diff --git a/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.cpp b/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.cpp
index bbf71e7..99a686b 100644
--- a/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.cpp
+++ b/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.cpp
@@ -1084,7 +1084,8 @@
 
       case OutputFormat::kProto: {
         pb::ResourceTable pb_table;
-        SerializeTableToPb(*table, &pb_table, context_->GetDiagnostics());
+        SerializeTableToPb(*table, &pb_table, context_->GetDiagnostics(),
+                           options_.proto_table_flattener_options);
         return io::CopyProtoToArchive(context_, &pb_table, kProtoResourceTablePath,
                                       ArchiveEntry::kCompress, writer);
       } break;
diff --git a/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.h b/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.h
index 324807c..56bff8f 100644
--- a/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.h
+++ b/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "Resource.h"
 #include "split/TableSplitter.h"
 #include "format/binary/TableFlattener.h"
+#include "format/proto/ProtoSerialize.h"
 #include "link/ManifestFixer.h"
 #include "trace/TraceBuffer.h"
 
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@
 
   // Flattening options.
   TableFlattenerOptions table_flattener_options;
+  SerializeTableOptions proto_table_flattener_options;
   bool keep_raw_values = false;
 
   // Split APK options.
@@ -245,9 +247,9 @@
             "<add-resource> tags.",
         &options_.auto_add_overlay);
     AddOptionalSwitch("--override-styles-instead-of-overlaying",
-                      "Causes styles defined in -R resources to replace previous definitions\n"
-                      "instead of merging into them\n",
-                      &options_.override_styles_instead_of_overlaying);
+        "Causes styles defined in -R resources to replace previous definitions\n"
+            "instead of merging into them\n",
+        &options_.override_styles_instead_of_overlaying);
     AddOptionalFlag("--rename-manifest-package", "Renames the package in AndroidManifest.xml.",
         &options_.manifest_fixer_options.rename_manifest_package);
     AddOptionalFlag("--rename-instrumentation-target-package",
@@ -283,13 +285,18 @@
     AddOptionalSwitch("--strict-visibility",
         "Do not allow overlays with different visibility levels.",
         &options_.strict_visibility);
-    AddOptionalSwitch("-v", "Enables verbose logging.", &verbose_);
-    AddOptionalFlag("--trace-folder", "Generate systrace json trace fragment to specified folder.",
-                    &trace_folder_);
+    AddOptionalSwitch("--exclude-sources",
+        "Do not serialize source file information when generating resources in\n"
+            "Protobuf format.",
+        &options_.proto_table_flattener_options.exclude_sources);
+    AddOptionalFlag("--trace-folder",
+        "Generate systrace json trace fragment to specified folder.",
+        &trace_folder_);
     AddOptionalSwitch("--merge-only",
-          "Only merge the resources, without verifying resource references. This flag\n"
-          "should only be used together with the --static-lib flag.",
-          &options_.merge_only);
+        "Only merge the resources, without verifying resource references. This flag\n"
+            "should only be used together with the --static-lib flag.",
+        &options_.merge_only);
+    AddOptionalSwitch("-v", "Enables verbose logging.", &verbose_);
   }
 
   int Action(const std::vector<std::string>& args) override;
diff --git a/tools/aapt2/format/proto/ProtoSerialize.cpp b/tools/aapt2/format/proto/ProtoSerialize.cpp
index aa6547e..e4b3fce 100644
--- a/tools/aapt2/format/proto/ProtoSerialize.cpp
+++ b/tools/aapt2/format/proto/ProtoSerialize.cpp
@@ -290,8 +290,10 @@
     pb::Overlayable* pb_overlayable = pb_table->add_overlayable();
     pb_overlayable->set_name(overlayable_item.overlayable->name);
     pb_overlayable->set_actor(overlayable_item.overlayable->actor);
-    SerializeSourceToPb(overlayable_item.overlayable->source, source_pool,
-                        pb_overlayable->mutable_source());
+    if (source_pool != nullptr) {
+      SerializeSourceToPb(overlayable_item.overlayable->source, source_pool,
+                          pb_overlayable->mutable_source());
+    }
   }
 
   pb::OverlayableItem* pb_overlayable_item = pb_entry->mutable_overlayable_item();
@@ -319,14 +321,17 @@
     pb_overlayable_item->add_policy(pb::OverlayableItem::OEM);
   }
 
-  SerializeSourceToPb(overlayable_item.source, source_pool,
-                      pb_overlayable_item->mutable_source());
+  if (source_pool != nullptr) {
+    SerializeSourceToPb(overlayable_item.source, source_pool,
+                        pb_overlayable_item->mutable_source());
+  }
   pb_overlayable_item->set_comment(overlayable_item.comment);
 }
 
 void SerializeTableToPb(const ResourceTable& table, pb::ResourceTable* out_table,
-                        IDiagnostics* diag) {
-  StringPool source_pool;
+                        IDiagnostics* diag, SerializeTableOptions options) {
+  auto source_pool = (options.exclude_sources) ? nullptr : util::make_unique<StringPool>();
+
   pb::ToolFingerprint* pb_fingerprint = out_table->add_tool_fingerprint();
   pb_fingerprint->set_tool(util::GetToolName());
   pb_fingerprint->set_version(util::GetToolFingerprint());
@@ -356,32 +361,40 @@
         // Write the Visibility struct.
         pb::Visibility* pb_visibility = pb_entry->mutable_visibility();
         pb_visibility->set_level(SerializeVisibilityToPb(entry->visibility.level));
-        SerializeSourceToPb(entry->visibility.source, &source_pool,
-                            pb_visibility->mutable_source());
+        if (source_pool != nullptr) {
+          SerializeSourceToPb(entry->visibility.source, source_pool.get(),
+                              pb_visibility->mutable_source());
+        }
         pb_visibility->set_comment(entry->visibility.comment);
 
         if (entry->allow_new) {
           pb::AllowNew* pb_allow_new = pb_entry->mutable_allow_new();
-          SerializeSourceToPb(entry->allow_new.value().source, &source_pool,
-                              pb_allow_new->mutable_source());
+          if (source_pool != nullptr) {
+            SerializeSourceToPb(entry->allow_new.value().source, source_pool.get(),
+                                pb_allow_new->mutable_source());
+          }
           pb_allow_new->set_comment(entry->allow_new.value().comment);
         }
 
         if (entry->overlayable_item) {
-          SerializeOverlayableItemToPb(entry->overlayable_item.value(), overlayables, &source_pool,
-                                       pb_entry, out_table);
+          SerializeOverlayableItemToPb(entry->overlayable_item.value(), overlayables,
+                                       source_pool.get(), pb_entry, out_table);
         }
 
         for (const std::unique_ptr<ResourceConfigValue>& config_value : entry->values) {
           pb::ConfigValue* pb_config_value = pb_entry->add_config_value();
           SerializeConfig(config_value->config, pb_config_value->mutable_config());
           pb_config_value->mutable_config()->set_product(config_value->product);
-          SerializeValueToPb(*config_value->value, pb_config_value->mutable_value(), &source_pool);
+          SerializeValueToPb(*config_value->value, pb_config_value->mutable_value(),
+                             source_pool.get());
         }
       }
     }
   }
-  SerializeStringPoolToPb(source_pool, out_table->mutable_source_pool(), diag);
+
+  if (source_pool != nullptr) {
+    SerializeStringPoolToPb(*source_pool, out_table->mutable_source_pool(), diag);
+  }
 }
 
 static pb::Reference_Type SerializeReferenceTypeToPb(Reference::Type type) {
diff --git a/tools/aapt2/format/proto/ProtoSerialize.h b/tools/aapt2/format/proto/ProtoSerialize.h
index 33ffd18..7a3ea99 100644
--- a/tools/aapt2/format/proto/ProtoSerialize.h
+++ b/tools/aapt2/format/proto/ProtoSerialize.h
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@
   bool remove_empty_text_nodes = false;
 };
 
+struct SerializeTableOptions {
+    /** Prevent serializing the source pool and source protos.  */
+    bool exclude_sources = false;
+};
+
 // Serializes a Value to its protobuf representation. An optional StringPool will hold the
 // source path string.
 void SerializeValueToPb(const Value& value, pb::Value* out_value, StringPool* src_pool = nullptr);
@@ -59,7 +64,8 @@
 void SerializeConfig(const android::ConfigDescription& config, pb::Configuration* out_pb_config);
 
 // Serializes a ResourceTable into its protobuf representation.
-void SerializeTableToPb(const ResourceTable& table, pb::ResourceTable* out_table, IDiagnostics* diag);
+void SerializeTableToPb(const ResourceTable& table, pb::ResourceTable* out_table,
+                        IDiagnostics* diag, SerializeTableOptions options = {});
 
 // Serializes a ResourceFile into its protobuf representation.
 void SerializeCompiledFileToPb(const ResourceFile& file, pb::internal::CompiledFile* out_file);