diff --git a/core/envsetup.mk b/core/envsetup.mk
index 8887ddcdf8..860ce794b6 100644
--- a/core/envsetup.mk
+++ b/core/envsetup.mk
@@ -30,13 +30,14 @@ endef
 # In order to avoid running starlark every time the stamp file is checked, we use
 # $(KATI_shell_no_rerun). Then, to make sure that we actually do rerun kati when
 # modifying the starlark files, we add the starlark files to the kati stamp file with
-# $(KATI_extra_file_deps).
+# $(KATI_extra_file_deps). This behavior can be modified by passing a list of starlark files
+# to exclude from the dependency list as $(2)
 define run-starlark
 $(eval _starlark_results := $(OUT_DIR)/starlark_results/$(subst /,_,$(1)).mk)
 $(KATI_shell_no_rerun mkdir -p $(OUT_DIR)/starlark_results && $(OUT_DIR)/rbcrun --mode=make $(1) >$(_starlark_results) && touch -t 200001010000 $(_starlark_results))
 $(if $(filter-out 0,$(.SHELLSTATUS)),$(error Starlark failed to run))
 $(eval include $(_starlark_results))
-$(KATI_extra_file_deps $(LOADED_STARLARK_FILES))
+$(KATI_extra_file_deps $(filter-out $(2),$(LOADED_STARLARK_FILES)))
 $(eval LOADED_STARLARK_FILES :=)
 $(eval _starlark_results :=)
 endef
diff --git a/core/release_config.bzl b/core/release_config.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e73c90f452
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/release_config.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2023 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.
+
+# Partitions that get build system flag summaries
+_flag_partitions = [
+    "product",
+    "system",
+    "system_ext",
+    "vendor",
+]
+
+def _combine_dicts_no_duplicate_keys(dicts):
+    result = {}
+    for d in dicts:
+        for k, v in d.items():
+            if k in result:
+                fail("Duplicate key: " + k)
+            result[k] = v
+    return result
+
+def release_config(target_release, flag_definitions, config_maps, fail_if_no_release_config = True):
+    result = {
+        "_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS": [flag.name for flag in flag_definitions],
+    }
+    all_flags = {}
+    for flag in flag_definitions:
+        if sorted(dir(flag)) != ["default", "name", "partitions"]:
+            fail("Flag structs must contain 3 fields: name, partitions, and default")
+        if not flag.partitions:
+            fail("At least 1 partition is required")
+        for partition in flag.partitions:
+            if partition == "all":
+                if len(flag.partitions) > 1:
+                    fail("\"all\" can't be combined with other partitions: " + str(flag.partitions))
+            elif partition not in _flag_partitions:
+                fail("Invalid partition: " + flag.partition + ", allowed partitions: " + str(_flag_partitions))
+        if not flag.name.startswith("RELEASE_"):
+            fail("Release flag names must start with RELEASE_")
+        if " " in flag.name or "\t" in flag.name or "\n" in flag.name:
+            fail("Flag names must not contain whitespace.")
+        if flag.name in all_flags:
+            fail("Duplicate declaration of flag " + flag.name)
+        all_flags[flag.name] = True
+
+        default = flag.default
+        if type(default) == "bool":
+            default = "true" if default else ""
+
+        result["_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS." + flag.name + ".PARTITIONS"] = flag.partitions
+        result["_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS." + flag.name + ".DEFAULT"] = default
+        result["_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS." + flag.name + ".VALUE"] = default
+
+    # If TARGET_RELEASE is set, fail if there is no matching release config
+    # If it isn't set, no release config files will be included and all flags
+    # will get their default values.
+    if target_release:
+        config_map = _combine_dicts_no_duplicate_keys(config_maps)
+        if target_release not in config_map:
+            fail("No release config found for TARGET_RELEASE: " + target_release + ". Available releases are: " + str(config_map.keys()))
+        release_config = config_map[target_release]
+        if sorted(dir(release_config)) != ["flags", "release_version"]:
+            fail("A release config must be a struct with a flags and release_version fields")
+        result["_RELEASE_VERSION"] = release_config.release_version
+        for flag in release_config.flags:
+            if sorted(dir(release_config)) != ["name", "value"]:
+                fail("A flag be a struct with name and value fields")
+            if flag.name not in all_flags:
+                fail("Undeclared build flag: " + flag.name)
+            value = flag.value
+            if type(value) == "bool":
+                value = "true" if value else ""
+            result["_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS." + flag.name + ".VALUE"] = value
+    elif fail_if_no_release_config:
+        fail("FAIL_IF_NO_RELEASE_CONFIG was set and TARGET_RELEASE was not")
+    else:
+        # No TARGET_RELEASE means release version 0
+        result["_RELEASE_VERSION"] = 0
+
+    return result
diff --git a/core/release_config.mk b/core/release_config.mk
index fdfc6a06f1..621c7d18c5 100644
--- a/core/release_config.mk
+++ b/core/release_config.mk
@@ -12,78 +12,45 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-# Partitions that get build system flag summaries
-_FLAG_PARTITIONS := system vendor system_ext product
-
-# All possible release flags. Defined in the build_flags.mk files
-# throughout the tree
-_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS :=
-
-# -----------------------------------------------------------------
-# Choose the flag files
-# Do this first, because we're going to unset TARGET_RELEASE before
-# including anyone, so they don't start making conditionals based on it.
-
 # If this is a google source tree, restrict it to only the one file
 # which has OWNERS control.  If it isn't let others define their own.
 # TODO: Remove wildcard for build/release one when all branch manifests
 # have updated.
-config_map_files := $(wildcard build/release/release_config_map.mk) \
-    $(if $(wildcard vendor/google/release/release_config_map.mk), \
-        vendor/google/release/release_config_map.mk, \
+flag_declaration_files := $(wildcard build/release/build_flags.bzl) \
+    $(if $(wildcard vendor/google/release/build_flags.bzl), \
+        vendor/google/release/build_flags.bzl, \
         $(sort \
-            $(wildcard device/*/release/release_config_map.mk) \
-            $(wildcard device/*/*/release/release_config_map.mk) \
-            $(wildcard vendor/*/release/release_config_map.mk) \
-            $(wildcard vendor/*/*/release/release_config_map.mk) \
+            $(wildcard device/*/release/build_flags.bzl) \
+            $(wildcard device/*/*/release/build_flags.bzl) \
+            $(wildcard vendor/*/release/build_flags.bzl) \
+            $(wildcard vendor/*/*/release/build_flags.bzl) \
+        ) \
+    )
+config_map_files := $(wildcard build/release/release_config_map.bzl) \
+    $(if $(wildcard vendor/google/release/release_config_map.bzl), \
+        vendor/google/release/release_config_map.bzl, \
+        $(sort \
+            $(wildcard device/*/release/release_config_map.bzl) \
+            $(wildcard device/*/*/release/release_config_map.bzl) \
+            $(wildcard vendor/*/release/release_config_map.bzl) \
+            $(wildcard vendor/*/*/release/release_config_map.bzl) \
         ) \
     )
 
-# $1 config name
-# $2 release config files
-define declare-release-config
-    $(eval # No duplicates)
-    $(if $(filter $(_all_release_configs), $(strip $(1))), \
-        $(error declare-release-config: config $(strip $(1)) declared in: $(_included) Previously declared here: $(_all_release_configs.$(strip $(1)).DECLARED_IN)) \
-    )
-    $(eval # Must have release config files)
-    $(if $(strip $(2)),,  \
-        $(error declare-release-config: config $(strip $(1)) must have release config files) \
-    )
-    $(eval _all_release_configs := $(sort $(_all_release_configs) $(strip $(1))))
-    $(eval _all_release_configs.$(strip $(1)).DECLARED_IN := $(_included))
-    $(eval _all_release_configs.$(strip $(1)).FILES := $(strip $(2)))
-endef
-
-# Include the config map files
-$(foreach f, $(config_map_files), \
-    $(eval _included := $(f)) \
-    $(eval include $(f)) \
-)
-
-# If TARGET_RELEASE is set, fail if there is no matching release config
-# If it isn't set, no release config files will be included and all flags
-# will get their default values.
-ifneq ($(TARGET_RELEASE),)
-ifeq ($(filter $(_all_release_configs), $(TARGET_RELEASE)),)
-    $(error No release config found for TARGET_RELEASE: $(TARGET_RELEASE). Available releases are: $(_all_release_configs))
-else
-    # Choose flag files
-    # Don't sort this, use it in the order they gave us.
-    _release_config_files := $(_all_release_configs.$(TARGET_RELEASE).FILES)
-endif
-else
-# Useful for finding scripts etc that aren't passing or setting TARGET_RELEASE
-ifneq ($(FAIL_IF_NO_RELEASE_CONFIG),)
-    $(error FAIL_IF_NO_RELEASE_CONFIG was set and TARGET_RELEASE was not)
-endif
-_release_config_files :=
-endif
-
-# Unset variables so they can't use it
-define declare-release-config
-$(error declare-release-config can only be called from inside release_config_map.mk files)
-endef
+# Because starlark can't find files with $(wildcard), write an entrypoint starlark script that
+# contains the result of the above wildcards for the starlark code to use.
+filename_to_starlark=$(subst /,_,$(subst .,_,$(1)))
+_c:=load("//build/make/core/release_config.bzl", "release_config")
+_c+=$(foreach f,$(flag_declaration_files),$(newline)load("//$(f)", flags_$(call filename_to_starlark,$(f)) = "flags"))
+_c+=$(foreach f,$(config_map_files),$(newline)load("//$(f)", config_maps_$(call filename_to_starlark,$(f)) = "config_maps"))
+_c+=$(newline)all_flags = [] $(foreach f,$(flag_declaration_files),+ flags_$(call filename_to_starlark,$(f)))
+_c+=$(newline)all_config_maps = [$(foreach f,$(config_map_files),config_maps_$(call filename_to_starlark,$(f))$(comma))]
+_c+=$(newline)target_release = "$(TARGET_RELEASE)"
+_c+=$(newline)fail_if_no_release_config = True if "$(FAIL_IF_NO_RELEASE_CONFIG)" else False
+_c+=$(newline)variables_to_export_to_make = release_config(target_release, all_flags, all_config_maps, fail_if_no_release_config)
+$(file >$(OUT_DIR)/release_config_entrypoint.bzl,$(_c))
+_c:=
+filename_to_starlark:=
 
 # TODO: Remove this check after enough people have sourced lunch that we don't
 # need to worry about it trying to do get_build_vars TARGET_RELEASE. Maybe after ~9/2023
@@ -96,127 +63,7 @@ TARGET_RELEASE:=
 endif
 .KATI_READONLY := TARGET_RELEASE
 
-$(foreach config, $(_all_release_configs), \
-    $(eval _all_release_configs.$(config).DECLARED_IN:= ) \
-    $(eval _all_release_configs.$(config).FILES:= ) \
-)
-_all_release_configs:=
-config_map_files:=
-
-# -----------------------------------------------------------------
-# Declare the flags
-
-# $1 partition(s)
-# $2 flag name. Must start with RELEASE_
-# $3 default. True or false
-define declare-build-flag
-    $(if $(filter-out all $(_FLAG_PARTITIONS), $(strip $(1))), \
-        $(error declare-build-flag: invalid partitions: $(strip $(1))) \
-    )
-    $(if $(and $(filter all,$(strip $(1))),$(filter-out all, $(strip $(1)))), \
-        $(error declare-build-flag: "all" can't be combined with other partitions: $(strip $(1))), \
-        $(eval declare-build-flag.partition := $(_FLAG_PARTITIONS)) \
-    )
-    $(if $(filter-out RELEASE_%, $(strip $(2))), \
-        $(error declare-build-flag: Release flag names must start with RELEASE_: $(strip $(2))) \
-    )
-    $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS += $(strip $(2)))
-    $(foreach partition, $(declare-build-flag.partition), \
-        $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.PARTITIONS.$(partition) := $(sort \
-            $(_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.PARTITIONS.$(partition)) $(strip $(2)))) \
-    )
-    $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.$(strip $(2)).PARTITIONS := $(declare-build-flag.partition))
-    $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.$(strip $(2)).DEFAULT := $(strip $(3)))
-    $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.$(strip $(2)).DECLARED_IN := $(_included))
-    $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.$(strip $(2)).VALUE := $(strip $(3)))
-    $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.$(strip $(2)).SET_IN := $(_included))
-    $(eval declare-build-flag.partition:=)
-endef
-
-
-# Choose the files
-# If this is a google source tree, restrict it to only the one file
-# which has OWNERS control.  If it isn't let others define their own.
-flag_declaration_files := $(wildcard build/release/build_flags.mk) \
-    $(if $(wildcard vendor/google/release/build_flags.mk), \
-        vendor/google/release/build_flags.mk, \
-        $(sort \
-            $(wildcard device/*/release/build_flags.mk) \
-            $(wildcard device/*/*/release/build_flags.mk) \
-            $(wildcard vendor/*/release/build_flags.mk) \
-            $(wildcard vendor/*/*/release/build_flags.mk) \
-        ) \
-    )
-
-# Include the files
-$(foreach f, $(flag_declaration_files), \
-    $(eval _included := $(f)) \
-    $(eval include $(f)) \
-)
-
-# Don't let anyone declare build flags after here
-define declare-build-flag
-$(error declare-build-flag can only be called from inside flag definition files.)
-endef
-
-# No more flags from here on
-.KATI_READONLY := _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS
-
-# -----------------------------------------------------------------
-# Set the flags
-
-# $(1): Flag name. Must start with RELEASE_ and have been defined by declare-build-flag
-# $(2): Value. True or false
-define set-build-flag
-    $(if $(filter-out $(_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS), $(strip $(1))), \
-        $(error set-build-flag: Undeclared build flag: $(strip $(1))) \
-    )
-    $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.$(strip $(1)).VALUE := $(strip $(2)))
-    $(eval _ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.$(strip $(1)).SET_IN := $(_included))
-endef
-
-# This writes directly to a file so that the version never exists in make for
-# people to write conditionals upon.
-define set-release-version
-    $(eval _RELEASE_VERSION := $(strip $(1)))
-endef
-
-# Include the files (if there are any)
-ifneq ($(strip $(_release_config_files)),)
-    $(foreach f, $(_release_config_files), \
-        $(eval _included := $(f)) \
-        $(eval include $(f)) \
-    )
-else
-    # No TARGET_RELEASE means release version 0
-    $(call set-release-version, 0)
-endif
-
-
-ifeq ($(_RELEASE_VERSION)),)
-    $(error No release config file called set-release-version. Included files were: $(_release_config_files))
-endif
-
-# Don't let anyone declare build flags after here
-define set-build-flag
-$(error set-build-flag can only be called from inside release config files.)
-endef
-
-# Don't let anyone set the release version after here
-define set-release-version
-$(error set-release-version can only be called from inside release config files.)
-endef
-
-# Set the flag values, and don't allow any one to modify them.
-$(foreach flag, $(_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS), \
-    $(eval $(flag) := $(_ALL_RELEASE_FLAGS.$(flag).VALUE)) \
-    $(eval .KATI_READONLY := $(flag)) \
-)
-
-
-# -----------------------------------------------------------------
-# Clear out vars
-flag_declaration_files:=
-flag_files:=
-_included:=
-_release_config_files:=
+# Exclude the entrypoint file as a dependency (by passing it as the 2nd argument) so that we don't
+# rerun kati every build. Kati will replay the $(file) command that generates it every build,
+# updating its timestamp.
+$(call run-starlark,$(OUT_DIR)/release_config_entrypoint.bzl,$(OUT_DIR)/release_config_entrypoint.bzl)