diff --git a/src/main/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringBuilderOptimizer.java b/src/main/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringBuilderOptimizer.java
index 02b6e64..8e8d2da 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringBuilderOptimizer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringBuilderOptimizer.java
@@ -415,7 +415,10 @@
             Map<Instruction, BuilderState> perInstrState = getBuilderState(builder);
             BuilderState dominantState = findDominantState(dominatorTree, perInstrState, instr);
             if (dominantState != null) {
-              perInstrState.put(instr, dominantState);
+              // Instead of using the dominant state directly, treat this retrieval point as a new
+              // state without an addition so that dominant state can account for dependent states.
+              BuilderState currentState = dominantState.createChild("");
+              perInstrState.put(instr, currentState);
             } else {
               // TODO(b/114002137): if we want to utilize partial results, don't remove it here.
               candidateBuilders.remove(builder);
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringBuilderOptimizerAnalysisTest.java b/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringBuilderOptimizerAnalysisTest.java
index f186803..e40b4e0 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringBuilderOptimizerAnalysisTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringBuilderOptimizerAnalysisTest.java
@@ -225,6 +225,21 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  public void testConditionalPhiWithoutAppend() throws Exception {
+    buildAndCheckIR(
+        "conditionalPhiWithoutAppend",
+        checkOptimizerStates(appView, optimizer -> {
+          assertEquals(1, optimizer.analysis.builderStates.size());
+          for (Value builder : optimizer.analysis.builderStates.keySet()) {
+            Map<Instruction, BuilderState> perBuilderState =
+                optimizer.analysis.builderStates.get(builder);
+            checkBuilderState(optimizer, perBuilderState, null, true);
+          }
+          assertEquals(0, optimizer.analysis.simplifiedBuilders.size());
+        }));
+  }
+
+  @Test
   public void testLoop() throws Exception {
     buildAndCheckIR(
         "loop",
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringConcatenationTest.java b/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringConcatenationTest.java
index 1b16aa6..0efe652 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringConcatenationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringConcatenationTest.java
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
       "Hello,R8",
       // phiWithDifferentInits
       "Hello,R8",
+      // conditionalPhiWithoutAppend
+      "initial:suffix",
       // loop
       "na;na;na;na;na;na;na;na;Batman!",
       // loopWithBuilder
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@
 
   @Parameterized.Parameters(name = "{0}")
   public static TestParametersCollection data() {
-    return getTestParameters().withAllRuntimes().build();
+    return getTestParameters().withAllRuntimes().withAllApiLevels().build();
   }
 
   private final TestParameters parameters;
@@ -152,6 +154,10 @@
     assertThat(method, isPresent());
     assertEquals(3, countConstString(method));
 
+    method = mainClass.uniqueMethodWithName("conditionalPhiWithoutAppend");
+    assertThat(method, isPresent());
+    assertEquals(3, countConstString(method));
+
     method = mainClass.uniqueMethodWithName("loop");
     assertThat(method, isPresent());
     assertEquals(3, countConstString(method));
@@ -173,7 +179,7 @@
         testForD8()
             .debug()
             .addProgramClasses(MAIN)
-            .setMinApi(parameters.getRuntime())
+            .setMinApi(parameters.getApiLevel())
             .run(parameters.getRuntime(), MAIN)
             .assertSuccessWithOutput(JAVA_OUTPUT);
     test(result, false, false);
@@ -182,7 +188,7 @@
         testForD8()
             .release()
             .addProgramClasses(MAIN)
-            .setMinApi(parameters.getRuntime())
+            .setMinApi(parameters.getApiLevel())
             .run(parameters.getRuntime(), MAIN)
             .assertSuccessWithOutput(JAVA_OUTPUT);
     test(result, false, true);
@@ -198,7 +204,7 @@
             .enableInliningAnnotations()
             .addKeepMainRule(MAIN)
             .noMinification()
-            .setMinApi(parameters.getRuntime())
+            .setMinApi(parameters.getApiLevel())
             .run(parameters.getRuntime(), MAIN)
             .assertSuccessWithOutput(JAVA_OUTPUT);
     test(result, true, true);
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringConcatenationTestClass.java b/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringConcatenationTestClass.java
index 980148b..535fee9 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringConcatenationTestClass.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/android/tools/r8/ir/optimize/string/StringConcatenationTestClass.java
@@ -138,6 +138,16 @@
   }
 
   @NeverInline
+  public static void conditionalPhiWithoutAppend() {
+    StringBuilder b = new StringBuilder("initial");
+    String suffix = "suffix";
+    if (!suffix.isEmpty()) {
+      b.append(":").append(suffix);
+    }
+    System.out.println(b.toString());
+  }
+
+  @NeverInline
   public static void loop() {
     String r = "";
     for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
@@ -169,6 +179,7 @@
     simplePhi();
     phiAtInit();
     phiWithDifferentInits();
+    conditionalPhiWithoutAppend();
     loop();
     loopWithBuilder();
   }