diff --git a/apex/vndk.go b/apex/vndk.go
index cf525a8..75c0fb0 100644
--- a/apex/vndk.go
+++ b/apex/vndk.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package apex
 
 import (
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"android/soong/android"
@@ -95,14 +96,11 @@
 }
 
 // name is module.BaseModuleName() which is used as LOCAL_MODULE_NAME and also LOCAL_OVERRIDES_*
-func makeCompatSymlinks(name string, ctx android.ModuleContext, primaryApex bool) (symlinks android.InstallPaths) {
+func makeCompatSymlinks(name string, ctx android.ModuleContext) (symlinks []string) {
 	// small helper to add symlink commands
-	addSymlink := func(target string, dir android.InstallPath, linkName string) {
-		if primaryApex {
-			symlinks = append(symlinks, ctx.InstallAbsoluteSymlink(dir, linkName, target))
-		} else {
-			symlinks = append(symlinks, dir.Join(ctx, linkName))
-		}
+	addSymlink := func(target, dir, linkName string) {
+		link := filepath.Join(dir, linkName)
+		symlinks = append(symlinks, "mkdir -p "+dir+" && rm -rf "+link+" && ln -sf "+target+" "+link)
 	}
 
 	// TODO(b/142911355): [VNDK APEX] Fix hard-coded references to /system/lib/vndk
@@ -120,15 +118,14 @@
 		// the name of vndk apex is formatted "com.android.vndk.v" + version
 		apexName := vndkApexNamePrefix + vndkVersion
 		if ctx.Config().Android64() {
-			dir := android.PathForModuleInPartitionInstall(ctx, "system", "lib64")
-			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib64", dir, "vndk-sp-"+vndkVersion)
-			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib64", dir, "vndk-"+vndkVersion)
+			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib64", "$(TARGET_OUT)/lib64", "vndk-sp-"+vndkVersion)
+			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib64", "$(TARGET_OUT)/lib64", "vndk-"+vndkVersion)
 		}
 		if !ctx.Config().Android64() || ctx.DeviceConfig().DeviceSecondaryArch() != "" {
-			dir := android.PathForModuleInPartitionInstall(ctx, "system", "lib")
-			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib", dir, "vndk-sp-"+vndkVersion)
-			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib", dir, "vndk-"+vndkVersion)
+			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib", "$(TARGET_OUT)/lib", "vndk-sp-"+vndkVersion)
+			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib", "$(TARGET_OUT)/lib", "vndk-"+vndkVersion)
 		}
+		return
 	}
 
 	// http://b/121248172 - create a link from /system/usr/icu to
@@ -136,25 +133,19 @@
 	// A symlink can't overwrite a directory and the /system/usr/icu directory once
 	// existed so the required structure must be created whatever we find.
 	if name == "com.android.i18n" {
-		dir := android.PathForModuleInPartitionInstall(ctx, "system", "usr")
-		addSymlink("/apex/com.android.i18n/etc/icu", dir, "icu")
+		addSymlink("/apex/com.android.i18n/etc/icu", "$(TARGET_OUT)/usr", "icu")
+		return
 	}
 
 	// TODO(b/124106384): Clean up compat symlinks for ART binaries.
-	if name == "com.android.art" {
-		dir := android.PathForModuleInPartitionInstall(ctx, "system", "bin")
-		addSymlink("/apex/com.android.art/bin/dalvikvm", dir, "dalvikvm")
+	if name == "com.android.art" || strings.HasPrefix(name, "com.android.art.") {
+		addSymlink("/apex/com.android.art/bin/dalvikvm", "$(TARGET_OUT)/bin", "dalvikvm")
 		dex2oat := "dex2oat32"
 		if ctx.Config().Android64() {
 			dex2oat = "dex2oat64"
 		}
-		addSymlink("/apex/com.android.art/bin/"+dex2oat, dir, "dex2oat")
-	} else if name == "com.android.art" || strings.HasPrefix(name, "com.android.art.") {
-		dir := android.PathForModuleInPartitionInstall(ctx, "system", "bin")
-		symlinks = append(symlinks,
-			dir.Join(ctx, "dalvikvm"),
-			dir.Join(ctx, "dex2oat"))
+		addSymlink("/apex/com.android.art/bin/"+dex2oat, "$(TARGET_OUT)/bin", "dex2oat")
+		return
 	}
-
-	return symlinks
+	return
 }