diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 9bb049539..961f35d4f 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -78,13 +78,8 @@ ifeq ($(BOARD_PROPERTY_OVERRIDES_SPLIT_ENABLED), true)
 endif
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
-# prop.default
-ifdef property_overrides_split_enabled
-INSTALLED_DEFAULT_PROP_TARGET := $(TARGET_OUT)/etc/prop.default
-else
-# legacy path
+# default.prop
 INSTALLED_DEFAULT_PROP_TARGET := $(TARGET_ROOT_OUT)/default.prop
-endif
 ALL_DEFAULT_INSTALLED_MODULES += $(INSTALLED_DEFAULT_PROP_TARGET)
 FINAL_DEFAULT_PROPERTIES := \
     $(call collapse-pairs, $(ADDITIONAL_DEFAULT_PROPERTIES))
@@ -100,7 +95,6 @@ intermediate_system_build_prop := $(call intermediates-dir-for,ETC,system_build_
 $(INSTALLED_DEFAULT_PROP_TARGET): $(intermediate_system_build_prop)
 	@echo Target buildinfo: $@
 	@mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	@rm -f $@
 	$(hide) echo "#" > $@; \
 	        echo "# ADDITIONAL_DEFAULT_PROPERTIES" >> $@; \
 	        echo "#" >> $@;
@@ -113,9 +107,6 @@ $(INSTALLED_DEFAULT_PROP_TARGET): $(intermediate_system_build_prop)
 	$(hide) echo ro.bootimage.build.date.utc=`$(DATE_FROM_FILE) +%s`>>$@
 	$(hide) echo ro.bootimage.build.fingerprint="$(BUILD_FINGERPRINT_FROM_FILE)">>$@
 	$(hide) build/tools/post_process_props.py $@
-ifdef property_overrides_split_enabled
-	$(hide) ln -sf system/etc/prop.default $(TARGET_ROOT_OUT)/default.prop
-endif
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
 # vendor default.prop
@@ -1193,13 +1184,12 @@ define build-recoveryimage-target
     $(hide) cp -f $(recovery_wipe) $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/etc/recovery.wipe)
   $(hide) cp $(RECOVERY_INSTALL_OTA_KEYS) $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/res/keys
   $(hide) cat $(INSTALLED_DEFAULT_PROP_TARGET) \
-          > $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/prop.default
+          > $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/default.prop
   $(if $(INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEFAULT_PROP_TARGET), \
     $(hide) cat $(INSTALLED_VENDOR_DEFAULT_PROP_TARGET) \
-            >> $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/prop.default)
+            >> $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/default.prop)
   $(hide) cat $(recovery_build_props) \
-          >> $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/prop.default
-  $(hide) ln -sf prop.default $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/default.prop
+          >> $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/default.prop
   $(BOARD_RECOVERY_IMAGE_PREPARE)
   $(if $(filter true,$(BOARD_BUILD_SYSTEM_ROOT_IMAGE)), \
     $(hide) mkdir -p $(TARGET_RECOVERY_ROOT_OUT)/system_root; \
diff --git a/tools/post_process_props.py b/tools/post_process_props.py
index 9355e4b22..83c6f9a5d 100755
--- a/tools/post_process_props.py
+++ b/tools/post_process_props.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def mangle_build_prop(prop):
 def mangle_default_prop_override(prop):
   pass
 
-# Put the modifications that you need to make into the /system/etc/prop.default into this
+# Put the modifications that you need to make into the /default.prop into this
 # function. The prop object has get(name) and put(name,value) methods.
 def mangle_default_prop(prop):
   # If ro.debuggable is 1, then enable adb on USB by default
@@ -122,8 +122,7 @@ def main(argv):
   elif (filename.endswith("/vendor/default.prop") or
         filename.endswith("/odm/default.prop")):
     mangle_default_prop_override(properties)
-  elif (filename.endswith("/default.prop") or # legacy
-        filename.endswith("/prop.default")):
+  elif filename.endswith("/default.prop"):
     mangle_default_prop(properties)
   else:
     sys.stderr.write("bad command line: " + str(argv) + "\n")
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/sign_target_files_apks.py b/tools/releasetools/sign_target_files_apks.py
index 71311e6c4..2e0b44dac 100755
--- a/tools/releasetools/sign_target_files_apks.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/sign_target_files_apks.py
@@ -235,21 +235,15 @@ def ProcessTargetFiles(input_tf_zip, output_tf_zip, misc_info,
     # System properties.
     elif info.filename in ("SYSTEM/build.prop",
                            "VENDOR/build.prop",
-                           "SYSTEM/etc/prop.default",
-                           "BOOT/RAMDISK/default.prop",  # legacy
-                           "ROOT/default.prop",  # legacy
-                           "RECOVERY/RAMDISK/prop.default",
-                           "RECOVERY/RAMDISK/default.prop"):  # legacy
+                           "BOOT/RAMDISK/default.prop",
+                           "ROOT/default.prop",
+                           "RECOVERY/RAMDISK/default.prop"):
       print "rewriting %s:" % (info.filename,)
-      if stat.S_ISLNK(info.external_attr >> 16):
-        new_data = data
-      else:
-        new_data = RewriteProps(data, misc_info)
+      new_data = RewriteProps(data, misc_info)
       common.ZipWriteStr(output_tf_zip, out_info, new_data)
-      if info.filename in ("BOOT/RAMDISK/default.prop",  # legacy
-                           "ROOT/default.prop",  # legacy
-                           "RECOVERY/RAMDISK/prop.default",
-                           "RECOVERY/RAMDISK/default.prop"):  # legacy
+      if info.filename in ("BOOT/RAMDISK/default.prop",
+                           "ROOT/default.prop",
+                           "RECOVERY/RAMDISK/default.prop"):
         write_to_temp(info.filename, info.external_attr, new_data)
 
     elif info.filename.endswith("mac_permissions.xml"):