diff --git a/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk b/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
index 55d7c37..a572982 100644
--- a/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
+++ b/core/android_soong_config_vars.mk
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 $(call soong_config_set_bool,ANDROID,PRODUCT_FSVERITY_GENERATE_METADATA,$(if $(filter true,$(PRODUCT_FSVERITY_GENERATE_METADATA)),true,false))
 
 $(call add_soong_config_var,ANDROID,ADDITIONAL_M4DEFS,$(if $(BOARD_SEPOLICY_M4DEFS),$(addprefix -D,$(BOARD_SEPOLICY_M4DEFS))))
+$(call add_soong_config_var,ANDROID,TARGET_ADD_ROOT_EXTRA_VENDOR_SYMLINKS)
 
 # For BUILDING_GSI
 $(call soong_config_set_bool,gsi,building_gsi,$(if $(filter true,$(BUILDING_GSI)),true,false))
diff --git a/target/board/generic_arm64/BoardConfig.mk b/target/board/generic_arm64/BoardConfig.mk
index e2d5fb4..401f557 100644
--- a/target/board/generic_arm64/BoardConfig.mk
+++ b/target/board/generic_arm64/BoardConfig.mk
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@
 BOARD_ROOT_EXTRA_SYMLINKS += /vendor/lib/dsp:/dsp
 BOARD_ROOT_EXTRA_SYMLINKS += /mnt/vendor/persist:/persist
 BOARD_ROOT_EXTRA_SYMLINKS += /vendor/firmware_mnt:/firmware
+# for Android.bp
+TARGET_ADD_ROOT_EXTRA_VENDOR_SYMLINKS := true
 
 # TODO(b/36764215): remove this setting when the generic system image
 # no longer has QCOM-specific directories under /.
diff --git a/target/product/aosp_arm.mk b/target/product/aosp_arm.mk
index 51bb4fb..4912040 100644
--- a/target/product/aosp_arm.mk
+++ b/target/product/aosp_arm.mk
@@ -68,3 +68,6 @@
 PRODUCT_DEVICE := generic
 PRODUCT_BRAND := Android
 PRODUCT_MODEL := AOSP on ARM32
+
+PRODUCT_SOONG_DEFINED_SYSTEM_IMAGE := aosp_system_image
+USE_SOONG_DEFINED_SYSTEM_IMAGE := true
diff --git a/target/product/aosp_arm64.mk b/target/product/aosp_arm64.mk
index 580927c..10ce93c 100644
--- a/target/product/aosp_arm64.mk
+++ b/target/product/aosp_arm64.mk
@@ -76,3 +76,6 @@
 PRODUCT_MODEL := AOSP on ARM64
 
 PRODUCT_NO_BIONIC_PAGE_SIZE_MACRO := true
+
+PRODUCT_SOONG_DEFINED_SYSTEM_IMAGE := aosp_system_image
+USE_SOONG_DEFINED_SYSTEM_IMAGE := true
diff --git a/target/product/aosp_x86.mk b/target/product/aosp_x86.mk
index 54f7a51..7402a29 100644
--- a/target/product/aosp_x86.mk
+++ b/target/product/aosp_x86.mk
@@ -66,3 +66,6 @@
 PRODUCT_DEVICE := generic_x86
 PRODUCT_BRAND := Android
 PRODUCT_MODEL := AOSP on x86
+
+PRODUCT_SOONG_DEFINED_SYSTEM_IMAGE := aosp_system_image
+USE_SOONG_DEFINED_SYSTEM_IMAGE := true
diff --git a/target/product/aosp_x86_64.mk b/target/product/aosp_x86_64.mk
index 78979bd..0855440 100644
--- a/target/product/aosp_x86_64.mk
+++ b/target/product/aosp_x86_64.mk
@@ -78,3 +78,6 @@
 PRODUCT_MODEL := AOSP on x86_64
 
 PRODUCT_NO_BIONIC_PAGE_SIZE_MACRO := true
+
+PRODUCT_SOONG_DEFINED_SYSTEM_IMAGE := aosp_system_image
+USE_SOONG_DEFINED_SYSTEM_IMAGE := true
diff --git a/target/product/generic/Android.bp b/target/product/generic/Android.bp
index 1ce9778..3b0aa0d 100644
--- a/target/product/generic/Android.bp
+++ b/target/product/generic/Android.bp
@@ -126,6 +126,23 @@
     },
 ]
 
+extra_vendor_symlinks = [
+    // Some vendors still haven't cleaned up all device specific directories under root!
+    // TODO(b/111434759, b/111287060) SoC specific hacks
+    {
+        target: "/vendor/lib/dsp",
+        name: "dsp",
+    },
+    {
+        target: "/mnt/vendor/persist",
+        name: "persist",
+    },
+    {
+        target: "/vendor/firmware_mnt",
+        name: "firmware",
+    },
+]
+
 filegroup {
     name: "generic_system_sign_key",
     srcs: [":avb_testkey_rsa4096"],
@@ -429,13 +446,38 @@
     libs: [":framework-res{.export-package.apk}"],
 }
 
-android_filesystem_defaults {
+soong_config_module_type {
+    name: "system_image_defaults",
+    module_type: "android_filesystem_defaults",
+    config_namespace: "ANDROID",
+    bool_variables: ["TARGET_ADD_ROOT_EXTRA_VENDOR_SYMLINKS"],
+    properties: ["symlinks"],
+}
+
+genrule {
+    name: "plat_and_vendor_file_contexts",
+    device_common_srcs: [
+        ":plat_file_contexts",
+        ":vendor_file_contexts",
+    ],
+    out: ["file_contexts"],
+    cmd: "cat $(in) > $(out)",
+}
+
+system_image_defaults {
     name: "system_image_defaults",
     partition_name: "system",
     base_dir: "system",
     dirs: generic_rootdirs,
-    symlinks: generic_symlinks,
-    file_contexts: ":plat_file_contexts",
+    soong_config_variables: {
+        TARGET_ADD_ROOT_EXTRA_VENDOR_SYMLINKS: {
+            symlinks: generic_symlinks + extra_vendor_symlinks,
+            conditions_default: {
+                symlinks: generic_symlinks,
+            },
+        },
+    },
+    file_contexts: ":plat_and_vendor_file_contexts",
     linker_config: {
         gen_linker_config: true,
         linker_config_srcs: [":system_linker_config_json_file"],
diff --git a/target/product/gsi/Android.bp b/target/product/gsi/Android.bp
index 97b3895..dafbe46 100644
--- a/target/product/gsi/Android.bp
+++ b/target/product/gsi/Android.bp
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@
     },
 ]
 
-android_system_image {
-    name: "android_gsi",
+android_filesystem_defaults {
+    name: "android_gsi_defaults",
     defaults: [
         "system_image_defaults",
         "system_ext_image_defaults",
@@ -105,11 +105,6 @@
         // telephony packages
         "CarrierConfig",
 
-        // Install a copy of the debug policy to the system_ext partition, and allow
-        // init-second-stage to load debug policy from system_ext.
-        // This option is only meant to be set by compliance GSI targets.
-        "system_ext_userdebug_plat_sepolicy.cil",
-
         ///////////////////////////////////////////
         // gsi_release
         ///////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -154,9 +149,64 @@
             deps: ["android.hidl.memory@1.0-impl"],
         },
     },
+    type: "ext4",
+}
+
+// system.img for gsi_{arch} targets
+android_system_image {
+    name: "android_gsi",
+    defaults: ["android_gsi_defaults"],
     enabled: select(soong_config_variable("ANDROID", "PRODUCT_INSTALL_DEBUG_POLICY_TO_SYSTEM_EXT"), {
         "true": true,
         default: false,
     }),
-    type: "ext4",
+    deps: [
+        // Install a copy of the debug policy to the system_ext partition, and allow
+        // init-second-stage to load debug policy from system_ext.
+        // This option is only meant to be set by compliance GSI targets.
+        "system_ext_userdebug_plat_sepolicy.cil",
+    ],
+}
+
+// system.img for aosp_{arch} targets
+android_system_image {
+    name: "aosp_system_image",
+    defaults: ["android_gsi_defaults"],
+    deps: [
+        // handheld_system_ext
+        "AccessibilityMenu",
+        "WallpaperCropper",
+
+        // telephony_system_ext
+        "EmergencyInfo",
+
+        // handheld_product
+        "Calendar",
+        "Contacts",
+        "DeskClock",
+        "Gallery2",
+        "Music",
+        "preinstalled-packages-platform-handheld-product.xml",
+        "QuickSearchBox",
+        "SettingsIntelligence",
+        "frameworks-base-overlays",
+
+        // telephony_product
+        "ImsServiceEntitlement",
+        "preinstalled-packages-platform-telephony-product.xml",
+
+        // more AOSP packages
+        "initial-package-stopped-states-aosp.xml",
+        "messaging",
+        "PhotoTable",
+        "preinstalled-packages-platform-aosp-product.xml",
+        "ThemePicker",
+    ] + select(product_variable("debuggable"), {
+        true: ["frameworks-base-overlays-debug"],
+        default: [],
+    }),
+    enabled: select(soong_config_variable("gsi", "building_gsi"), {
+        true: true,
+        default: false,
+    }),
 }