A semiconductor structure may be provided by forming a first molding compound around a first semiconductor die such that a top surface of the first molding compound is coplanar with a top dielectric surface of the first semiconductor die; forming a combination of at least one bonding-level dielectric layer, first bonding pads, and dummy pads over the first semiconductor die and the first molding compound, wherein each of the bonding pads is formed directly on a respective conductive structure within the first semiconductor die; and attaching a second semiconductor die including second bonding pads therein to the first semiconductor die by performing a bonding process that bonds the second bonding pads to the first bonding pads by metal-to-metal bonding such that a first subset of the dummy pads has an areal overlap in a plan view with the second semiconductor die.