diff --git a/audio/common/all-versions/default/service/service.cpp b/audio/common/all-versions/default/service/service.cpp
index e79ad75680..7b5a932ff6 100644
--- a/audio/common/all-versions/default/service/service.cpp
+++ b/audio/common/all-versions/default/service/service.cpp
@@ -81,9 +81,10 @@ static bool registerExternalServiceImplementation(const std::string& libName,
 int main(int /* argc */, char* /* argv */ []) {
     signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);
 
-    ::android::ProcessState::initWithDriver("/dev/vndbinder");
-    // start a threadpool for vndbinder interactions
-    ::android::ProcessState::self()->startThreadPool();
+    if (::android::ProcessState::isVndservicemanagerEnabled()) {
+        ::android::ProcessState::initWithDriver("/dev/vndbinder");
+        ::android::ProcessState::self()->startThreadPool();
+    }
 
     ABinderProcess_setThreadPoolMaxThreadCount(1);
     ABinderProcess_startThreadPool();