diff --git a/apexer/apexer.py b/apexer/apexer.py
index d215595..65ea25f 100644
--- a/apexer/apexer.py
+++ b/apexer/apexer.py
@@ -187,12 +187,6 @@
           'Add testOnly=true attribute to application element in '
           'AndroidManifest file.')
   )
-  parser.add_argument(
-      '--apex_version_placeholder',
-      default = "__APEX_VERSION_PLACEHOLDER__",
-      required=False,
-      help='Default placeholder string in the APEX directory paths to be' +
-      'replaced with the APEX version code.')
 
   return parser.parse_args(argv)
 
@@ -352,13 +346,14 @@
         return False
 
     if not args.canned_fs_config:
-      if build_info is not None:
-        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False) as temp:
-          temp.write(build_info.canned_fs_config)
-          args.canned_fs_config = temp.name
-      else:
-        print('Missing --canned_fs_config {config} argument, or a --build_info argument!')
-        return False
+      if not args.canned_fs_config:
+        if build_info is not None:
+          with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False) as temp:
+            temp.write(build_info.canned_fs_config)
+            args.canned_fs_config = temp.name
+        else:
+          print('Missing ----canned_fs_config {config} argument, or a --build_info argument!')
+          return False
 
   if not args.target_sdk_version:
     if build_info is not None:
@@ -388,18 +383,18 @@
   return True
 
 
-def GenerateBuildInfo(args, file_contexts, canned_fs_config, android_manifest):
+def GenerateBuildInfo(args):
   build_info = apex_build_info_pb2.ApexBuildInfo()
   if (args.include_cmd_line_in_build_info):
     build_info.apexer_command_line = str(sys.argv)
 
-  with open(file_contexts, 'rb') as f:
+  with open(args.file_contexts, 'rb') as f:
     build_info.file_contexts = f.read()
 
-  with open(canned_fs_config, 'rb') as f:
+  with open(args.canned_fs_config, 'rb') as f:
     build_info.canned_fs_config = f.read()
 
-  with open(android_manifest, 'rb') as f:
+  with open(args.android_manifest, 'rb') as f:
     build_info.android_manifest = f.read()
 
   if args.target_sdk_version:
@@ -485,7 +480,7 @@
   return h.hexdigest()
 
 
-def CreateImageExt4(args, staging_input_dir, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file, canned_fs_config):
+def CreateImageExt4(args, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file):
   """Create image for ext4 file system."""
 
   lost_found_location = os.path.join(args.input_dir, 'lost+found')
@@ -494,16 +489,16 @@
           'has been known to cause non-deterministic apex builds.')
 
   # sufficiently big = size + 16MB margin
-  size_in_mb = (GetDirSize(staging_input_dir) // (1024 * 1024))
+  size_in_mb = (GetDirSize(args.input_dir) // (1024 * 1024))
   size_in_mb += 16
 
-  # Margin is for files that are not under staging_input_dir. this consists of
+  # Margin is for files that are not under args.input_dir. this consists of
   # n inodes for apex_manifest files and 11 reserved inodes for ext4.
   # TOBO(b/122991714) eliminate these details. Use build_image.py which
   # determines the optimal inode count by first building an image and then
   # count the inodes actually used.
   inode_num_margin = GetFilesAndDirsCount(manifests_dir) + 11
-  inode_num = GetFilesAndDirsCount(staging_input_dir) + inode_num_margin
+  inode_num = GetFilesAndDirsCount(args.input_dir) + inode_num_margin
 
   cmd = ['mke2fs']
   cmd.extend(['-O', '^has_journal'])  # because image is read-only
@@ -535,10 +530,10 @@
     # Add files to the image file
     cmd = ['e2fsdroid']
     cmd.append('-e')  # input is not android_sparse_file
-    cmd.extend(['-f', staging_input_dir])
+    cmd.extend(['-f', args.input_dir])
     cmd.extend(['-T', '0'])  # time is set to epoch
     cmd.extend(['-S', compiled_file_contexts])
-    cmd.extend(['-C', canned_fs_config])
+    cmd.extend(['-C', args.canned_fs_config])
     cmd.extend(['-a', '/'])
     cmd.append('-s')  # share dup blocks
     cmd.append(img_file)
@@ -549,7 +544,7 @@
     cmd.extend(['-f', manifests_dir])
     cmd.extend(['-T', '0'])  # time is set to epoch
     cmd.extend(['-S', compiled_file_contexts])
-    cmd.extend(['-C', canned_fs_config])
+    cmd.extend(['-C', args.canned_fs_config])
     cmd.extend(['-a', '/'])
     cmd.append('-s')  # share dup blocks
     cmd.append(img_file)
@@ -562,12 +557,12 @@
     RunCommand(cmd, args.verbose, {'E2FSPROGS_FAKE_TIME': '1'})
 
 
-def CreateImageF2fs(args, staging_input_dir, manifests_dir, img_file, canned_fs_config):
+def CreateImageF2fs(args, manifests_dir, img_file):
   """Create image for f2fs file system."""
   # F2FS requires a ~100M minimum size (necessary for ART, could be reduced
   # a bit for other)
   # TODO(b/158453869): relax these requirements for readonly devices
-  size_in_mb = (GetDirSize(staging_input_dir) // (1024 * 1024))
+  size_in_mb = (GetDirSize(args.input_dir) // (1024 * 1024))
   size_in_mb += 100
 
   # Create an empty image
@@ -588,7 +583,7 @@
 
   # Add files to the image
   cmd = ['sload_f2fs']
-  cmd.extend(['-C', canned_fs_config])
+  cmd.extend(['-C', args.canned_fs_config])
   cmd.extend(['-f', manifests_dir])
   cmd.extend(['-s', args.file_contexts])
   cmd.extend(['-T', '0'])
@@ -596,8 +591,8 @@
   RunCommand(cmd, args.verbose, expected_return_values={0, 1})
 
   cmd = ['sload_f2fs']
-  cmd.extend(['-C', canned_fs_config])
-  cmd.extend(['-f', staging_input_dir])
+  cmd.extend(['-C', args.canned_fs_config])
+  cmd.extend(['-f', args.input_dir])
   cmd.extend(['-s', args.file_contexts])
   cmd.extend(['-T', '0'])
   cmd.append(img_file)
@@ -606,7 +601,7 @@
   # TODO(b/158453869): resize the image file to save space
 
 
-def CreateImageErofs(args, staging_input_dir, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file, canned_fs_config):
+def CreateImageErofs(args, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file):
   """Create image for erofs file system."""
   # mkfs.erofs doesn't support multiple input
 
@@ -614,13 +609,13 @@
   os.mkdir(tmp_input_dir)
   cmd = ['/bin/cp', '-ra']
   cmd.extend(glob.glob(manifests_dir + '/*'))
-  cmd.extend(glob.glob(staging_input_dir + '/*'))
+  cmd.extend(glob.glob(args.input_dir + '/*'))
   cmd.append(tmp_input_dir)
   RunCommand(cmd, args.verbose)
 
   cmd = ['make_erofs']
   cmd.extend(['-z', 'lz4hc'])
-  cmd.extend(['--fs-config-file', canned_fs_config])
+  cmd.extend(['--fs-config-file', args.canned_fs_config])
   cmd.extend(['--file-contexts', args.file_contexts])
   uu = str(uuid.uuid5(uuid.NAMESPACE_URL, 'www.android.com'))
   cmd.extend(['-U', uu])
@@ -639,14 +634,14 @@
     RunCommand(cmd, verbose=False)
 
 
-def CreateImage(args, staging_input_dir, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file, canned_fs_config):
+def CreateImage(args, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file):
   """create payload image."""
   if args.payload_fs_type == 'ext4':
-    CreateImageExt4(args, staging_input_dir, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file, canned_fs_config)
+    CreateImageExt4(args, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file)
   elif args.payload_fs_type == 'f2fs':
-    CreateImageF2fs(args, staging_input_dir, manifests_dir, img_file, canned_fs_config)
+    CreateImageF2fs(args, manifests_dir, img_file)
   elif args.payload_fs_type == 'erofs':
-    CreateImageErofs(args, staging_input_dir, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file, canned_fs_config)
+    CreateImageErofs(args, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file)
 
 
 def SignImage(args, manifest_apex, img_file):
@@ -699,39 +694,31 @@
   RunCommand(cmd, args.verbose)
 
 
-def CreateApexPayload(
-    args,
-    staging_input_dir,
-    work_dir,
-    content_dir,
-    manifests_dir,
-    manifest_apex,
-    canned_fs_config):
+def CreateApexPayload(args, work_dir, content_dir, manifests_dir,
+                      manifest_apex):
   """Create payload.
 
   Args:
     args: apexer options
-    staging_input_dir: the input directory to be turned into the payload
     work_dir: apex container working directory
     content_dir: the working directory for payload contents
     manifests_dir: manifests directory
     manifest_apex: apex manifest proto
-    canned_fs_config: the canned fs_config file
 
   Returns:
     payload file
   """
   if args.payload_type == 'image':
     img_file = os.path.join(content_dir, 'apex_payload.img')
-    CreateImage(args, staging_input_dir, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file, canned_fs_config)
+    CreateImage(args, work_dir, manifests_dir, img_file)
     if not args.unsigned_payload:
       SignImage(args, manifest_apex, img_file)
   else:
     img_file = os.path.join(content_dir, 'apex_payload.zip')
     cmd = ['soong_zip']
     cmd.extend(['-o', img_file])
-    cmd.extend(['-C', staging_input_dir])
-    cmd.extend(['-D', staging_input_dir])
+    cmd.extend(['-C', args.input_dir])
+    cmd.extend(['-D', args.input_dir])
     cmd.extend(['-C', manifests_dir])
     cmd.extend(['-D', manifests_dir])
     RunCommand(cmd, args.verbose)
@@ -769,59 +756,6 @@
                                              args.logging_parent)
   return android_manifest_file
 
-def ReplaceApexVersionPlaceholder(args, work_dir, apex_version_code):
-  """Replace args.apex_version_placeholder strings in APEX input paths with the version.
-
-  See b/229574810 for more information.
-
-  Args:
-    args: apexer options
-    work_dir: apex container working directory
-    apex_version_code: apex version as a string
-
-  Returns:
-    a tuple of the new canned_fs_config and input directory with substituted input paths
-  """
-
-  # While manifest_apex.version is an int arg, let's be defensive here
-  # and not rely on that being always the case.  Check that the version
-  # is a valid path fragment.
-  version_re = r'^[\w\.\-\_]+$'
-  if not re.match(version_re, apex_version_code, re.ASCII):
-    raise Exception('Unable to use apex verson ' + apex_version_code +
-      ' as filename suffix, valid characters are [a-zA-Z0-9_.-]')
-
-  # Update the canned fs config since it contains entries for every file/dir
-  # in the APEX.
-  if args.canned_fs_config is not None:
-    with open(args.canned_fs_config, 'r') as f:
-      canned_fs_config_content = f.read().replace(
-        args.apex_version_placeholder, apex_version_code)
-    new_canned_fs_config = os.path.join(work_dir, 'canned_fs_config')
-    with open(new_canned_fs_config, 'w') as f:
-      f.write(canned_fs_config_content)
-  else:
-    # TODO(b/193473780): Zip apexes do not have canned fs_config files.
-    # Delete when zipapex is deprecated.
-    new_canned_fs_config = None
-
-  # Copy the input dir into a staging area in the working directory.  This is
-  # necessary to perform any apexer-level changes on the file layouts, while
-  # avoiding in-place changes to the real inputs.
-  staging_input_dir = os.path.join(work_dir, 'input')
-  os.makedirs(staging_input_dir, exist_ok=True)
-  for root, _, files in os.walk(args.input_dir):
-    root_relative = os.path.relpath(root, args.input_dir)
-    root_relative = root_relative.replace(
-      args.apex_version_placeholder, apex_version_code)
-    for f in files:
-      src = os.path.join(root, f)
-      dest = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(staging_input_dir, root_relative, f))
-      # APEX contents can be unresolved symlinks, so don't follow them.
-      os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(dest), exist_ok=True)
-      shutil.copy2(src, dest, follow_symlinks=False)
-
-  return (new_canned_fs_config, staging_input_dir)
 
 def CreateApex(args, work_dir):
   if not ValidateArgs(args):
@@ -872,24 +806,9 @@
     CopyFile(args.manifest_json,
              os.path.join(content_dir, 'apex_manifest.json'))
 
-  apex_version_code = str(manifest_apex.version)
-
-  # b/229574810: replace all instances of args.apex_version_placeholder
-  # strings in /app and /priv-app inputs. This is necessary for the
-  # package manager to correctly invalidate its directory-path based
-  # cache keys and differentiate APKs based on their version codes.
-  canned_fs_config, staging_input_dir = ReplaceApexVersionPlaceholder(
-      args, work_dir, apex_version_code)
-
   # Create payload
-  img_file = CreateApexPayload(
-      args,
-      staging_input_dir,
-      work_dir,
-      content_dir,
-      manifests_dir,
-      manifest_apex,
-      canned_fs_config)
+  img_file = CreateApexPayload(args, work_dir, content_dir, manifests_dir,
+                               manifest_apex)
 
   if args.unsigned_payload_only or args.payload_only:
     shutil.copyfile(img_file, args.output)
@@ -905,11 +824,7 @@
     shutil.copyfile(args.pubkey, os.path.join(content_dir, 'apex_pubkey'))
 
   if args.include_build_info:
-    build_info = GenerateBuildInfo(
-        args,
-        args.file_contexts,
-        canned_fs_config,
-        args.android_manifest)
+    build_info = GenerateBuildInfo(args)
     with open(os.path.join(content_dir, 'apex_build_info.pb'), 'wb') as f:
       f.write(build_info.SerializeToString())
 
@@ -921,7 +836,7 @@
     cmd.extend(['--rename-manifest-package', args.override_apk_package_name])
   # This version from apex_manifest.json is used when versionCode isn't
   # specified in AndroidManifest.xml
-  cmd.extend(['--version-code', apex_version_code])
+  cmd.extend(['--version-code', str(manifest_apex.version)])
   if manifest_apex.versionName:
     cmd.extend(['--version-name', manifest_apex.versionName])
   if args.target_sdk_version:
diff --git a/apexer/runtests.sh b/apexer/runtests.sh
index d15bc5c..4d9d602 100755
--- a/apexer/runtests.sh
+++ b/apexer/runtests.sh
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@
 head -c 1M </dev/urandom > ${input_dir}/file2
 mkdir ${input_dir}/sub
 head -c 1M </dev/urandom > ${input_dir}/sub/file3
-mkdir ${input_dir}/sub2@__APEX_VERSION_PLACEHOLDER__
-head -c 1M </dev/urandom > ${input_dir}/sub2@__APEX_VERSION_PLACEHOLDER__/file4
 ln -s file1 ${input_dir}/sym1
 
 # Create the APEX manifest file
@@ -66,7 +64,6 @@
 echo '
 (/.*)?           u:object_r:root_file:s0
 /sub(/.*)?       u:object_r:sub_file:s0
-/sub2(/.*)?      u:object_r:sub2_file:s0
 /sub/file3       u:object_r:file3_file:s0
 ' > ${file_contexts_file}
 
@@ -77,8 +74,6 @@
 /file2 1001 1001 0644
 /sub 1002 1002 0644
 /sub/file3 1003 1003 0644
-/sub2@__APEX_VERSION_PLACEHOLDER__ 1004 1004 0644
-/sub2@__APEX_VERSION_PLACEHOLDER__/file4 1005 1005 0644
 /sym1 1001 1001 0644' > ${canned_fs_config_file}
 
 output_file=${output_dir}/test.apex
@@ -119,7 +114,6 @@
 sudo diff ${input_dir}/file1 ${output_dir}/mnt/file1
 sudo diff ${input_dir}/file2 ${output_dir}/mnt/file2
 sudo diff ${input_dir}/sub/file3 ${output_dir}/mnt/sub/file3
-sudo diff ${input_dir}/sub2@__APEX_VERSION_PLACEHOLDER__/file4 ${output_dir}/mnt/sub2@1/file4
 [ `sudo readlink ${output_dir}/mnt/sym1` = "file1" ]
 
 # check the uid/gid/type/mod
@@ -127,8 +121,6 @@
 [ `sudo stat -c '%u,%g,%A' ${output_dir}/mnt/file2` = "1001,1001,-rw-r--r--" ]
 [ `sudo stat -c '%u,%g,%A' ${output_dir}/mnt/sub` = "1002,1002,drw-r--r--" ]
 [ `sudo stat -c '%u,%g,%A' ${output_dir}/mnt/sub/file3` = "1003,1003,-rw-r--r--" ]
-[ `sudo stat -c '%u,%g,%A' ${output_dir}/mnt/sub2@1` = "1004,1004,drw-r--r--" ]
-[ `sudo stat -c '%u,%g,%A' ${output_dir}/mnt/sub2@1/file4` = "1005,1005,-rw-r--r--" ]
 [ `sudo stat -c '%u,%g,%A' ${output_dir}/mnt/sym1` = "1001,1001,lrw-r--r--" ]
 [ `sudo stat -c '%u,%g,%A' ${output_dir}/mnt/apex_manifest.pb` = "1000,1000,-rw-r--r--" ]
 
@@ -137,7 +129,6 @@
 [ `sudo ls -Z ${output_dir}/mnt/file2 | cut -d ' ' -f 1` = "u:object_r:root_file:s0" ]
 [ `sudo ls -d -Z ${output_dir}/mnt/sub/ | cut -d ' ' -f 1` = "u:object_r:sub_file:s0" ]
 [ `sudo ls -Z ${output_dir}/mnt/sub/file3 | cut -d ' ' -f 1` = "u:object_r:file3_file:s0" ]
-[ `sudo ls -Z ${output_dir}/mnt/sub2@1/file4 | cut -d ' ' -f 1` = "u:object_r:sub2_file:s0" ]
 [ `sudo ls -Z ${output_dir}/mnt/apex_manifest.pb | cut -d ' ' -f 1` = "u:object_r:root_file:s0" ]
 [ `sudo ls -Z ${output_dir}/mnt/sym1 | cut -d ' ' -f 1` = "u:object_r:root_file:s0" ]