diff --git a/compos/common/compos_client.rs b/compos/common/compos_client.rs
index 4908f94..73554bb 100644
--- a/compos/common/compos_client.rs
+++ b/compos/common/compos_client.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 //! Support for starting CompOS in a VM and connecting to the service
 
 use crate::timeouts::timeouts;
-use crate::{COMPOS_APEX_ROOT, COMPOS_DATA_ROOT, COMPOS_VSOCK_PORT};
+use crate::{COMPOS_APEX_ROOT, COMPOS_DATA_ROOT, COMPOS_VSOCK_PORT, DEFAULT_VM_CONFIG_PATH};
 use android_system_virtualizationservice::aidl::android::system::virtualizationservice::{
     IVirtualMachine::IVirtualMachine,
     IVirtualMachineCallback::{BnVirtualMachineCallback, IVirtualMachineCallback},
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@
 pub struct VmParameters {
     /// Whether the VM should be debuggable.
     pub debug_mode: bool,
+    /// If present, overrides the path to the VM config JSON file
+    pub config_path: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl VmInstance {
@@ -95,11 +97,12 @@
             (None, DebugLevel::NONE)
         };
 
+        let config_path = parameters.config_path.as_deref().unwrap_or(DEFAULT_VM_CONFIG_PATH);
         let config = VirtualMachineConfig::AppConfig(VirtualMachineAppConfig {
             apk: Some(apk_fd),
             idsig: Some(idsig_fd),
             instanceImage: Some(instance_fd),
-            configPath: "assets/vm_config.json".to_owned(),
+            configPath: config_path.to_owned(),
             debugLevel: debug_level,
             ..Default::default()
         });
diff --git a/compos/common/lib.rs b/compos/common/lib.rs
index 4bfa81f..9b07030 100644
--- a/compos/common/lib.rs
+++ b/compos/common/lib.rs
@@ -52,3 +52,10 @@
 
 /// The file that holds the instance image for a CompOS instance.
 pub const INSTANCE_IMAGE_FILE: &str = "instance.img";
+
+/// The path within our config APK of our default VM configuration file, used at boot time.
+pub const DEFAULT_VM_CONFIG_PATH: &str = "assets/vm_config.json";
+
+/// The path within our config APK of the VM configuration file we use when compiling staged
+/// APEXes before reboot.
+pub const PREFER_STAGED_VM_CONFIG_PATH: &str = "assets/vm_config_staged.json";