diff --git a/vm_payload/Android.bp b/vm_payload/Android.bp
index 6be6f22..967d1cf 100644
--- a/vm_payload/Android.bp
+++ b/vm_payload/Android.bp
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
     default_applicable_licenses: ["Android-Apache-2.0"],
 }
 
-rust_ffi_shared {
-    name: "libvm_payload",
+// The Rust implementation of the C API.
+rust_ffi_static {
+    name: "libvm_payload_impl",
     crate_name: "vm_payload",
+    visibility: ["//visibility:private"],
     srcs: ["src/*.rs"],
     include_dirs: ["include"],
     prefer_rlib: true,
@@ -19,9 +21,6 @@
         "librpcbinder_rs",
         "libvsock",
     ],
-    apex_available: [
-        "com.android.compos",
-    ],
     // The sanitize section below fixes the fuzzer build in b/256166339.
     // TODO(b/250854486): Remove the sanitize section once the bug is fixed.
     sanitize: {
@@ -29,6 +28,8 @@
     },
 }
 
+// Rust wrappers round the C API for Rust clients.
+// (Yes, this involves going Rust -> C -> Rust.)
 rust_bindgen {
     name: "libvm_payload_bindgen",
     wrapper_src: "include-restricted/vm_payload_restricted.h",
@@ -37,16 +38,38 @@
     apex_available: ["com.android.compos"],
     visibility: ["//packages/modules/Virtualization/compos"],
     shared_libs: [
-        "libvm_payload",
+        "libvm_payload#current",
     ],
 }
 
+// Shared library for clients to link against.
+cc_library_shared {
+    name: "libvm_payload",
+    shared_libs: [
+        "libbinder_ndk",
+        "libbinder_rpc_unstable",
+        "liblog",
+    ],
+    whole_static_libs: ["libvm_payload_impl"],
+    export_static_lib_headers: ["libvm_payload_impl"],
+    installable: false,
+    version_script: "libvm_payload.map.txt",
+    stubs: {
+        symbol_file: "libvm_payload.map.txt",
+        // Implementation is available inside a Microdroid VM.
+        implementation_installable: false,
+    },
+}
+
+// Just the headers. Mostly useful for clients that only want the
+// declaration of AVmPayload_main().
 cc_library_headers {
     name: "vm_payload_headers",
     apex_available: ["com.android.compos"],
     export_include_dirs: ["include"],
 }
 
+// Restricted headers for use by internal clients & associated tests.
 cc_library_headers {
     name: "vm_payload_restricted_headers",
     header_libs: ["vm_payload_headers"],