diff --git a/apex/apex.go b/apex/apex.go
index 51a963b..629cbbf 100644
--- a/apex/apex.go
+++ b/apex/apex.go
@@ -126,11 +126,15 @@
 	}, "image_content_file", "whitelisted_files_file", "apex_module_name")
 )
 
-var imageApexSuffix = ".apex"
-var zipApexSuffix = ".zipapex"
+const (
+	imageApexSuffix = ".apex"
+	zipApexSuffix   = ".zipapex"
 
-var imageApexType = "image"
-var zipApexType = "zip"
+	imageApexType = "image"
+	zipApexType   = "zip"
+
+	vndkApexNamePrefix = "com.android.vndk.v"
+)
 
 type dependencyTag struct {
 	blueprint.BaseDependencyTag
@@ -223,7 +227,7 @@
 
 		vndkVersion := ab.vndkVersion(mctx.DeviceConfig())
 		// Ensure VNDK APEX mount point is formatted as com.android.vndk.v###
-		ab.properties.Apex_name = proptools.StringPtr("com.android.vndk.v" + vndkVersion)
+		ab.properties.Apex_name = proptools.StringPtr(vndkApexNamePrefix + vndkVersion)
 
 		// vndk_version should be unique
 		vndkApexListMutex.Lock()
@@ -612,6 +616,12 @@
 
 	// intermediate path for apex_manifest.json
 	manifestOut android.WritablePath
+
+	// list of commands to create symlinks for backward compatibility
+	// these commands will be attached as LOCAL_POST_INSTALL_CMD to
+	// apex package itself(for unflattened build) or apex_manifest.json(for flattened build)
+	// so that compat symlinks are always installed regardless of TARGET_FLATTEN_APEX setting.
+	compatSymlinks []string
 }
 
 func addDependenciesForNativeModules(ctx android.BottomUpMutatorContext,
@@ -1294,6 +1304,8 @@
 		a.buildUnflattenedApex(ctx, imageApex)
 		a.buildFlattenedApex(ctx)
 	}
+
+	a.compatSymlinks = makeCompatSymlinks(apexName, ctx)
 }
 
 func (a *apexBundle) buildNoticeFile(ctx android.ModuleContext, apexFileName string) android.OptionalPath {
@@ -1711,6 +1723,10 @@
 			fmt.Fprintln(w, "include $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/soong_cc_prebuilt.mk")
 		} else {
 			fmt.Fprintln(w, "LOCAL_MODULE_STEM :=", fi.builtFile.Base())
+			// For flattened apexes, compat symlinks are attached to apex_manifest.json which is guaranteed for every apex
+			if !a.isFlattenedVariant() && fi.builtFile.Base() == "apex_manifest.json" && len(a.compatSymlinks) > 0 {
+				fmt.Fprintln(w, "LOCAL_POST_INSTALL_CMD :=", strings.Join(a.compatSymlinks, " && "))
+			}
 			fmt.Fprintln(w, "include $(BUILD_PREBUILT)")
 		}
 	}
@@ -1761,10 +1777,16 @@
 				if len(a.externalDeps) > 0 {
 					fmt.Fprintln(w, "LOCAL_REQUIRED_MODULES +=", strings.Join(a.externalDeps, " "))
 				}
+				var postInstallCommands []string
 				if a.prebuiltFileToDelete != "" {
-					fmt.Fprintln(w, "LOCAL_POST_INSTALL_CMD :=", "rm -rf "+
+					postInstallCommands = append(postInstallCommands, "rm -rf "+
 						filepath.Join(a.installDir.ToMakePath().String(), a.prebuiltFileToDelete))
 				}
+				// For unflattened apexes, compat symlinks are attached to apex package itself as LOCAL_POST_INSTALL_CMD
+				postInstallCommands = append(postInstallCommands, a.compatSymlinks...)
+				if len(postInstallCommands) > 0 {
+					fmt.Fprintln(w, "LOCAL_POST_INSTALL_CMD :=", strings.Join(postInstallCommands, " && "))
+				}
 				fmt.Fprintln(w, "include $(BUILD_PREBUILT)")
 
 				if apexType == imageApex {
@@ -1995,6 +2017,8 @@
 	if p.installable() {
 		ctx.InstallFile(p.installDir, p.installFilename, p.inputApex)
 	}
+
+	// TODO(b/143192278): Add compat symlinks for prebuilt_apex
 }
 
 func (p *Prebuilt) Prebuilt() *android.Prebuilt {
@@ -2029,3 +2053,30 @@
 	android.InitAndroidMultiTargetsArchModule(module, android.DeviceSupported, android.MultilibCommon)
 	return module
 }
+
+func makeCompatSymlinks(apexName string, ctx android.ModuleContext) (symlinks []string) {
+	// small helper to add symlink commands
+	addSymlink := func(target, dir, linkName string) {
+		outDir := filepath.Join("$(PRODUCT_OUT)", dir)
+		link := filepath.Join(outDir, linkName)
+		symlinks = append(symlinks, "mkdir -p "+outDir+" && rm -rf "+link+" && ln -sf "+target+" "+link)
+	}
+
+	// TODO(b/142911355): [VNDK APEX] Fix hard-coded references to /system/lib/vndk
+	// When all hard-coded references are fixed, remove symbolic links
+	// Note that  we should keep following symlinks for older VNDKs (<=29)
+	// Since prebuilt vndk libs still depend on system/lib/vndk path
+	if strings.HasPrefix(apexName, vndkApexNamePrefix) {
+		// the name of vndk apex is formatted "com.android.vndk.v" + version
+		vndkVersion := strings.TrimPrefix(apexName, vndkApexNamePrefix)
+		if ctx.Config().Android64() {
+			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib64", "/system/lib64", "vndk-sp-"+vndkVersion)
+			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib64", "/system/lib64", "vndk-"+vndkVersion)
+		}
+		if !ctx.Config().Android64() || ctx.DeviceConfig().DeviceSecondaryArch() != "" {
+			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib", "/system/lib", "vndk-sp-"+vndkVersion)
+			addSymlink("/apex/"+apexName+"/lib", "/system/lib", "vndk-"+vndkVersion)
+		}
+	}
+	return
+}