diff --git a/tests/benchmark/AndroidManifest.xml b/tests/benchmark/AndroidManifest.xml
index ff18130..c39b91c 100644
--- a/tests/benchmark/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/tests/benchmark/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
       package="com.android.microdroid.benchmark">
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MANAGE_VIRTUAL_MACHINE" />
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.USE_CUSTOM_VIRTUAL_MACHINE" />
     <application>
         <uses-library android:name="android.system.virtualmachine" android:required="false" />
     </application>
diff --git a/tests/benchmark/AndroidTest.xml b/tests/benchmark/AndroidTest.xml
index 4949d22..0214cd9 100644
--- a/tests/benchmark/AndroidTest.xml
+++ b/tests/benchmark/AndroidTest.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
      See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
      limitations under the License.
 -->
-<configuration description="Runs sample instrumentation test.">
+<configuration description="Runs Microdroid benchmarks.">
     <option name="config-descriptor:metadata" key="component" value="security" />
     <option name="config-descriptor:metadata" key="parameter" value="not_instant_app" />
     <option name="config-descriptor:metadata" key="parameter" value="not_multi_abi" />
@@ -25,11 +25,6 @@
     <target_preparer class="com.android.tradefed.targetprep.RootTargetPreparer">
         <option name="force-root" value="true" />
     </target_preparer>
-    <target_preparer class="com.android.tradefed.targetprep.RunCommandTargetPreparer">
-      <option
-        name="run-command"
-        value="pm grant com.android.microdroid.benchmark android.permission.MANAGE_VIRTUAL_MACHINE" />
-    </target_preparer>
     <test class="com.android.tradefed.testtype.AndroidJUnitTest" >
         <option name="package" value="com.android.microdroid.benchmark" />
         <option name="runner" value="androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner" />
diff --git a/tests/benchmark/src/java/com/android/microdroid/benchmark/MicrodroidBenchmarks.java b/tests/benchmark/src/java/com/android/microdroid/benchmark/MicrodroidBenchmarks.java
index b1a1160..23d546d 100644
--- a/tests/benchmark/src/java/com/android/microdroid/benchmark/MicrodroidBenchmarks.java
+++ b/tests/benchmark/src/java/com/android/microdroid/benchmark/MicrodroidBenchmarks.java
@@ -80,20 +80,23 @@
 
     @Before
     public void setup() {
+        grantPermission(VirtualMachine.MANAGE_VIRTUAL_MACHINE_PERMISSION);
+        grantPermission(VirtualMachine.USE_CUSTOM_VIRTUAL_MACHINE_PERMISSION);
         prepareTestSetup(mProtectedVm);
         mInstrumentation = getInstrumentation();
     }
 
     private boolean canBootMicrodroidWithMemory(int mem)
             throws VirtualMachineException, InterruptedException, IOException {
-        final int trialCount = 5;
+        VirtualMachineConfig normalConfig = mInner.newVmConfigBuilder()
+                .setPayloadBinaryPath("MicrodroidTestNativeLib.so")
+                .setDebugLevel(DEBUG_LEVEL_NONE)
+                .setMemoryMib(mem)
+                .build();
 
         // returns true if succeeded at least once.
+        final int trialCount = 5;
         for (int i = 0; i < trialCount; i++) {
-            VirtualMachineConfig.Builder builder =
-                    mInner.newVmConfigBuilder("assets/vm_config.json");
-            VirtualMachineConfig normalConfig =
-                    builder.setDebugLevel(DEBUG_LEVEL_NONE).setMemoryMib(mem).build();
             mInner.forceCreateNewVirtualMachine("test_vm_minimum_memory", normalConfig);
 
             if (tryBootVm(TAG, "test_vm_minimum_memory").payloadStarted) return true;
@@ -144,7 +147,8 @@
         for (int i = 0; i < trialCount; i++) {
 
             // To grab boot events from log, set debug mode to FULL
-            VirtualMachineConfig normalConfig = mInner.newVmConfigBuilder("assets/vm_config.json")
+            VirtualMachineConfig normalConfig = mInner.newVmConfigBuilder()
+                    .setPayloadBinaryPath("MicrodroidTestNativeLib.so")
                     .setDebugLevel(DEBUG_LEVEL_FULL)
                     .setMemoryMib(256)
                     .build();
@@ -191,7 +195,8 @@
 
     @Test
     public void testVsockTransferFromHostToVM() throws Exception {
-        VirtualMachineConfig config = mInner.newVmConfigBuilder("assets/vm_config_io.json")
+        VirtualMachineConfig config = mInner.newVmConfigBuilder()
+                .setPayloadConfigPath("assets/vm_config_io.json")
                 .setDebugLevel(DEBUG_LEVEL_FULL)
                 .build();
         List<Double> transferRates = new ArrayList<>(IO_TEST_TRIAL_COUNT);
@@ -217,7 +222,8 @@
     }
 
     private void testVirtioBlkReadRate(boolean isRand) throws Exception {
-        VirtualMachineConfig config = mInner.newVmConfigBuilder("assets/vm_config_io.json")
+        VirtualMachineConfig config = mInner.newVmConfigBuilder()
+                .setPayloadConfigPath("assets/vm_config_io.json")
                 .setDebugLevel(DEBUG_LEVEL_FULL)
                 .build();
         List<Double> readRates = new ArrayList<>(IO_TEST_TRIAL_COUNT);
@@ -282,11 +288,11 @@
     @Test
     public void testMemoryUsage() throws Exception {
         final String vmName = "test_vm_mem_usage";
-        VirtualMachineConfig config =
-                mInner.newVmConfigBuilder("assets/vm_config_io.json")
-                        .setDebugLevel(DEBUG_LEVEL_NONE)
-                        .setMemoryMib(256)
-                        .build();
+        VirtualMachineConfig config = mInner.newVmConfigBuilder()
+                .setPayloadConfigPath("assets/vm_config_io.json")
+                .setDebugLevel(DEBUG_LEVEL_NONE)
+                .setMemoryMib(256)
+                .build();
         mInner.forceCreateNewVirtualMachine(vmName, config);
         VirtualMachine vm = mInner.getVirtualMachineManager().get(vmName);
         MemoryUsageListener listener = new MemoryUsageListener(this::executeCommand);