diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 09671a6..5d72d7a 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -812,8 +812,15 @@
 else
 recovery_fstab := $(strip $(wildcard $(TARGET_DEVICE_DIR)/recovery.fstab))
 endif
+
+ifneq ($(BOARD_USES_FULL_RECOVERY_IMAGE),true)
 # Named '.dat' so we don't attempt to use imgdiff for patching it.
 RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP := $(TARGET_OUT)/etc/recovery-resource.dat
+else
+# We carry a full copy of the recovery image. recovery-resource.dat is no
+# longer needed.
+RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP :=
+endif
 
 ifeq ($(recovery_resources_private),)
   $(info No private recovery resources for TARGET_DEVICE $(TARGET_DEVICE))
@@ -906,16 +913,18 @@
 		$(RECOVERY_INSTALL_OTA_KEYS)
 		$(call build-recoveryimage-target, $@)
 
+ifneq ($(BOARD_USES_FULL_RECOVERY_IMAGE),true)
 $(RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP): $(INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET)
 	$(hide) mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	$(hide) find $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/res -type f | sort | zip -0qrj $@ -@
+endif
 
 .PHONY: recoveryimage-nodeps
 recoveryimage-nodeps:
 	@echo "make $@: ignoring dependencies"
 	$(call build-recoveryimage-target, $(INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET))
 
-else
+else # INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET not defined
 RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP :=
 endif
 
@@ -1022,6 +1031,7 @@
 # we can see how big it's going to be, and include that in the system
 # image size check calculation.
 ifneq ($(INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET),)
+ifneq ($(BOARD_USES_FULL_RECOVERY_IMAGE),true)
 intermediates := $(call intermediates-dir-for,PACKAGING,recovery_patch)
 RECOVERY_FROM_BOOT_PATCH := $(intermediates)/recovery_from_boot.p
 $(RECOVERY_FROM_BOOT_PATCH): $(INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET) \
@@ -1031,6 +1041,9 @@
 	@echo "Construct recovery from boot"
 	mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	PATH=$(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES):$$PATH $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/imgdiff $(INSTALLED_BOOTIMAGE_TARGET) $(INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET) $@
+else # $(BOARD_USES_FULL_RECOVERY_IMAGE) == true
+RECOVERY_FROM_BOOT_PATCH := $(INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET)
+endif
 endif
 
 
@@ -1524,6 +1537,9 @@
 	# We need to create userdata.img with real data because the instrumented libraries are in userdata.img.
 	$(hide) echo "userdata_img_with_data=true" >> $(zip_root)/META/misc_info.txt
 endif
+ifeq ($(BOARD_USES_FULL_RECOVERY_IMAGE),true)
+	$(hide) echo "full_recovery_image=true" >> $(zip_root)/META/misc_info.txt
+endif
 	$(call generate-userimage-prop-dictionary, $(zip_root)/META/misc_info.txt)
 	$(hide) PATH=$(foreach p,$(INTERNAL_USERIMAGES_BINARY_PATHS),$(p):)$$PATH MKBOOTIMG=$(MKBOOTIMG) \
 	    ./build/tools/releasetools/make_recovery_patch $(zip_root) $(zip_root)