diff --git a/init/fuzzer/init_parser_fuzzer.cpp b/init/fuzzer/init_parser_fuzzer.cpp
index e6a78a2..dc76465 100644
--- a/init/fuzzer/init_parser_fuzzer.cpp
+++ b/init/fuzzer/init_parser_fuzzer.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
     std::string path = fdp_.ConsumeBool() ? fdp_.PickValueInArray(kValidPaths)
                                           : fdp_.ConsumeRandomLengthString(kMaxBytes);
     parser.ParseConfig(path);
-    parser.ParseConfigFileInsecure(path);
+    parser.ParseConfigFileInsecure(path, false /* follow_symlinks */);
 }
 
 void InitParserFuzzer::Process() {
diff --git a/init/host_init_verifier.cpp b/init/host_init_verifier.cpp
index db127d3..f070776 100644
--- a/init/host_init_verifier.cpp
+++ b/init/host_init_verifier.cpp
@@ -326,7 +326,9 @@
             }
         }
     } else {
-        if (!parser.ParseConfigFileInsecure(*argv)) {
+        if (!parser.ParseConfigFileInsecure(*argv, true /* follow_symlinks */)) {
+          // Follow symlinks as inputs during build execution in Bazel's
+          // execution root are symlinks, unlike Soong or Make.
             LOG(ERROR) << "Failed to open init rc script '" << *argv << "'";
             return EXIT_FAILURE;
         }
diff --git a/init/parser.cpp b/init/parser.cpp
index adb41ad..8c0bb2b 100644
--- a/init/parser.cpp
+++ b/init/parser.cpp
@@ -131,9 +131,9 @@
     }
 }
 
-bool Parser::ParseConfigFileInsecure(const std::string& path) {
+bool Parser::ParseConfigFileInsecure(const std::string& path, bool follow_symlinks = false) {
     std::string config_contents;
-    if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(path, &config_contents)) {
+    if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(path, &config_contents, follow_symlinks)) {
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/init/parser.h b/init/parser.h
index 980ae0c..8e5bca7 100644
--- a/init/parser.h
+++ b/init/parser.h
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
     void AddSingleLineParser(const std::string& prefix, LineCallback callback);
 
     // Host init verifier check file permissions.
-    bool ParseConfigFileInsecure(const std::string& path);
+    bool ParseConfigFileInsecure(const std::string& path, bool follow_symlinks);
 
     size_t parse_error_count() const { return parse_error_count_; }