diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 951761c..c9741a0 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -1924,7 +1924,8 @@
 ifeq (,$(filter true, $(BOARD_USES_FULL_RECOVERY_IMAGE) $(BOARD_USES_RECOVERY_AS_BOOT) \
   $(BOARD_BUILD_SYSTEM_ROOT_IMAGE) $(BOARD_INCLUDE_RECOVERY_DTBO) $(BOARD_INCLUDE_RECOVERY_ACPIO)))
 # Named '.dat' so we don't attempt to use imgdiff for patching it.
-RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP := $(TARGET_OUT)/etc/recovery-resource.dat
+RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP := $(TARGET_OUT_VENDOR)/etc/recovery-resource.dat
+ALL_DEFAULT_INSTALLED_MODULES += $(RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP)
 else
 RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP :=
 endif
@@ -2294,8 +2295,7 @@
 INTERNAL_SYSTEMIMAGE_FILES := $(sort $(filter $(TARGET_OUT)/%, \
     $(ALL_GENERATED_SOURCES) \
     $(ALL_DEFAULT_INSTALLED_MODULES) \
-    $(PDK_FUSION_SYSIMG_FILES) \
-    $(RECOVERY_RESOURCE_ZIP)) \
+    $(PDK_FUSION_SYSIMG_FILES)) \
     $(PDK_FUSION_SYMLINK_STAMP))
 
 FULL_SYSTEMIMAGE_DEPS := $(INTERNAL_SYSTEMIMAGE_FILES) $(INTERNAL_USERIMAGES_DEPS)
@@ -3893,6 +3893,9 @@
 ifeq ($(BOARD_USES_FULL_RECOVERY_IMAGE),true)
 	$(hide) echo "full_recovery_image=true" >> $@
 endif
+ifdef BOARD_USES_VENDORIMAGE
+	$(hide) echo "board_uses_vendorimage=true" >> $@
+endif
 ifeq ($(BOARD_AVB_ENABLE),true)
 	$(hide) echo "avb_enable=true" >> $@
 	$(hide) echo "avb_vbmeta_key_path=$(BOARD_AVB_KEY_PATH)" >> $@
@@ -4299,10 +4302,8 @@
 	  $(zip_root)/META/$(notdir $(PRODUCT_ODM_BASE_FS_PATH))
 endif
 ifneq ($(INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET),)
-ifdef BUILDING_SYSTEM_IMAGE
 	$(hide) PATH=$(INTERNAL_USERIMAGES_BINARY_PATHS):$$PATH MKBOOTIMG=$(MKBOOTIMG) \
 	    $(MAKE_RECOVERY_PATCH) $(zip_root) $(zip_root)
-endif # BUILDING_SYSTEM_IMAGE
 endif
 ifeq ($(AB_OTA_UPDATER),true)
 	@# When using the A/B updater, include the updater config files in the zip.
diff --git a/target/product/base_system.mk b/target/product/base_system.mk
index ec373db..a8ed28a 100644
--- a/target/product/base_system.mk
+++ b/target/product/base_system.mk
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
     android.test.mock \
     android.test.runner \
     apexd \
-    applypatch \
     appops \
     app_process \
     appwidget \
diff --git a/target/product/base_vendor.mk b/target/product/base_vendor.mk
index 9d79e0f..1657e71 100644
--- a/target/product/base_vendor.mk
+++ b/target/product/base_vendor.mk
@@ -75,3 +75,8 @@
 # VINTF data for vendor image
 PRODUCT_PACKAGES += \
     device_compatibility_matrix.xml \
+
+# Packages to update the recovery partition, which will be installed on
+# /vendor. TODO(b/141648565): Don't install these unless they're needed.
+PRODUCT_PACKAGES += \
+    applypatch
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/add_img_to_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/add_img_to_target_files.py
index a5816bc..1a1f6fd 100755
--- a/tools/releasetools/add_img_to_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/add_img_to_target_files.py
@@ -165,9 +165,12 @@
       else:
         common.ZipWrite(output_zip, output_file, arc_name)
 
-  if (OPTIONS.rebuild_recovery and recovery_img is not None and
-      boot_img is not None):
-    logger.info("Building new recovery patch")
+  board_uses_vendorimage = OPTIONS.info_dict.get(
+      "board_uses_vendorimage") == "true"
+
+  if (OPTIONS.rebuild_recovery and not board_uses_vendorimage and
+      recovery_img is not None and boot_img is not None):
+    logger.info("Building new recovery patch on system at system/vendor")
     common.MakeRecoveryPatch(OPTIONS.input_tmp, output_sink, recovery_img,
                              boot_img, info_dict=OPTIONS.info_dict)
 
@@ -190,7 +193,7 @@
   CreateImage(OPTIONS.input_tmp, OPTIONS.info_dict, "system_other", img)
 
 
-def AddVendor(output_zip):
+def AddVendor(output_zip, recovery_img=None, boot_img=None):
   """Turn the contents of VENDOR into a vendor image and store in it
   output_zip."""
 
@@ -199,6 +202,27 @@
     logger.info("vendor.img already exists; no need to rebuild...")
     return img.name
 
+  def output_sink(fn, data):
+    ofile = open(os.path.join(OPTIONS.input_tmp, "VENDOR", fn), "w")
+    ofile.write(data)
+    ofile.close()
+
+    if output_zip:
+      arc_name = "VENDOR/" + fn
+      if arc_name in output_zip.namelist():
+        OPTIONS.replace_updated_files_list.append(arc_name)
+      else:
+        common.ZipWrite(output_zip, ofile.name, arc_name)
+
+  board_uses_vendorimage = OPTIONS.info_dict.get(
+      "board_uses_vendorimage") == "true"
+
+  if (OPTIONS.rebuild_recovery and board_uses_vendorimage and
+      recovery_img is not None and boot_img is not None):
+    logger.info("Building new recovery patch on vendor")
+    common.MakeRecoveryPatch(OPTIONS.input_tmp, output_sink, recovery_img,
+                             boot_img, info_dict=OPTIONS.info_dict)
+
   block_list = OutputFile(output_zip, OPTIONS.input_tmp, "IMAGES", "vendor.map")
   CreateImage(OPTIONS.input_tmp, OPTIONS.info_dict, "vendor", img,
               block_list=block_list)
@@ -781,7 +805,8 @@
 
   if has_vendor:
     banner("vendor")
-    partitions['vendor'] = AddVendor(output_zip)
+    partitions['vendor'] = AddVendor(
+        output_zip, recovery_img=recovery_image, boot_img=boot_image)
 
   if has_product:
     banner("product")
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/common.py b/tools/releasetools/common.py
index 974d4b0..04c721d 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/common.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/common.py
@@ -2535,13 +2535,25 @@
     info_dict = OPTIONS.info_dict
 
   full_recovery_image = info_dict.get("full_recovery_image") == "true"
+  board_uses_vendorimage = info_dict.get("board_uses_vendorimage") == "true"
+
+  if board_uses_vendorimage:
+    # In this case, the output sink is rooted at VENDOR
+    recovery_img_path = "etc/recovery.img"
+    recovery_resource_dat_path = "VENDOR/etc/recovery-resource.dat"
+    sh_dir = "bin"
+  else:
+    # In this case the output sink is rooted at SYSTEM
+    recovery_img_path = "vendor/etc/recovery.img"
+    recovery_resource_dat_path = "SYSTEM/vendor/etc/recovery-resource.dat"
+    sh_dir = "vendor/bin"
 
   if full_recovery_image:
-    output_sink("etc/recovery.img", recovery_img.data)
+    output_sink(recovery_img_path, recovery_img.data)
 
   else:
     system_root_image = info_dict.get("system_root_image") == "true"
-    path = os.path.join(input_dir, "SYSTEM", "etc", "recovery-resource.dat")
+    path = os.path.join(input_dir, recovery_resource_dat_path)
     # With system-root-image, boot and recovery images will have mismatching
     # entries (only recovery has the ramdisk entry) (Bug: 72731506). Use bsdiff
     # to handle such a case.
@@ -2554,7 +2566,7 @@
       if os.path.exists(path):
         diff_program.append("-b")
         diff_program.append(path)
-        bonus_args = "--bonus /system/etc/recovery-resource.dat"
+        bonus_args = "--bonus /vendor/etc/recovery-resource.dat"
       else:
         bonus_args = ""
 
@@ -2571,10 +2583,16 @@
     return
 
   if full_recovery_image:
-    sh = """#!/system/bin/sh
+
+    # Note that we use /vendor to refer to the recovery resources. This will
+    # work for a separate vendor partition mounted at /vendor or a
+    # /system/vendor subdirectory on the system partition, for which init will
+    # create a symlink from /vendor to /system/vendor.
+
+    sh = """#!/vendor/bin/sh
 if ! applypatch --check %(type)s:%(device)s:%(size)d:%(sha1)s; then
   applypatch \\
-          --flash /system/etc/recovery.img \\
+          --flash /vendor/etc/recovery.img \\
           --target %(type)s:%(device)s:%(size)d:%(sha1)s && \\
       log -t recovery "Installing new recovery image: succeeded" || \\
       log -t recovery "Installing new recovery image: failed"
@@ -2586,10 +2604,10 @@
        'sha1': recovery_img.sha1,
        'size': recovery_img.size}
   else:
-    sh = """#!/system/bin/sh
+    sh = """#!/vendor/bin/sh
 if ! applypatch --check %(recovery_type)s:%(recovery_device)s:%(recovery_size)d:%(recovery_sha1)s; then
   applypatch %(bonus_args)s \\
-          --patch /system/recovery-from-boot.p \\
+          --patch /vendor/recovery-from-boot.p \\
           --source %(boot_type)s:%(boot_device)s:%(boot_size)d:%(boot_sha1)s \\
           --target %(recovery_type)s:%(recovery_device)s:%(recovery_size)d:%(recovery_sha1)s && \\
       log -t recovery "Installing new recovery image: succeeded" || \\
@@ -2607,9 +2625,9 @@
        'recovery_device': recovery_device,
        'bonus_args': bonus_args}
 
-  # The install script location moved from /system/etc to /system/bin
-  # in the L release.
-  sh_location = "bin/install-recovery.sh"
+  # The install script location moved from /system/etc to /system/bin in the L
+  # release. In the R release it is in VENDOR/bin or SYSTEM/vendor/bin.
+  sh_location = os.path.join(sh_dir, "install-recovery.sh")
 
   logger.info("putting script in %s", sh_location)
 
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/make_recovery_patch.py b/tools/releasetools/make_recovery_patch.py
index 725b355..1497d69 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/make_recovery_patch.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/make_recovery_patch.py
@@ -47,8 +47,17 @@
   if not recovery_img or not boot_img:
     sys.exit(0)
 
+  board_uses_vendorimage = OPTIONS.info_dict.get(
+      "board_uses_vendorimage") == "true"
+
+  if board_uses_vendorimage:
+    target_files_dir = "VENDOR"
+  else:
+    target_files_dir = "SYSTEM"
+
   def output_sink(fn, data):
-    with open(os.path.join(output_dir, "SYSTEM", *fn.split("/")), "wb") as f:
+    with open(os.path.join(output_dir, target_files_dir,
+                           *fn.split("/")), "wb") as f:
       f.write(data)
 
   common.MakeRecoveryPatch(input_dir, output_sink, recovery_img, boot_img)
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/merge_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/merge_target_files.py
index ba70986..544f996 100755
--- a/tools/releasetools/merge_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/merge_target_files.py
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@
       files package and saves it at this path.
 
   --rebuild_recovery
-      Rebuild the recovery patch used by non-A/B devices and write it to the
-      system image.
+      Deprecated; does nothing.
 
   --keep-tmp
       Keep tempoary files for debugging purposes.
@@ -106,6 +105,7 @@
 OPTIONS.output_ota = None
 OPTIONS.output_img = None
 OPTIONS.output_super_empty = None
+# TODO(b/132730255): Remove this option.
 OPTIONS.rebuild_recovery = False
 OPTIONS.keep_tmp = False
 
@@ -372,32 +372,6 @@
   write_sorted_data(data=output_ab_partitions, path=output_ab_partitions_txt)
 
 
-def append_recovery_to_filesystem_config(output_target_files_temp_dir):
-  """Performs special processing for META/filesystem_config.txt.
-
-  This function appends recovery information to META/filesystem_config.txt so
-  that recovery patch regeneration will succeed.
-
-  Args:
-    output_target_files_temp_dir: The name of a directory that will be used to
-      create the output target files package after all the special cases are
-      processed. We find filesystem_config.txt here.
-  """
-
-  filesystem_config_txt = os.path.join(output_target_files_temp_dir, 'META',
-                                       'filesystem_config.txt')
-
-  with open(filesystem_config_txt, 'a') as f:
-    # TODO(bpeckham) this data is hard coded. It should be generated
-    # programmatically.
-    f.write('system/bin/install-recovery.sh 0 0 750 '
-            'selabel=u:object_r:install_recovery_exec:s0 capabilities=0x0\n')
-    f.write('system/recovery-from-boot.p 0 0 644 '
-            'selabel=u:object_r:system_file:s0 capabilities=0x0\n')
-    f.write('system/etc/recovery.img 0 0 440 '
-            'selabel=u:object_r:install_recovery_exec:s0 capabilities=0x0\n')
-
-
 def process_misc_info_txt(framework_target_files_temp_dir,
                           vendor_target_files_temp_dir,
                           output_target_files_temp_dir,
@@ -594,7 +568,7 @@
 def process_special_cases(framework_target_files_temp_dir,
                           vendor_target_files_temp_dir,
                           output_target_files_temp_dir,
-                          framework_misc_info_keys, rebuild_recovery):
+                          framework_misc_info_keys):
   """Performs special-case processing for certain target files items.
 
   Certain files in the output target files package require special-case
@@ -611,8 +585,6 @@
     framework_misc_info_keys: A list of keys to obtain from the framework
       instance of META/misc_info.txt. The remaining keys from the vendor
       instance.
-    rebuild_recovery: If true, rebuild the recovery patch used by non-A/B
-      devices and write it to the system image.
   """
 
   if 'ab_update' in framework_misc_info_keys:
@@ -621,10 +593,6 @@
         vendor_target_files_temp_dir=vendor_target_files_temp_dir,
         output_target_files_temp_dir=output_target_files_temp_dir)
 
-  if rebuild_recovery:
-    append_recovery_to_filesystem_config(
-        output_target_files_temp_dir=output_target_files_temp_dir)
-
   copy_file_contexts(
       framework_target_files_dir=framework_target_files_temp_dir,
       vendor_target_files_dir=vendor_target_files_temp_dir,
@@ -757,8 +725,7 @@
       framework_target_files_temp_dir=framework_target_files_temp_dir,
       vendor_target_files_temp_dir=vendor_target_files_temp_dir,
       output_target_files_temp_dir=output_target_files_temp_dir,
-      framework_misc_info_keys=framework_misc_info_keys,
-      rebuild_recovery=rebuild_recovery)
+      framework_misc_info_keys=framework_misc_info_keys)
 
   return output_target_files_temp_dir
 
@@ -779,6 +746,7 @@
 
   add_img_args = ['--verbose']
   add_img_args.append('--add_missing')
+  # TODO(b/132730255): Remove this if statement.
   if rebuild_recovery:
     add_img_args.append('--rebuild_recovery')
   add_img_args.append(target_files_dir)
@@ -1016,7 +984,7 @@
       OPTIONS.output_img = a
     elif o == '--output-super-empty':
       OPTIONS.output_super_empty = a
-    elif o == '--rebuild_recovery':
+    elif o == '--rebuild_recovery': # TODO(b/132730255): Warn
       OPTIONS.rebuild_recovery = True
     elif o == '--keep-tmp':
       OPTIONS.keep_tmp = True
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
index de947f3..3fc3c22 100755
--- a/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
@@ -731,10 +731,19 @@
     script.WriteRawImage("/boot", "recovery.img")
 
 
-def HasRecoveryPatch(target_files_zip):
+def HasRecoveryPatch(target_files_zip, info_dict):
+  board_uses_vendorimage = info_dict.get("board_uses_vendorimage") == "true"
+
+  if board_uses_vendorimage:
+    target_files_dir = "VENDOR"
+  else:
+    target_files_dir = "SYSTEM/vendor"
+
+  patch = "%s/recovery-from-boot.p" % target_files_dir
+  img = "%s/etc/recovery.img" %target_files_dir
+
   namelist = [name for name in target_files_zip.namelist()]
-  return ("SYSTEM/recovery-from-boot.p" in namelist or
-          "SYSTEM/etc/recovery.img" in namelist)
+  return (patch in namelist or img in namelist)
 
 
 def HasPartition(target_files_zip, partition):
@@ -925,7 +934,7 @@
       metadata=metadata,
       info_dict=OPTIONS.info_dict)
 
-  assert HasRecoveryPatch(input_zip)
+  assert HasRecoveryPatch(input_zip, info_dict=OPTIONS.info_dict)
 
   # Assertions (e.g. downgrade check, device properties check).
   ts = target_info.GetBuildProp("ro.build.date.utc")
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/validate_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/validate_target_files.py
index c299a48..a5e1930 100755
--- a/tools/releasetools/validate_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/validate_target_files.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
   1. full recovery:
   ...
   if ! applypatch --check type:device:size:sha1; then
-    applypatch --flash /system/etc/recovery.img \\
+    applypatch --flash /vendor/etc/recovery.img \\
         type:device:size:sha1 && \\
   ...
 
@@ -146,18 +146,26 @@
   ...
   if ! applypatch --check type:recovery_device:recovery_size:recovery_sha1; then
     applypatch [--bonus bonus_args] \\
-        --patch /system/recovery-from-boot.p \\
+        --patch /vendor/recovery-from-boot.p \\
         --source type:boot_device:boot_size:boot_sha1 \\
         --target type:recovery_device:recovery_size:recovery_sha1 && \\
   ...
 
-  For full recovery, we want to calculate the SHA-1 of /system/etc/recovery.img
+  For full recovery, we want to calculate the SHA-1 of /vendor/etc/recovery.img
   and compare it against the one embedded in the script. While for recovery
   from boot, we want to check the SHA-1 for both recovery.img and boot.img
   under IMAGES/.
   """
 
-  script_path = 'SYSTEM/bin/install-recovery.sh'
+  board_uses_vendorimage = info_dict.get("board_uses_vendorimage") == "true"
+
+  if board_uses_vendorimage:
+    script_path = 'VENDOR/bin/install-recovery.sh'
+    recovery_img = 'VENDOR/etc/recovery.img'
+  else:
+    script_path = 'SYSTEM/vendor/bin/install-recovery.sh'
+    recovery_img = 'SYSTEM/vendor/etc/recovery.img'
+
   if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(input_tmp, script_path)):
     logging.info('%s does not exist in input_tmp', script_path)
     return
@@ -188,7 +196,7 @@
     # Validate the SHA-1 of the recovery image.
     recovery_sha1 = flash_partition.split(':')[3]
     ValidateFileAgainstSha1(
-        input_tmp, 'recovery.img', 'SYSTEM/etc/recovery.img', recovery_sha1)
+        input_tmp, 'recovery.img', recovery_img, recovery_sha1)
   else:
     assert len(lines) == 11, "Invalid line count: {}".format(lines)