diff --git a/linker/linker.cpp b/linker/linker.cpp
index 0b829b3..c42712a 100644
--- a/linker/linker.cpp
+++ b/linker/linker.cpp
@@ -1084,19 +1084,16 @@
 
 const char* fix_dt_needed(const char* dt_needed, const char* sopath __unused) {
 #if !defined(__LP64__)
-  // Work around incorrect DT_NEEDED entries for old apps: http://b/21364029
-  int app_target_api_level = get_application_target_sdk_version();
-  if (app_target_api_level < 23) {
+  if (get_application_target_sdk_version() < 23) {
     const char* bname = basename(dt_needed);
     if (bname != dt_needed) {
-      DL_WARN_documented_change(23,
-                                "invalid-dt_needed-entries-enforced-for-api-level-23",
-                                "library \"%s\" has invalid DT_NEEDED entry \"%s\"",
-                                sopath, dt_needed, app_target_api_level);
-      add_dlwarning(sopath, "invalid DT_NEEDED entry",  dt_needed);
+      // Work around incorrect DT_NEEDED entries for old apps: http://b/21364029
+      if (!DL_ERROR_AFTER(23, "library \"%s\" has invalid DT_NEEDED entry \"%s\"",
+                          sopath, dt_needed)) {
+        add_dlwarning(sopath, "invalid DT_NEEDED entry",  dt_needed);
+        return bname;
+      }
     }
-
-    return bname;
   }
 #endif
   return dt_needed;
@@ -1236,11 +1233,12 @@
         const soinfo* needed_or_dlopened_by = task->get_needed_by();
         const char* sopath = needed_or_dlopened_by == nullptr ? "(unknown)" :
                                                       needed_or_dlopened_by->get_realpath();
-        DL_WARN_documented_change(24,
-                                  "private-api-enforced-for-api-level-24",
-                                  "library \"%s\" (\"%s\") needed or dlopened by \"%s\" "
-                                  "is not accessible by namespace \"%s\"",
-                                  name, realpath.c_str(), sopath, ns->get_name());
+        // is_exempt_lib() always returns true for api levels < 24,
+        // so no need to check the return value of DL_ERROR_AFTER().
+        // We still call it rather than DL_WARN() to get the extra clarification.
+        DL_ERROR_AFTER(24, "library \"%s\" (\"%s\") needed or dlopened by \"%s\" "
+                       "is not accessible by namespace \"%s\"",
+                       name, realpath.c_str(), sopath, ns->get_name());
         add_dlwarning(sopath, "unauthorized access to",  name);
       }
     } else {
@@ -3327,19 +3325,19 @@
     }
   }
 
-  // Before M release, linker was using basename in place of soname. In the case when DT_SONAME is
-  // absent some apps stop working because they can't find DT_NEEDED library by soname. This
-  // workaround should keep them working. (Applies only for apps targeting sdk version < M.) Make
-  // an exception for the main executable, which does not need to have DT_SONAME. The linker has an
-  // DT_SONAME but the soname_ field is initialized later on.
+  // Before API 23, the linker used the basename in place of DT_SONAME.
+  // After we switched, apps with libraries without a DT_SONAME stopped working:
+  // they could no longer be found by DT_NEEDED from another library.
+  // The main executable does not need to have a DT_SONAME.
+  // The linker has a DT_SONAME, but the soname_ field is initialized later on.
   if (soname_.empty() && this != solist_get_somain() && !relocating_linker &&
       get_application_target_sdk_version() < 23) {
     soname_ = basename(realpath_.c_str());
-    DL_WARN_documented_change(23, "missing-soname-enforced-for-api-level-23",
-                              "\"%s\" has no DT_SONAME (will use %s instead)", get_realpath(),
-                              soname_.c_str());
-
-    // Don't call add_dlwarning because a missing DT_SONAME isn't important enough to show in the UI
+    // The `if` above means we don't get here for api levels >= 23,
+    // so no need to check the return value of DL_ERROR_AFTER().
+    // We still call it rather than DL_WARN() to get the extra clarification.
+    DL_ERROR_AFTER(23, "\"%s\" has no DT_SONAME (will use %s instead)",
+                   get_realpath(), soname_.c_str());
   }
 
   // Validate each library's verdef section once, so we don't have to validate
@@ -3385,20 +3383,12 @@
 
 #if !defined(__LP64__)
   if (has_text_relocations) {
-    // Fail if app is targeting M or above.
-    int app_target_api_level = get_application_target_sdk_version();
-    if (app_target_api_level >= 23) {
-      DL_ERR_AND_LOG("\"%s\" has text relocations (%s#Text-Relocations-Enforced-for-API-level-23)",
-                     get_realpath(), kBionicChangesUrl);
+    if (DL_ERROR_AFTER(23, "\"%s\" has text relocations", get_realpath())) {
       return false;
     }
+    add_dlwarning(get_realpath(), "text relocations");
     // Make segments writable to allow text relocations to work properly. We will later call
     // phdr_table_protect_segments() after all of them are applied.
-    DL_WARN_documented_change(23,
-                              "Text-Relocations-Enforced-for-API-level-23",
-                              "\"%s\" has text relocations",
-                              get_realpath());
-    add_dlwarning(get_realpath(), "text relocations");
     if (phdr_table_unprotect_segments(phdr, phnum, load_bias, should_pad_segments_,
                                       should_use_16kib_app_compat_) < 0) {
       DL_ERR("can't unprotect loadable segments for \"%s\": %m", get_realpath());
diff --git a/linker/linker.h b/linker/linker.h
index 7afa0d7..86ef762 100644
--- a/linker/linker.h
+++ b/linker/linker.h
@@ -71,10 +71,6 @@
   DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(VersionTracker);
 };
 
-static constexpr const char* kBionicChangesUrl =
-    "https://android.googlesource.com/platform/bionic/+/main/"
-    "android-changes-for-ndk-developers.md";
-
 soinfo* get_libdl_info(const soinfo& linker_si);
 
 soinfo* find_containing_library(const void* p);
diff --git a/linker/linker_globals.cpp b/linker/linker_globals.cpp
index 4a17d09..c3a3bcd 100644
--- a/linker/linker_globals.cpp
+++ b/linker/linker_globals.cpp
@@ -52,19 +52,24 @@
   return sizeof(__linker_dl_err_buf);
 }
 
-void DL_WARN_documented_change(int api_level, const char* doc_fragment, const char* fmt, ...) {
-  std::string result{"Warning: "};
-
+bool DL_ERROR_AFTER(int target_sdk_version, const char* fmt, ...) {
+  std::string result;
   va_list ap;
   va_start(ap, fmt);
   android::base::StringAppendV(&result, fmt, ap);
   va_end(ap);
 
-  android::base::StringAppendF(&result,
-                               " and will not work when the app moves to API level %d or later "
-                               "(%s#%s) (allowing for now because this app's target API level is "
-                               "still %d)",
-                               api_level, kBionicChangesUrl, doc_fragment,
-                               get_application_target_sdk_version());
-  DL_WARN("%s", result.c_str());
+  if (get_application_target_sdk_version() < target_sdk_version) {
+    android::base::StringAppendF(&result,
+                                 " and will not work when the app moves to API level %d or later "
+                                 "(see https://android.googlesource.com/platform/bionic/+/main/"
+                                 "android-changes-for-ndk-developers.md); "
+                                 "allowing for now because this app's target API level is still %d",
+                                 target_sdk_version,
+                                 get_application_target_sdk_version());
+    DL_WARN("Warning: %s", result.c_str());
+    return false;
+  }
+  DL_ERR_AND_LOG("%s", result.c_str());
+  return true;
 }
diff --git a/linker/linker_globals.h b/linker/linker_globals.h
index 2bfdccd..e6b4bc6 100644
--- a/linker/linker_globals.h
+++ b/linker/linker_globals.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include "linker_debug.h"
+
 #include <link.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
 
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@
       async_safe_format_fd(2, "\n"); \
     } while (false)
 
-void DL_WARN_documented_change(int api_level, const char* doc_link, const char* fmt, ...);
+bool DL_ERROR_AFTER(int target_sdk_version, const char* fmt, ...);
 
 #define DL_ERR_AND_LOG(fmt, x...) \
   do { \
diff --git a/linker/linker_phdr.cpp b/linker/linker_phdr.cpp
index c52952f..e695efd 100644
--- a/linker/linker_phdr.cpp
+++ b/linker/linker_phdr.cpp
@@ -308,26 +308,17 @@
   }
 
   if (header_.e_shentsize != sizeof(ElfW(Shdr))) {
-    if (get_application_target_sdk_version() >= 26) {
-      DL_ERR_AND_LOG("\"%s\" has unsupported e_shentsize: 0x%x (expected 0x%zx)",
-                     name_.c_str(), header_.e_shentsize, sizeof(ElfW(Shdr)));
+    if (DL_ERROR_AFTER(26, "\"%s\" has unsupported e_shentsize: 0x%x (expected 0x%zx)",
+                       name_.c_str(), header_.e_shentsize, sizeof(ElfW(Shdr)))) {
       return false;
     }
-    DL_WARN_documented_change(26,
-                              "invalid-elf-header_section-headers-enforced-for-api-level-26",
-                              "\"%s\" has unsupported e_shentsize 0x%x (expected 0x%zx)",
-                              name_.c_str(), header_.e_shentsize, sizeof(ElfW(Shdr)));
     add_dlwarning(name_.c_str(), "has invalid ELF header");
   }
 
   if (header_.e_shstrndx == 0) {
-    if (get_application_target_sdk_version() >= 26) {
-      DL_ERR_AND_LOG("\"%s\" has invalid e_shstrndx", name_.c_str());
+    if (DL_ERROR_AFTER(26, "\"%s\" has invalid e_shstrndx", name_.c_str())) {
       return false;
     }
-    DL_WARN_documented_change(26,
-                              "invalid-elf-header_section-headers-enforced-for-api-level-26",
-                              "\"%s\" has invalid e_shstrndx", name_.c_str());
     add_dlwarning(name_.c_str(), "has invalid ELF header");
   }
 
@@ -434,40 +425,24 @@
   }
 
   if (pt_dynamic_offset != dynamic_shdr->sh_offset) {
-    if (get_application_target_sdk_version() >= 26) {
-      DL_ERR_AND_LOG("\"%s\" .dynamic section has invalid offset: 0x%zx, "
-                     "expected to match PT_DYNAMIC offset: 0x%zx",
-                     name_.c_str(),
-                     static_cast<size_t>(dynamic_shdr->sh_offset),
-                     pt_dynamic_offset);
+    if (DL_ERROR_AFTER(26, "\"%s\" .dynamic section has invalid offset: 0x%zx, "
+                       "expected to match PT_DYNAMIC offset: 0x%zx",
+                       name_.c_str(),
+                       static_cast<size_t>(dynamic_shdr->sh_offset),
+                       pt_dynamic_offset)) {
       return false;
     }
-    DL_WARN_documented_change(26,
-                              "invalid-elf-header_section-headers-enforced-for-api-level-26",
-                              "\"%s\" .dynamic section has invalid offset: 0x%zx "
-                              "(expected to match PT_DYNAMIC offset 0x%zx)",
-                              name_.c_str(),
-                              static_cast<size_t>(dynamic_shdr->sh_offset),
-                              pt_dynamic_offset);
     add_dlwarning(name_.c_str(), "invalid .dynamic section");
   }
 
   if (pt_dynamic_filesz != dynamic_shdr->sh_size) {
-    if (get_application_target_sdk_version() >= 26) {
-      DL_ERR_AND_LOG("\"%s\" .dynamic section has invalid size: 0x%zx, "
-                     "expected to match PT_DYNAMIC filesz: 0x%zx",
-                     name_.c_str(),
-                     static_cast<size_t>(dynamic_shdr->sh_size),
-                     pt_dynamic_filesz);
+    if (DL_ERROR_AFTER(26, "\"%s\" .dynamic section has invalid size: 0x%zx "
+                       "(expected to match PT_DYNAMIC filesz 0x%zx)",
+                       name_.c_str(),
+                       static_cast<size_t>(dynamic_shdr->sh_size),
+                       pt_dynamic_filesz)) {
       return false;
     }
-    DL_WARN_documented_change(26,
-                              "invalid-elf-header_section-headers-enforced-for-api-level-26",
-                              "\"%s\" .dynamic section has invalid size: 0x%zx "
-                              "(expected to match PT_DYNAMIC filesz 0x%zx)",
-                              name_.c_str(),
-                              static_cast<size_t>(dynamic_shdr->sh_size),
-                              pt_dynamic_filesz);
     add_dlwarning(name_.c_str(), "invalid .dynamic section");
   }
 
@@ -1058,15 +1033,10 @@
     if (file_length != 0) {
       int prot = PFLAGS_TO_PROT(phdr->p_flags);
       if ((prot & (PROT_EXEC | PROT_WRITE)) == (PROT_EXEC | PROT_WRITE)) {
-        // W + E PT_LOAD segments are not allowed in O.
-        if (get_application_target_sdk_version() >= 26) {
-          DL_ERR_AND_LOG("\"%s\": W+E load segments are not allowed", name_.c_str());
+        if (DL_ERROR_AFTER(26, "\"%s\" has load segments that are both writable and executable",
+                           name_.c_str())) {
           return false;
         }
-        DL_WARN_documented_change(26,
-                                  "writable-and-executable-segments-enforced-for-api-level-26",
-                                  "\"%s\" has load segments that are both writable and executable",
-                                  name_.c_str());
         add_dlwarning(name_.c_str(), "W+E load segments");
       }
 
diff --git a/linker/linker_test_globals.cpp b/linker/linker_test_globals.cpp
index 27ec6f7..5b4ffe3 100644
--- a/linker/linker_test_globals.cpp
+++ b/linker/linker_test_globals.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
  */
 
 // Stub some symbols to avoid linking issues
-void DL_WARN_documented_change(int api_level [[maybe_unused]],
-                               const char* doc_link [[maybe_unused]],
-                               const char* fmt [[maybe_unused]], ...) {}
-
+bool DL_ERROR_AFTER(int target_sdk_version [[maybe_unused]],
+                    const char* fmt [[maybe_unused]], ...) {
+  return false;
+}