diff --git a/android/paths.go b/android/paths.go
index e7829b9..e0e5ae5 100644
--- a/android/paths.go
+++ b/android/paths.go
@@ -1057,7 +1057,8 @@
 	}
 
 	// absolute path already checked by validateSafePath
-	if strings.HasPrefix(ret.String(), ctx.Config().soongOutDir) {
+	// special-case api surface gen files for now
+	if strings.HasPrefix(ret.String(), ctx.Config().soongOutDir) && !strings.Contains(ret.String(), ctx.Config().soongOutDir+"/.export") {
 		return ret, fmt.Errorf("source path %q is in output", ret.String())
 	}
 
@@ -1073,7 +1074,8 @@
 	}
 
 	// absolute path already checked by validatePath
-	if strings.HasPrefix(ret.String(), ctx.Config().soongOutDir) {
+	// special-case for now
+	if strings.HasPrefix(ret.String(), ctx.Config().soongOutDir) && !strings.Contains(ret.String(), ctx.Config().soongOutDir+"/.export") {
 		return ret, fmt.Errorf("source path %q is in output", ret.String())
 	}