diff --git a/tools/releasetools/common.py b/tools/releasetools/common.py
index e5f5f92..3fc08c6 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/common.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/common.py
@@ -1410,7 +1410,22 @@
   return errors
 
 
-def RunHostInitVerifier(product_out, partition_map):
+def RunVendoredHostInitVerifier(product_out, partition_map):
+  """Runs vendor host_init_verifier on the init rc files within selected partitions.
+
+  host_init_verifier searches the etc/init path within each selected partition.
+
+  Args:
+    product_out: PRODUCT_OUT directory, containing partition directories.
+    partition_map: A map of partition name -> relative path within product_out.
+  """
+  return RunHostInitVerifier(
+      product_out,
+      partition_map,
+      tool=os.path.join(OPTIONS.vendor_otatools, 'bin', 'host_init_verifier'))
+
+
+def RunHostInitVerifier(product_out, partition_map, tool="host_init_verifier"):
   """Runs host_init_verifier on the init rc files within partitions.
 
   host_init_verifier searches the etc/init path within each partition.
@@ -1418,9 +1433,10 @@
   Args:
     product_out: PRODUCT_OUT directory, containing partition directories.
     partition_map: A map of partition name -> relative path within product_out.
+    tool: Full path to host_init_verifier or binary name
   """
   allowed_partitions = ("system", "system_ext", "product", "vendor", "odm")
-  cmd = ["host_init_verifier"]
+  cmd = [tool]
   for partition, path in partition_map.items():
     if partition not in allowed_partitions:
       raise ExternalError("Unable to call host_init_verifier for partition %s" %
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/merge/merge_compatibility_checks.py b/tools/releasetools/merge/merge_compatibility_checks.py
index 8c9993f..80b5caa 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/merge/merge_compatibility_checks.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/merge/merge_compatibility_checks.py
@@ -95,8 +95,19 @@
 def CheckInitRcFiles(target_files_dir, partition_map):
   """Check for any init.rc issues using host_init_verifier."""
   try:
+    vendor_partitions = set()
+    if OPTIONS.vendor_otatools:
+      vendor_partitions = {"vendor", "odm"}
+      common.RunVendoredHostInitVerifier(
+          product_out=target_files_dir,
+          partition_map={p: partition_map[p] for p in vendor_partitions})
+
     common.RunHostInitVerifier(
-        product_out=target_files_dir, partition_map=partition_map)
+        product_out=target_files_dir,
+        partition_map={
+            p: partition_map[p]
+            for p in partition_map.keys() - vendor_partitions
+        })
   except RuntimeError as err:
     return [str(err)]
   return []
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/merge/merge_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/merge/merge_target_files.py
index fdba927..de4d9a8 100755
--- a/tools/releasetools/merge/merge_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/merge/merge_target_files.py
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@
       If provided, rebuilds odm.img or vendor.img to include merged sepolicy
       files. If odm is present then odm is preferred.
 
-  --vendor-otatools otatools.zip
-      If provided, use this otatools.zip when recompiling the odm or vendor
+  --vendor-otatools otatools.zip or directory
+      If provided, use these otatools when recompiling the odm or vendor
       image to include sepolicy.
 
   --keep-tmp
@@ -312,12 +312,9 @@
       '%s recompilation will be performed using the vendor otatools.zip',
       partition_img)
 
-  # Unzip the vendor build's otatools.zip and target-files archive.
-  vendor_otatools_dir = common.MakeTempDir(
-      prefix='merge_target_files_vendor_otatools_')
+  # Unzip the vendor build's target-files archive.
   vendor_target_files_dir = common.MakeTempDir(
       prefix='merge_target_files_vendor_target_files_')
-  common.UnzipToDir(OPTIONS.vendor_otatools, vendor_otatools_dir)
   merge_utils.CollectTargetFiles(
       input_zipfile_or_dir=OPTIONS.vendor_target_files,
       output_dir=vendor_target_files_dir,
@@ -335,7 +332,7 @@
   remove_file_if_exists(
       os.path.join(vendor_target_files_dir, 'IMAGES', partition_img))
   rebuild_partition_command = [
-      os.path.join(vendor_otatools_dir, 'bin', 'add_img_to_target_files'),
+      os.path.join(OPTIONS.vendor_otatools, 'bin', 'add_img_to_target_files'),
       '--verbose',
       '--add_missing',
   ]
@@ -669,6 +666,12 @@
   if OPTIONS.output_item_list:
     OPTIONS.output_item_list = common.LoadListFromFile(OPTIONS.output_item_list)
 
+  if OPTIONS.vendor_otatools and zipfile.is_zipfile(OPTIONS.vendor_otatools):
+    vendor_otatools_dir = common.MakeTempDir(
+        prefix='merge_target_files_vendor_otatools_')
+    common.UnzipToDir(OPTIONS.vendor_otatools, vendor_otatools_dir)
+    OPTIONS.vendor_otatools = vendor_otatools_dir
+
   if not merge_utils.ValidateConfigLists():
     sys.exit(1)