diff --git a/android/rule_builder.go b/android/rule_builder.go
index ea6aaa4..01fe6d8 100644
--- a/android/rule_builder.go
+++ b/android/rule_builder.go
@@ -660,12 +660,17 @@
 			}
 			for _, c := range r.commands {
 				for _, tool := range c.packagedTools {
-					command.CopyBefore = append(command.CopyBefore, &sbox_proto.Copy{
-						From:       proto.String(tool.srcPath.String()),
-						To:         proto.String(sboxPathForPackagedToolRel(tool)),
-						Executable: proto.Bool(tool.executable),
-					})
-					tools = append(tools, tool.srcPath)
+					if tool.srcPath != nil {
+						command.CopyBefore = append(command.CopyBefore, &sbox_proto.Copy{
+							From:       proto.String(tool.srcPath.String()),
+							To:         proto.String(sboxPathForPackagedToolRel(tool)),
+							Executable: proto.Bool(tool.executable),
+						})
+						tools = append(tools, tool.srcPath)
+					} else if tool.SymlinkTarget() == "" {
+						// We ignore symlinks for now, could be added later if needed
+						panic("Expected tool packagingSpec to either be a file or symlink")
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}