diff --git a/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_builder_impl.cc b/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_builder_impl.cc
index e89bbecc68..f55c9158fb 100644
--- a/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_builder_impl.cc
+++ b/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_builder_impl.cc
@@ -35,16 +35,10 @@ AudioProcessing* AudioProcessingBuilder::Create(const webrtc::Config& config) {
 #else
 
   // Standard implementation.
-  AudioProcessingImpl* apm = new rtc::RefCountedObject<AudioProcessingImpl>(
+  return new rtc::RefCountedObject<AudioProcessingImpl>(
       config, std::move(capture_post_processing_),
       std::move(render_pre_processing_), std::move(echo_control_factory_),
       std::move(echo_detector_), std::move(capture_analyzer_));
-  if (apm->Initialize() != AudioProcessing::kNoError) {
-    delete apm;
-    apm = nullptr;
-  }
-  return apm;
-
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl.cc b/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl.cc
index 485022accf..82cc6f1148 100644
--- a/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl.cc
+++ b/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl.cc
@@ -307,6 +307,8 @@ AudioProcessingImpl::AudioProcessingImpl(
   config_.gain_controller1.analog_gain_controller.enable_digital_adaptive =
       !config.Get<ExperimentalAgc>().digital_adaptive_disabled;
 #endif
+
+  Initialize();
 }
 
 AudioProcessingImpl::~AudioProcessingImpl() = default;
@@ -315,7 +317,8 @@ int AudioProcessingImpl::Initialize() {
   // Run in a single-threaded manner during initialization.
   MutexLock lock_render(&mutex_render_);
   MutexLock lock_capture(&mutex_capture_);
-  return InitializeLocked();
+  InitializeLocked();
+  return kNoError;
 }
 
 int AudioProcessingImpl::Initialize(int capture_input_sample_rate_hz,
@@ -356,7 +359,7 @@ int AudioProcessingImpl::MaybeInitializeRender(
   return InitializeLocked(processing_config);
 }
 
-int AudioProcessingImpl::InitializeLocked() {
+void AudioProcessingImpl::InitializeLocked() {
   UpdateActiveSubmoduleStates();
 
   const int render_audiobuffer_sample_rate_hz =
@@ -425,7 +428,6 @@ int AudioProcessingImpl::InitializeLocked() {
   if (aec_dump_) {
     aec_dump_->WriteInitMessage(formats_.api_format, rtc::TimeUTCMillis());
   }
-  return kNoError;
 }
 
 int AudioProcessingImpl::InitializeLocked(const ProcessingConfig& config) {
@@ -519,7 +521,8 @@ int AudioProcessingImpl::InitializeLocked(const ProcessingConfig& config) {
         capture_nonlocked_.capture_processing_format.sample_rate_hz();
   }
 
-  return InitializeLocked();
+  InitializeLocked();
+  return kNoError;
 }
 
 void AudioProcessingImpl::ApplyConfig(const AudioProcessing::Config& config) {
diff --git a/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl.h b/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl.h
index dfd5f63c51..ac411b48cf 100644
--- a/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl.h
+++ b/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl.h
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class AudioProcessingImpl : public AudioProcessing {
 
  protected:
   // Overridden in a mock.
-  virtual int InitializeLocked()
+  virtual void InitializeLocked()
       RTC_EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(mutex_render_, mutex_capture_);
 
  private:
diff --git a/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl_unittest.cc b/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl_unittest.cc
index 8f28941cdf..e289c316bc 100644
--- a/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl_unittest.cc
+++ b/modules/audio_processing/audio_processing_impl_unittest.cc
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ class MockInitialize : public AudioProcessingImpl {
   explicit MockInitialize(const webrtc::Config& config)
       : AudioProcessingImpl(config) {}
 
-  MOCK_METHOD(int, InitializeLocked, (), (override));
-  int RealInitializeLocked() RTC_NO_THREAD_SAFETY_ANALYSIS {
-    return AudioProcessingImpl::InitializeLocked();
+  MOCK_METHOD(void, InitializeLocked, (), (override));
+  void RealInitializeLocked() RTC_NO_THREAD_SAFETY_ANALYSIS {
+    AudioProcessingImpl::InitializeLocked();
   }
 
   MOCK_METHOD(void, AddRef, (), (const, override));
diff --git a/modules/audio_processing/include/audio_processing.h b/modules/audio_processing/include/audio_processing.h
index 9e2d6dcb4a..fe45e644d1 100644
--- a/modules/audio_processing/include/audio_processing.h
+++ b/modules/audio_processing/include/audio_processing.h
@@ -488,6 +488,7 @@ class RTC_EXPORT AudioProcessing : public rtc::RefCountInterface {
   // rate and number of channels) have changed. Passing updated parameters
   // directly to |ProcessStream()| and |ProcessReverseStream()| is permissible.
   // If the parameters are known at init-time though, they may be provided.
+  // TODO(webrtc:5298): Change to return void.
   virtual int Initialize() = 0;
 
   // The int16 interfaces require:
diff --git a/modules/audio_processing/test/audio_processing_builder_for_testing.cc b/modules/audio_processing/test/audio_processing_builder_for_testing.cc
index 26ed679d7f..faab18f7fd 100644
--- a/modules/audio_processing/test/audio_processing_builder_for_testing.cc
+++ b/modules/audio_processing/test/audio_processing_builder_for_testing.cc
@@ -30,13 +30,10 @@ AudioProcessing* AudioProcessingBuilderForTesting::Create() {
 
 AudioProcessing* AudioProcessingBuilderForTesting::Create(
     const webrtc::Config& config) {
-  AudioProcessingImpl* apm = new rtc::RefCountedObject<AudioProcessingImpl>(
+  return new rtc::RefCountedObject<AudioProcessingImpl>(
       config, std::move(capture_post_processing_),
       std::move(render_pre_processing_), std::move(echo_control_factory_),
       std::move(echo_detector_), std::move(capture_analyzer_));
-  int error = apm->Initialize();
-  RTC_CHECK_EQ(error, AudioProcessing::kNoError);
-  return apm;
 }
 
 #else