diff --git a/target/product/vndk/Android.mk b/target/product/vndk/Android.mk
index 812a814c7..768cb809a 100644
--- a/target/product/vndk/Android.mk
+++ b/target/product/vndk/Android.mk
@@ -21,26 +21,31 @@ $(INTERNAL_VNDK_LIB_LIST):
 # This is the up-to-date list of vndk libs.
 # TODO(b/62012285): the lib list should be stored somewhere under
 # /prebuilts/vndk
+ifeq (REL,$(PLATFORM_VERSION_CODENAME))
 LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST := $(LOCAL_PATH)/$(PLATFORM_VNDK_VERSION).txt
+ifeq ($(wildcard $(LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST)),)
+$(error $(LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST) file not found. Please copy "$(LOCAL_PATH)/current.txt" to "$(LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST)" and commit a CL for release branch)
+endif
+else
+LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST := $(LOCAL_PATH)/current.txt
+endif
 
 #####################################################################
 # Check the generate list against the latest list stored in the
 # source tree
 .PHONY: check-vndk-list
 
-ifeq (REL,$(PLATFORM_VERSION_CODENAME))
-# The check is enforced in release branches
+# Check if vndk list is changed
 droidcore: check-vndk-list
-endif
 
 check-vndk-list-timestamp := $(call intermediates-dir-for,PACKAGING,vndk)/check-list-timestamp
 check-vndk-list: $(check-vndk-list-timestamp)
 
-_vndk_check_failure_message := "VNDK library list has changed."
-ifeq (REL,$(PLATFORM_VERSION_CODENAME)
-_vndk_check_failure_message += "This isn't allowed in API locked branches."
+_vndk_check_failure_message := " error: VNDK library list has been changed.\n"
+ifeq (REL,$(PLATFORM_VERSION_CODENAME))
+_vndk_check_failure_message += "       Changing the VNDK library list is not allowed in API locked branches."
 else
-_vndk_check_failure_message += "Run update-vndk-list.sh to update the list."
+_vndk_check_failure_message += "       Run update-vndk-list.sh to update $(LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST)"
 endif
 
 $(check-vndk-list-timestamp): $(INTERNAL_VNDK_LIB_LIST) $(LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST) $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/update-vndk-list.sh
@@ -48,7 +53,7 @@ $(check-vndk-list-timestamp): $(INTERNAL_VNDK_LIB_LIST) $(LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST)
 	  --new-line-format="Added %L" \
 	  --unchanged-line-format="" \
 	  $(LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST) $(INTERNAL_VNDK_LIB_LIST) \
-	  || ( echo $(_vndk_check_failure_message); exit 1 ))
+	  || ( echo -e $(_vndk_check_failure_message); exit 1 ))
 	$(hide) mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	$(hide) touch $@
 
@@ -71,7 +76,12 @@ ifeq (REL,$(PLATFORM_VERSION_CODENAME))
 	$(hide) echo "echo Updating VNDK library list is NOT allowed in API locked branches." >> $@; \
 	        echo "exit 1" >> $@
 else
-	$(hide) echo "cp $(PRIVATE_INTERNAL_VNDK_LIB_LIST) $(PRIVATE_LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST)" >> $@; \
+	$(hide) echo "if [ -z \"\$${ANDROID_BUILD_TOP}\" ]; then" >> $@; \
+	        echo "  echo Run lunch or choosecombo first" >> $@; \
+	        echo "  exit 1" >> $@; \
+	        echo "fi" >> $@; \
+	        echo "cd \$${ANDROID_BUILD_TOP}" >> $@; \
+	        echo "cp $(PRIVATE_INTERNAL_VNDK_LIB_LIST) $(PRIVATE_LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST)" >> $@; \
 	        echo "echo $(PRIVATE_LATEST_VNDK_LIB_LIST) updated." >> $@
 endif
 	@chmod a+x $@