diff --git a/core/soong_config.mk b/core/soong_config.mk
index ae0a0b2..629edfc 100644
--- a/core/soong_config.mk
+++ b/core/soong_config.mk
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 endif
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(WRITE_SOONG_VARIABLES),true)
 # Converts a list to a JSON list.
 # $1: List separator.
 # $2: List.
@@ -24,77 +25,105 @@
 # Converts a comma-separated list to a JSON list.
 csv_to_json_list = $(call _json_list,$(comma),$(1))
 
+# 1: Key name
+# 2: Value
+add_json_val = $(eval _contents := $$(_contents)    "$$(strip $$(1))":$$(space)$$(strip $$(2))$$(comma)$$(newline))
+add_json_str = $(call add_json_val,$(1),"$(strip $(2))")
+add_json_list = $(call add_json_val,$(1),$(call json_list,$(patsubst %,%,$(2))))
+add_json_csv = $(call add_json_val,$(1),$(call csv_to_json_list,$(strip $(2))))
+add_json_bool = $(call add_json_val,$(1),$(if $(strip $(2)),true,false))
+
+invert_bool = $(if $(strip $(1)),,true)
+
 # Create soong.variables with copies of makefile settings.  Runs every build,
 # but only updates soong.variables if it changes
-SOONG_VARIABLES_TMP := $(SOONG_VARIABLES).$$$$
-$(SOONG_VARIABLES): FORCE
-	$(hide) mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	$(hide) (\
-	echo '{'; \
-	echo '    "Make_suffix": "-$(TARGET_PRODUCT)",'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "Platform_sdk_version": $(PLATFORM_SDK_VERSION),'; \
-	echo '    "Platform_version_active_codenames": $(call csv_to_json_list,$(PLATFORM_VERSION_ALL_CODENAMES)),'; \
-	echo '    "Platform_version_future_codenames": $(call csv_to_json_list,$(PLATFORM_VERSION_FUTURE_CODENAMES)),'; \
-	echo '    "Unbundled_build": $(if $(TARGET_BUILD_APPS),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "Brillo": $(if $(BRILLO),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "Malloc_not_svelte": $(if $(filter true,$(MALLOC_SVELTE)),false,true),'; \
-	echo '    "Allow_missing_dependencies": $(if $(ALLOW_MISSING_DEPENDENCIES),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "SanitizeHost": $(call json_list,$(SANITIZE_HOST)),'; \
-	echo '    "SanitizeDevice": $(call json_list,$(SANITIZE_TARGET)),'; \
-	echo '    "SanitizeDeviceDiag": $(call json_list,$(SANITIZE_TARGET_DIAG)),'; \
-	echo '    "SanitizeDeviceArch": $(call json_list,$(SANITIZE_TARGET_ARCH)),'; \
-	echo '    "HostStaticBinaries": $(if $(strip $(BUILD_HOST_static)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "Binder32bit": $(if $(BINDER32BIT),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "DevicePrefer32BitExecutables": $(if $(filter true,$(TARGET_PREFER_32_BIT_EXECUTABLES)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "UseGoma": $(if $(filter-out false,$(USE_GOMA)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "Debuggable": $(if $(filter userdebug eng,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "Eng": $(if $(filter eng,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "VendorPath": "$(TARGET_COPY_OUT_VENDOR)",'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "ClangTidy": $(if $(filter 1 true,$(WITH_TIDY)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "TidyChecks": "$(WITH_TIDY_CHECKS)",'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "NativeCoverage": $(if $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "CoveragePaths": $(call csv_to_json_list,$(COVERAGE_PATHS)),'; \
-	echo '    "CoverageExcludePaths": $(call csv_to_json_list,$(COVERAGE_EXCLUDE_PATHS)),'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "DeviceName": "$(TARGET_DEVICE)",'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceArch": "$(TARGET_ARCH)",'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceArchVariant": "$(TARGET_ARCH_VARIANT)",'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceCpuVariant": "$(TARGET_CPU_VARIANT)",'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceAbi": ["$(TARGET_CPU_ABI)", "$(TARGET_CPU_ABI2)"],'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceUsesClang": $(if $(USE_CLANG_PLATFORM_BUILD),$(USE_CLANG_PLATFORM_BUILD),false),'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceVndkVersion": "$(BOARD_VNDK_VERSION)",'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "DeviceSecondaryArch": "$(TARGET_2ND_ARCH)",'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceSecondaryArchVariant": "$(TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VARIANT)",'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceSecondaryCpuVariant": "$(TARGET_2ND_CPU_VARIANT)",'; \
-	echo '    "DeviceSecondaryAbi": ["$(TARGET_2ND_CPU_ABI)", "$(TARGET_2ND_CPU_ABI2)"],'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "HostArch": "$(HOST_ARCH)",'; \
-	echo '    "HostSecondaryArch": "$(HOST_2ND_ARCH)",'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "CrossHost": "$(HOST_CROSS_OS)",'; \
-	echo '    "CrossHostArch": "$(HOST_CROSS_ARCH)",'; \
-	echo '    "CrossHostSecondaryArch": "$(HOST_CROSS_2ND_ARCH)",'; \
-	echo '    "Safestack": $(if $(filter true,$(USE_SAFESTACK)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "EnableCFI": $(if $(filter false,$(ENABLE_CFI)),false,true),'; \
-	echo '    "IntegerOverflowExcludePaths": $(call json_list,$(INTEGER_OVERFLOW_EXCLUDE_PATHS) $(PRODUCT_INTEGER_OVERFLOW_EXCLUDE_PATHS)),'; \
-	echo '    "Device_uses_hwc2": $(if $(filter true,$(TARGET_USES_HWC2)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "Override_rs_driver": "$(OVERRIDE_RS_DRIVER)",'; \
-	echo '    "Treble": $(if $(filter true,$(PRODUCT_FULL_TREBLE)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "Pdk": $(if $(filter true,$(TARGET_BUILD_PDK)),true,false),'; \
-	echo '    "Uml": $(if $(filter true,$(TARGET_USER_MODE_LINUX)),true,false),'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "ArtUseReadBarrier": $(if $(filter false,$(PRODUCT_ART_USE_READ_BARRIER)),false,true),'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "BtConfigIncludeDir": "$(BOARD_BLUETOOTH_BDROID_BUILDCFG_INCLUDE_DIR)",'; \
-	echo ''; \
-	echo '    "DeviceKernelHeaders": $(call json_list,$(strip $(TARGET_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES)))'; \
-	echo '}') > $(SOONG_VARIABLES_TMP); \
-	if ! cmp -s $(SOONG_VARIABLES_TMP) $(SOONG_VARIABLES); then \
-	  mv $(SOONG_VARIABLES_TMP) $(SOONG_VARIABLES); \
+$(shell mkdir -p $(dir $(SOONG_VARIABLES)))
+_contents := {$(newline)
+
+$(call add_json_str,  Make_suffix, -$(TARGET_PRODUCT))
+
+$(call add_json_val,  Platform_sdk_version,              $(PLATFORM_SDK_VERSION))
+$(call add_json_csv,  Platform_version_active_codenames, $(PLATFORM_VERSION_ALL_CODENAMES))
+$(call add_json_csv,  Platform_version_future_codenames, $(PLATFORM_VERSION_FUTURE_CODENAMES))
+
+$(call add_json_bool, Allow_missing_dependencies,        $(ALLOW_MISSING_DEPENDENCIES))
+$(call add_json_bool, Unbundled_build,                   $(TARGET_BUILD_APPS))
+$(call add_json_bool, Pdk,                               $(filter true,$(TARGET_BUILD_PDK)))
+
+$(call add_json_bool, Debuggable,                        $(filter userdebug eng,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT)))
+$(call add_json_bool, Eng,                               $(filter eng,$(TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT)))
+
+$(call add_json_str,  DeviceName,                        $(TARGET_DEVICE))
+$(call add_json_str,  DeviceArch,                        $(TARGET_ARCH))
+$(call add_json_str,  DeviceArchVariant,                 $(TARGET_ARCH_VARIANT))
+$(call add_json_str,  DeviceCpuVariant,                  $(TARGET_CPU_VARIANT))
+$(call add_json_list, DeviceAbi,                         $(TARGET_CPU_ABI) $(TARGET_CPU_ABI2))
+
+$(call add_json_str,  DeviceSecondaryArch,               $(TARGET_2ND_ARCH))
+$(call add_json_str,  DeviceSecondaryArchVariant,        $(TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VARIANT))
+$(call add_json_str,  DeviceSecondaryCpuVariant,         $(TARGET_2ND_CPU_VARIANT))
+$(call add_json_list, DeviceSecondaryAbi,                $(TARGET_2ND_CPU_ABI) $(TARGET_2ND_CPU_ABI2))
+
+$(call add_json_str,  HostArch,                          $(HOST_ARCH))
+$(call add_json_str,  HostSecondaryArch,                 $(HOST_2ND_ARCH))
+$(call add_json_bool, HostStaticBinaries,                $(BUILD_HOST_static))
+
+$(call add_json_str,  CrossHost,                         $(HOST_CROSS_OS))
+$(call add_json_str,  CrossHostArch,                     $(HOST_CROSS_ARCH))
+$(call add_json_str,  CrossHostSecondaryArch,            $(HOST_CROSS_2ND_ARCH))
+
+$(call add_json_list, SanitizeHost,                      $(SANITIZE_HOST))
+$(call add_json_list, SanitizeDevice,                    $(SANITIZE_TARGET))
+$(call add_json_list, SanitizeDeviceDiag,                $(SANITIZE_TARGET_DIAG))
+$(call add_json_list, SanitizeDeviceArch,                $(SANITIZE_TARGET_ARCH))
+
+$(call add_json_bool, Safestack,                         $(filter true,$(USE_SAFESTACK)))
+$(call add_json_bool, EnableCFI,                         $(call invert_bool,$(filter false,$(ENABLE_CFI))))
+$(call add_json_list, IntegerOverflowExcludePaths,       $(INTEGER_OVERFLOW_EXCLUDE_PATHS) $(PRODUCT_INTEGER_OVERFLOW_EXCLUDE_PATHS))
+
+$(call add_json_bool, ClangTidy,                         $(filter 1 true,$(WITH_TIDY)))
+$(call add_json_str,  TidyChecks,                        $(WITH_TIDY_CHECKS))
+
+$(call add_json_bool, NativeCoverage,                    $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)))
+$(call add_json_csv,  CoveragePaths,                     $(COVERAGE_PATHS))
+$(call add_json_csv,  CoverageExcludePaths,              $(COVERAGE_EXCLUDE_PATHS))
+
+$(call add_json_bool, ArtUseReadBarrier,                 $(call invert_bool,$(filter false,$(PRODUCT_ART_USE_READ_BARRIER))))
+$(call add_json_bool, Binder32bit,                       $(BINDER32BIT))
+$(call add_json_bool, Brillo,                            $(BRILLO))
+$(call add_json_str,  BtConfigIncludeDir,                $(BOARD_BLUETOOTH_BDROID_BUILDCFG_INCLUDE_DIR))
+$(call add_json_bool, Device_uses_hwc2,                  $(filter true,$(TARGET_USES_HWC2)))
+$(call add_json_list, DeviceKernelHeaders,               $(TARGET_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES))
+$(call add_json_bool, DevicePrefer32BitExecutables,      $(filter true,$(TARGET_PREFER_32_BIT_EXECUTABLES)))
+$(call add_json_val,  DeviceUsesClang,                   $(if $(USE_CLANG_PLATFORM_BUILD),$(USE_CLANG_PLATFORM_BUILD),false))
+$(call add_json_str,  DeviceVndkVersion,                 $(BOARD_VNDK_VERSION))
+$(call add_json_bool, Malloc_not_svelte,                 $(call invert_bool,$(filter true,$(MALLOC_SVELTE))))
+$(call add_json_str,  Override_rs_driver,                $(OVERRIDE_RS_DRIVER))
+$(call add_json_bool, Treble,                            $(filter true,$(PRODUCT_FULL_TREBLE)))
+$(call add_json_bool, Uml,                               $(filter true,$(TARGET_USER_MODE_LINUX)))
+$(call add_json_str,  VendorPath,                        $(TARGET_COPY_OUT_VENDOR))
+
+$(call add_json_bool, UseGoma,                           $(filter-out false,$(USE_GOMA)))
+
+_contents := $(subst $(comma)$(newline)__SV_END,$(newline)}$(newline),$(_contents)__SV_END)
+
+$(file >$(SOONG_VARIABLES).tmp,$(_contents))
+
+$(shell if ! cmp -s $(SOONG_VARIABLES).tmp $(SOONG_VARIABLES); then \
+	  mv $(SOONG_VARIABLES).tmp $(SOONG_VARIABLES); \
 	else \
-	  rm $(SOONG_VARIABLES_TMP); \
-	fi
+	  rm $(SOONG_VARIABLES).tmp; \
+	fi)
+
+_json_list :=
+json_list :=
+csv_to_json_list :=
+add_json_val :=
+add_json_str :=
+add_json_list :=
+add_json_csv :=
+add_json_bool :=
+invert_bool :=
+_contents :=
+
+endif # CONFIGURE_SOONG