diff --git a/Android.bp b/Android.bp
index 07b3018..eeede0f 100644
--- a/Android.bp
+++ b/Android.bp
@@ -679,6 +679,7 @@
 
     static_libs: [
         "framework-protos",
+        "mediaplayer2-protos",
         "android.hidl.base-V1.0-java",
         "android.hardware.cas-V1.0-java",
         "android.hardware.contexthub-V1.0-java",
diff --git a/media/java/android/media/MediaPlayer2.java b/media/java/android/media/MediaPlayer2.java
index aa78b0d..89827bc 100644
--- a/media/java/android/media/MediaPlayer2.java
+++ b/media/java/android/media/MediaPlayer2.java
@@ -773,22 +773,6 @@
     }
 
     /**
-     * Invoke a generic method on the native player using opaque
-     * parcels for the request and reply. Both payloads' format is a
-     * convention between the java caller and the native player.
-     * Must be called after setDataSource to make sure a native player
-     * exists. On failure, a RuntimeException is thrown.
-     *
-     * @param request Parcel with the data for the extension. The
-     * caller must use {@link #newRequest()} to get one.
-     *
-     * @param reply Output parcel with the data returned by the
-     * native player.
-     * {@hide}
-     */
-    public void invoke(Parcel request, Parcel reply) { }
-
-    /**
      * Insert a task in the command queue to help the client to identify whether a batch
      * of commands has been finished. When this command is processed, a notification
      * {@code EventCallback.onCommandLabelReached} will be fired with the
diff --git a/media/java/android/media/MediaPlayer2Impl.java b/media/java/android/media/MediaPlayer2Impl.java
index c06b97b..42d3d22 100644
--- a/media/java/android/media/MediaPlayer2Impl.java
+++ b/media/java/android/media/MediaPlayer2Impl.java
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.res.AssetFileDescriptor;
 import android.graphics.SurfaceTexture;
+import android.media.MediaPlayer2Proto;
+import android.media.MediaPlayer2Proto.PlayerMessage;
+import android.media.MediaPlayer2Proto.Value;
 import android.media.SubtitleController.Anchor;
 import android.media.SubtitleTrack.RenderingWidget;
 import android.net.Uri;
@@ -49,6 +52,7 @@
 import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
 import android.widget.VideoView;
 
+import com.android.framework.protobuf.InvalidProtocolBufferException;
 import com.android.internal.annotations.GuardedBy;
 import com.android.internal.util.Preconditions;
 
@@ -72,6 +76,7 @@
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.BitSet;
 import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -555,28 +560,30 @@
     }
 
     /**
-     * Invoke a generic method on the native player using opaque
-     * parcels for the request and reply. Both payloads' format is a
+     * Invoke a generic method on the native player using opaque protocol
+     * buffer message for the request and reply. Both payloads' format is a
      * convention between the java caller and the native player.
-     * Must be called after setDataSource or setPlaylist to make sure a native player
-     * exists. On failure, a RuntimeException is thrown.
      *
-     * @param request Parcel with the data for the extension. The
+     * @param request PlayerMessage for the extension. The
      * caller must use {@link #newRequest()} to get one.
      *
-     * @param reply Output parcel with the data returned by the
+     * @return PlayerMessage with the data returned by the
      * native player.
-     * {@hide}
      */
-    @Override
-    public void invoke(Parcel request, Parcel reply) {
-        int retcode = native_invoke(request, reply);
-        reply.setDataPosition(0);
-        if (retcode != 0) {
-            throw new RuntimeException("failure code: " + retcode);
+    private PlayerMessage invoke(PlayerMessage msg) {
+        byte[] ret = _invoke(msg.toByteArray());
+        if (ret == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        try {
+            return PlayerMessage.parseFrom(ret);
+        } catch (InvalidProtocolBufferException e) {
+            return null;
         }
     }
 
+    private native byte[] _invoke(byte[] request);
+
     @Override
     public void notifyWhenCommandLabelReached(Object label) {
         addTask(new Task(CALL_COMPLETED_NOTIFY_WHEN_COMMAND_LABEL_REACHED, false) {
@@ -683,16 +690,12 @@
                     final String msg = "Scaling mode " + mode + " is not supported";
                     throw new IllegalArgumentException(msg);
                 }
-                Parcel request = Parcel.obtain();
-                Parcel reply = Parcel.obtain();
-                try {
-                    request.writeInt(INVOKE_ID_SET_VIDEO_SCALE_MODE);
-                    request.writeInt(mode);
-                    invoke(request, reply);
-                } finally {
-                    request.recycle();
-                    reply.recycle();
-                }
+                PlayerMessage request = PlayerMessage.newBuilder()
+                        .addValues(Value.newBuilder()
+                                .setInt32Value(INVOKE_ID_SET_VIDEO_SCALE_MODE))
+                        .addValues(Value.newBuilder().setInt32Value(mode))
+                        .build();
+                invoke(request);
             }
         });
     }
@@ -1799,14 +1802,6 @@
     private native void _setAuxEffectSendLevel(float level);
 
     /*
-     * @param request Parcel destinated to the media player.
-     * @param reply[out] Parcel that will contain the reply.
-     * @return The status code.
-     */
-    private native final int native_invoke(Parcel request, Parcel reply);
-
-
-    /*
      * @param update_only If true fetch only the set of metadata that have
      *                    changed since the last invocation of getMetadata.
      *                    The set is built using the unfiltered
@@ -1886,18 +1881,18 @@
         final int mTrackType;
         final MediaFormat mFormat;
 
-        TrackInfoImpl(Parcel in) {
-            mTrackType = in.readInt();
-            // TODO: parcel in the full MediaFormat; currently we are using createSubtitleFormat
+        TrackInfoImpl(Iterator<Value> in) {
+            mTrackType = in.next().getInt32Value();
+            // TODO: build the full MediaFormat; currently we are using createSubtitleFormat
             // even for audio/video tracks, meaning we only set the mime and language.
-            String mime = in.readString();
-            String language = in.readString();
+            String mime = in.next().getStringValue();
+            String language = in.next().getStringValue();
             mFormat = MediaFormat.createSubtitleFormat(mime, language);
 
             if (mTrackType == MEDIA_TRACK_TYPE_SUBTITLE) {
-                mFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_IS_AUTOSELECT, in.readInt());
-                mFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_IS_DEFAULT, in.readInt());
-                mFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_IS_FORCED_SUBTITLE, in.readInt());
+                mFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_IS_AUTOSELECT, in.next().getInt32Value());
+                mFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_IS_DEFAULT, in.next().getInt32Value());
+                mFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_IS_FORCED_SUBTITLE, in.next().getInt32Value());
             }
         }
 
@@ -1952,23 +1947,6 @@
             out.append("}");
             return out.toString();
         }
-
-        /**
-         * Used to read a TrackInfoImpl from a Parcel.
-         */
-        /* package private */ static final Parcelable.Creator<TrackInfoImpl> CREATOR
-                = new Parcelable.Creator<TrackInfoImpl>() {
-                    @Override
-                    public TrackInfoImpl createFromParcel(Parcel in) {
-                        return new TrackInfoImpl(in);
-                    }
-
-                    @Override
-                    public TrackInfoImpl[] newArray(int size) {
-                        return new TrackInfoImpl[size];
-                    }
-                };
-
     };
 
     // We would like domain specific classes with more informative names than the `first` and `second`
@@ -2010,17 +1988,23 @@
     }
 
     private TrackInfoImpl[] getInbandTrackInfoImpl() throws IllegalStateException {
-        Parcel request = Parcel.obtain();
-        Parcel reply = Parcel.obtain();
-        try {
-            request.writeInt(INVOKE_ID_GET_TRACK_INFO);
-            invoke(request, reply);
-            TrackInfoImpl trackInfo[] = reply.createTypedArray(TrackInfoImpl.CREATOR);
-            return trackInfo;
-        } finally {
-            request.recycle();
-            reply.recycle();
+        PlayerMessage request = PlayerMessage.newBuilder()
+                .addValues(Value.newBuilder().setInt32Value(INVOKE_ID_GET_TRACK_INFO))
+                .build();
+        PlayerMessage response = invoke(request);
+        if (response == null) {
+            return null;
         }
+        Iterator<Value> in = response.getValuesList().iterator();
+        int size = in.next().getInt32Value();
+        if (size == 0) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        TrackInfoImpl trackInfo[] = new TrackInfoImpl[size];
+        for (int i = 0; i < size; ++i) {
+            trackInfo[i] = new TrackInfoImpl(in);
+        }
+        return trackInfo;
     }
 
     /*
@@ -2481,26 +2465,24 @@
             }
         }
 
-        Parcel request = Parcel.obtain();
-        Parcel reply = Parcel.obtain();
-        try {
-            request.writeInt(INVOKE_ID_GET_SELECTED_TRACK);
-            request.writeInt(trackType);
-            invoke(request, reply);
-            int inbandTrackIndex = reply.readInt();
-            synchronized (mIndexTrackPairs) {
-                for (int i = 0; i < mIndexTrackPairs.size(); i++) {
-                    Pair<Integer, SubtitleTrack> p = mIndexTrackPairs.get(i);
-                    if (p.first != null && p.first == inbandTrackIndex) {
-                        return i;
-                    }
+        PlayerMessage request = PlayerMessage.newBuilder()
+                .addValues(Value.newBuilder().setInt32Value(INVOKE_ID_GET_SELECTED_TRACK))
+                .addValues(Value.newBuilder().setInt32Value(trackType))
+                .build();
+        PlayerMessage response = invoke(request);
+        if (response == null) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+        int inbandTrackIndex = response.getValues(0).getInt32Value();
+        synchronized (mIndexTrackPairs) {
+            for (int i = 0; i < mIndexTrackPairs.size(); i++) {
+                Pair<Integer, SubtitleTrack> p = mIndexTrackPairs.get(i);
+                if (p.first != null && p.first == inbandTrackIndex) {
+                    return i;
                 }
             }
-            return -1;
-        } finally {
-            request.recycle();
-            reply.recycle();
         }
+        return -1;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -2617,16 +2599,12 @@
 
     private void selectOrDeselectInbandTrack(int index, boolean select)
             throws IllegalStateException {
-        Parcel request = Parcel.obtain();
-        Parcel reply = Parcel.obtain();
-        try {
-            request.writeInt(select? INVOKE_ID_SELECT_TRACK: INVOKE_ID_DESELECT_TRACK);
-            request.writeInt(index);
-            invoke(request, reply);
-        } finally {
-            request.recycle();
-            reply.recycle();
-        }
+        PlayerMessage request = PlayerMessage.newBuilder()
+                .addValues(Value.newBuilder().setInt32Value(
+                            select? INVOKE_ID_SELECT_TRACK: INVOKE_ID_DESELECT_TRACK))
+                .addValues(Value.newBuilder().setInt32Value(index))
+                .build();
+        invoke(request);
     }
 
     // Have to declare protected for finalize() since it is protected
@@ -2935,20 +2913,7 @@
 
             case MEDIA_INFO:
             {
-                synchronized (mEventCbLock) {
-                    for (Pair<Executor, EventCallback> cb : mEventCallbackRecords) {
-                        cb.first.execute(() -> cb.second.onInfo(
-                                mMediaPlayer, dsd, what, extra));
-                    }
-                }
-
                 switch (msg.arg1) {
-                    case MEDIA_INFO_DATA_SOURCE_START:
-                        if (isCurrentSrcId) {
-                            prepareNextDataSource();
-                        }
-                        break;
-
                     case MEDIA_INFO_VIDEO_TRACK_LAGGING:
                         Log.i(TAG, "Info (" + msg.arg1 + "," + msg.arg2 + ")");
                         break;
@@ -2980,6 +2945,20 @@
                         }
                         break;
                 }
+
+                synchronized (mEventCbLock) {
+                    for (Pair<Executor, EventCallback> cb : mEventCallbackRecords) {
+                        cb.first.execute(() -> cb.second.onInfo(
+                                mMediaPlayer, dsd, what, extra));
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (msg.arg1 == MEDIA_INFO_DATA_SOURCE_START) {
+                    if (isCurrentSrcId) {
+                        prepareNextDataSource();
+                    }
+                }
+
                 // No real default action so far.
                 return;
             }
diff --git a/media/jni/Android.bp b/media/jni/Android.bp
index de9a24b..b468164 100644
--- a/media/jni/Android.bp
+++ b/media/jni/Android.bp
@@ -133,8 +133,10 @@
         "libmediaextractor",
         "libmediametrics",
         "libmediaplayer2",
+        "libmediaplayer2-protos",
         "libmediautils",
         "libnetd_client",
+        "libprotobuf-cpp-lite",
         "libstagefright_esds",
         "libstagefright_foundation",
         "libstagefright_httplive",
diff --git a/media/jni/android_media_MediaPlayer2.cpp b/media/jni/android_media_MediaPlayer2.cpp
index 4265987..d924b38 100644
--- a/media/jni/android_media_MediaPlayer2.cpp
+++ b/media/jni/android_media_MediaPlayer2.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@
 #include "android_util_Binder.h"
 #include <binder/Parcel.h>
 
+#include "mediaplayer2.pb.h"
+
+using android::media::MediaPlayer2Proto::PlayerMessage;
+
 // Modular DRM begin
 #define FIND_CLASS(var, className) \
 var = env->FindClass(className); \
@@ -196,6 +200,11 @@
     if (obj && obj->dataSize() > 0) {
         jobject jParcel = createJavaParcelObject(env);
         if (jParcel != NULL) {
+            // TODO: replace the following Parcel usages with proto.
+            // 1. MEDIA_DRM_INFO : DrmInfo
+            // 2. MEDIA_TIMED_TEXT : TimedText
+            // 2. MEDIA_SUBTITLE_DATA : SubtitleData
+            // 4. MEDIA_META_DATA : TimedMetaData
             Parcel* nativeParcel = parcelForJavaObject(env, jParcel);
             nativeParcel->setData(obj->data(), obj->dataSize());
             env->CallStaticVoidMethod(mClass, fields.post_event, mObject,
@@ -911,6 +920,9 @@
         return false;
     }
 
+    // TODO: parcelForJavaObject() shouldn't be used since it's dependent on
+    //       framework's Parcel implementation. This setParameter() is used
+    //       only with AudioAttribute. Can this be used as jobject with JAudioTrack?
     Parcel *request = parcelForJavaObject(env, java_request);
     status_t err = mp->setParameter(key, *request);
     if (err == OK) {
@@ -978,26 +990,35 @@
     process_media_player_call( env, thiz, mp->setVolume((float) leftVolume, (float) rightVolume), NULL, NULL );
 }
 
-// Sends the request and reply parcels to the media player via the
-// binder interface.
-static jint
-android_media_MediaPlayer2_invoke(JNIEnv *env, jobject thiz,
-                                 jobject java_request, jobject java_reply)
-{
+static jbyteArray
+android_media_MediaPlayer2_invoke(JNIEnv *env, jobject thiz, jbyteArray requestData) {
     sp<MediaPlayer2> media_player = getMediaPlayer(env, thiz);
-    if (media_player == NULL ) {
+    if (media_player == NULL) {
         jniThrowException(env, "java/lang/IllegalStateException", NULL);
-        return UNKNOWN_ERROR;
+        return NULL;
     }
 
-    Parcel *request = parcelForJavaObject(env, java_request);
-    Parcel *reply = parcelForJavaObject(env, java_reply);
+    // Get the byte[] pointer and data length.
+    jbyte* pData = env->GetByteArrayElements(requestData, NULL);
+    jsize pDataLen = env->GetArrayLength(requestData);
 
-    request->setDataPosition(0);
+    // Deserialize from the byte stream.
+    PlayerMessage request;
+    PlayerMessage response;
+    request.ParseFromArray(pData, pDataLen);
 
-    // Don't use process_media_player_call which use the async loop to
-    // report errors, instead returns the status.
-    return (jint) media_player->invoke(*request, reply);
+    media_player->invoke(request, &response);
+
+    int size = response.ByteSize();
+    jbyte* temp = new jbyte[size];
+    response.SerializeToArray(temp, size);
+
+    // return the response as a byte array.
+    jbyteArray out = env->NewByteArray(size);
+    env->SetByteArrayRegion(out, 0, size, temp);
+    delete[] temp;
+
+    return out;
 }
 
 // Sends the new filter to the client.
@@ -1512,7 +1533,7 @@
     {"setLooping",          "(Z)V",                             (void *)android_media_MediaPlayer2_setLooping},
     {"isLooping",           "()Z",                              (void *)android_media_MediaPlayer2_isLooping},
     {"_setVolume",          "(FF)V",                            (void *)android_media_MediaPlayer2_setVolume},
-    {"native_invoke",       "(Landroid/os/Parcel;Landroid/os/Parcel;)I",(void *)android_media_MediaPlayer2_invoke},
+    {"_invoke",             "([B)[B",                           (void *)android_media_MediaPlayer2_invoke},
     {"native_setMetadataFilter", "(Landroid/os/Parcel;)I",      (void *)android_media_MediaPlayer2_setMetadataFilter},
     {"native_getMetadata", "(ZZLandroid/os/Parcel;)Z",          (void *)android_media_MediaPlayer2_getMetadata},
     {"native_init",         "()V",                              (void *)android_media_MediaPlayer2_native_init},
diff --git a/media/proto/Android.bp b/media/proto/Android.bp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50d44c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/media/proto/Android.bp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+java_library_static {
+    name: "mediaplayer2-protos",
+    host_supported: true,
+    proto: {
+        type: "lite",
+    },
+    srcs: ["mediaplayer2.proto"],
+    no_framework_libs: true,
+    jarjar_rules: "jarjar-rules.txt",
+}
+
+cc_library_static {
+    name: "libmediaplayer2-protos",
+    host_supported: true,
+    proto: {
+        export_proto_headers: true,
+        type: "lite",
+    },
+    srcs: ["mediaplayer2.proto"],
+}
diff --git a/media/proto/jarjar-rules.txt b/media/proto/jarjar-rules.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7be6e73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/media/proto/jarjar-rules.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+rule com.google.protobuf.** com.android.framework.protobuf.@1
+
diff --git a/media/proto/mediaplayer2.proto b/media/proto/mediaplayer2.proto
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6287d6cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/media/proto/mediaplayer2.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2018 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+syntax = "proto2";
+
+option optimize_for = LITE_RUNTIME;
+
+// C++ namespace: android::media:MediaPlayer2Proto:
+package android.media.MediaPlayer2Proto;
+
+option java_package = "android.media";
+option java_outer_classname = "MediaPlayer2Proto";
+
+message Value {
+    // The kind of value.
+    oneof kind {
+        // Represents a boolean value.
+        bool bool_value = 1;
+        // Represents an int32 value.
+        int32 int32_value = 2;
+        // Represents an uint32 value.
+        uint32 uint32_value = 3;
+        // Represents an int64 value.
+        int64 int64_value = 4;
+        // Represents an uint64 value.
+        uint64 uint64_value = 5;
+        // Represents a float value.
+        double float_value = 6;
+        // Represents a double value.
+        double double_value = 7;
+        // Represents a string value.
+        string string_value = 8;
+        // Represents a bytes value.
+        bytes bytes_value = 9;
+    }
+}
+
+message PlayerMessage {
+    repeated Value values = 1;
+}