diff --git a/build/debian/vm_config.json.aarch64 b/build/debian/vm_config.json.aarch64
index 8e16093..2df0a05 100644
--- a/build/debian/vm_config.json.aarch64
+++ b/build/debian/vm_config.json.aarch64
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
             "sharedPath": "/storage/emulated"
         },
         {
-            "sharedPath": "/data/user/$USER_ID/$PACKAGE_NAME/files"
+            "sharedPath": "$APP_DATA_DIR/files"
         }
     ],
     "protected": false,
diff --git a/build/debian/vm_config.json.x86_64 b/build/debian/vm_config.json.x86_64
index 09e04b9..1719815 100644
--- a/build/debian/vm_config.json.x86_64
+++ b/build/debian/vm_config.json.x86_64
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
             "sharedPath": "/storage/emulated"
         },
         {
-            "sharedPath": "/data/user/$USER_ID/$PACKAGE_NAME/files"
+            "sharedPath": "$APP_DATA_DIR/files"
         }
     ],
     "kernel": "$PAYLOAD_DIR/vmlinuz",
diff --git a/libs/vm_launcher_lib/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/InstallUtils.java b/libs/vm_launcher_lib/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/InstallUtils.java
index 0e46a63..f5cc912 100644
--- a/libs/vm_launcher_lib/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/InstallUtils.java
+++ b/libs/vm_launcher_lib/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/InstallUtils.java
@@ -141,6 +141,12 @@
         rules.put("\\$PAYLOAD_DIR", new File(context.getFilesDir(), PAYLOAD_DIR).toString());
         rules.put("\\$USER_ID", String.valueOf(context.getUserId()));
         rules.put("\\$PACKAGE_NAME", context.getPackageName());
+        String appDataDir = context.getDataDir().toString();
+        // TODO: remove this hack
+        if (context.getUserId() == 0) {
+            appDataDir = "/data/data/" + context.getPackageName();
+        }
+        rules.put("\\$APP_DATA_DIR", appDataDir);
         return (s) -> {
             for (Map.Entry<String, String> rule : rules.entrySet()) {
                 s = s.replaceAll(rule.getKey(), rule.getValue());