android.annotation.SystemApi;
 import android.app.PendingIntent;
-import android.compat.annotation.UnsupportedAppUsage;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.pm.ParceledListSlice;
 import android.media.AudioAttributes;
@@ -462,21 +461,14 @@ public final class MediaController {
         return mTag;
     }
 
-    /*
-     * @hide
-     */
-    ISessionController getSessionBinder() {
-        return mSessionBinder;
-    }
-
     /**
-     * @hide
+     * Returns whether this and {@code other} media controller controls the same session.
+     * @deprecated Check equality of {@link #getSessionToken() tokens} instead.
      */
-    @UnsupportedAppUsage(publicAlternatives = "Check equality of {@link #getSessionToken() tokens}"
-            + "instead.")
-    public boolean controlsSameSession(MediaController other) {
+    @Deprecated
+    public boolean controlsSameSession(@Nullable MediaController other) {
         if (other == null) return false;
-        return mSessionBinder.asBinder() == other.getSessionBinder().asBinder();
+        return mToken.equals(other.mToken);
     }
 
     private void addCallbackLocked(Callback cb, Handler handler) {
diff --git a/non-updatable-api/current.txt b/non-updatable-api/current.txt
index 2d25061164c49..41a9057c005ab 100644
--- a/non-updatable-api/current.txt
+++ b/non-updatable-api/current.txt
@@ -28571,6 +28571,7 @@ package android.media.session {
   public final class MediaController {
     ctor public MediaController(@NonNull android.content.Context, @NonNull android.media.session.MediaSession.Token);
     method public void adjustVolume(int, int);
+    method @Deprecated public boolean controlsSameSession(@Nullable android.media.session.MediaController);
     method public boolean dispatchMediaButtonEvent(@NonNull android.view.KeyEvent);
     method @Nullable public android.os.Bundle getExtras();
     method public long getFlags();