diff --git a/payload_generator/payload_generation_config.cc b/payload_generator/payload_generation_config.cc
index 387cc3a..a9926d1 100644
--- a/payload_generator/payload_generation_config.cc
+++ b/payload_generator/payload_generation_config.cc
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <map>
 #include <utility>
 
+#include <android-base/parseint.h>
 #include <base/logging.h>
 #include <base/strings/string_number_conversions.h>
 #include <brillo/strings/string_utils.h>
@@ -212,7 +213,14 @@
       compression_method = "gz";
     }
     metadata->set_vabc_compression_param(compression_method);
-    metadata->set_cow_version(android::snapshot::kCowVersionManifest);
+    std::string cow_version;
+    if (!store.GetString("virtual_ab_cow_version", &cow_version)) {
+      metadata->set_cow_version(android::snapshot::kCowVersionManifest);
+    } else {
+      uint32_t cow_version_num{};
+      android::base::ParseUint(cow_version, &cow_version_num);
+      metadata->set_cow_version(cow_version_num);
+    }
   }
   dynamic_partition_metadata = std::move(metadata);
   return true;