diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 45123bc..15f7681 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -2079,13 +2079,13 @@
 	$(hide) cat $(INSTALLED_SYSTEM_EXT_BUILD_PROP_TARGET) >> $@
 	$(call append-recovery-ui-properties,$(PRIVATE_RECOVERY_UI_PROPERTIES),$@)
 
-ifdef INSTALLED_VENDOR_BOOTIMAGE_TARGET
+ifeq (truetrue,$(strip $(BUILDING_VENDOR_BOOT_IMAGE))$(strip $(AB_OTA_UPDATER)))
   INTERNAL_RECOVERYIMAGE_ARGS := \
       --kernel $(recovery_kernel) --ramdisk $(recovery_ramdisk)
 ifdef GENERIC_KERNEL_CMDLINE
   INTERNAL_RECOVERYIMAGE_ARGS += --cmdline "$(GENERIC_KERNEL_CMDLINE)"
 endif
-else # INSTALLED_VENDOR_BOOTIMAGE_TARGET not defined
+else # not (BUILDING_VENDOR_BOOT_IMAGE and AB_OTA_UPDATER)
   INTERNAL_RECOVERYIMAGE_ARGS := \
       $(addprefix --second ,$(INSTALLED_2NDBOOTLOADER_TARGET)) \
       --ramdisk $(recovery_ramdisk)
@@ -2113,6 +2113,9 @@
   INTERNAL_RECOVERYIMAGE_ARGS += --dtb $(INSTALLED_DTBIMAGE_TARGET)
 endif
 endif # INSTALLED_VENDOR_BOOTIMAGE_TARGET not defined
+ifndef BOARD_RECOVERY_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS
+  BOARD_RECOVERY_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS := $(BOARD_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS)
+endif
 
 $(recovery_ramdisk): $(MKBOOTFS) $(MINIGZIP) \
 	    $(INTERNAL_ROOT_FILES) \
@@ -2156,10 +2159,10 @@
 define build-recoveryimage-target
   $(if $(filter true,$(PRODUCT_SUPPORTS_VBOOT)), \
     $(MKBOOTIMG) --kernel $(2) $(MKBOOTIMG_KERNEL_ARG) $(INTERNAL_RECOVERYIMAGE_ARGS) \
-                 $(INTERNAL_MKBOOTIMG_VERSION_ARGS) $(BOARD_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS) \
+                 $(INTERNAL_MKBOOTIMG_VERSION_ARGS) $(BOARD_RECOVERY_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS) \
                  --output $(1).unsigned, \
     $(MKBOOTIMG) --kernel $(2) $(MKBOOTIMG_KERNEL_ARG) $(INTERNAL_RECOVERYIMAGE_ARGS) \
-                 $(INTERNAL_MKBOOTIMG_VERSION_ARGS) $(BOARD_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS) \
+                 $(INTERNAL_MKBOOTIMG_VERSION_ARGS) $(BOARD_RECOVERY_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS) \
                  --output $(1))
   $(if $(filter true,$(PRODUCT_SUPPORTS_BOOT_SIGNER)),\
     $(if $(filter true,$(BOARD_USES_RECOVERY_AS_BOOT)),\
@@ -4154,6 +4157,7 @@
 	$(hide) echo "extra_recovery_keys=$(PRODUCT_EXTRA_RECOVERY_KEYS)" >> $@
 endif
 	$(hide) echo 'mkbootimg_args=$(BOARD_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS)' >> $@
+	$(hide) echo 'recovery_mkbootimg_args=$(BOARD_RECOVERY_MKBOOTIMG_ARGS)' >> $@
 	$(hide) echo 'mkbootimg_version_args=$(INTERNAL_MKBOOTIMG_VERSION_ARGS)' >> $@
 	$(hide) echo "multistage_support=1" >> $@
 	$(hide) echo "blockimgdiff_versions=3,4" >> $@
@@ -4464,9 +4468,9 @@
 ifdef INSTALLED_KERNEL_TARGET
 	cp $(INSTALLED_KERNEL_TARGET) $(zip_root)/$(PRIVATE_RECOVERY_OUT)/
 endif
-ifdef INSTALLED_VENDOR_BOOTIMAGE_TARGET
+ifeq (truetrue,$(strip $(BUILDING_VENDOR_BOOT_IMAGE))$(strip $(AB_OTA_UPDATER)))
 	echo "$(GENERIC_KERNEL_CMDLINE)" > $(zip_root)/$(PRIVATE_RECOVERY_OUT)/cmdline
-else # INSTALLED_VENDOR_BOOTIMAGE_TARGET not defined
+else # not (BUILDING_VENDOR_BOOT_IMAGE and AB_OTA_UPDATER)
 ifdef INSTALLED_2NDBOOTLOADER_TARGET
 	cp $(INSTALLED_2NDBOOTLOADER_TARGET) $(zip_root)/$(PRIVATE_RECOVERY_OUT)/second
 endif
diff --git a/core/board_config.mk b/core/board_config.mk
index 8ff16e2..a329cb1 100644
--- a/core/board_config.mk
+++ b/core/board_config.mk
@@ -365,11 +365,6 @@
     ifneq ($(TARGET_NO_VENDOR_BOOT),true)
       BUILDING_VENDOR_BOOT_IMAGE := true
     endif
-    ifdef BUILDING_RECOVERY_IMAGE
-      ifneq ($(BOARD_USES_RECOVERY_AS_BOOT),true)
-        $(error Boot header version >=3 requires recovery as boot)
-      endif
-    endif
   endif
 endif
 .KATI_READONLY := BUILDING_VENDOR_BOOT_IMAGE