diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 706b37155..3073f9166 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ LOCAL_PATH := $(BUILD_SYSTEM)
 # The filter part means "only eval the copy-one-file rule if this
 # src:dest pair is the first one to match the same dest"
 #$(1): the src:dest pair
+#$(2): the dest
 define check-product-copy-files
-$(if $(filter %.apk, $(call word-colon, 2, $(1))),$(error \
-    Prebuilt apk found in PRODUCT_COPY_FILES: $(1), use BUILD_PREBUILT instead!))
+$(if $(filter-out $(TARGET_COPY_OUT_SYSTEM_OTHER)/%,$(2)), \
+  $(if $(filter %.apk, $(2)),$(error \
+     Prebuilt apk found in PRODUCT_COPY_FILES: $(1), use BUILD_PREBUILT instead!)))
 endef
 # filter out the duplicate <source file>:<dest file> pairs.
 unique_product_copy_files_pairs :=
@@ -26,7 +28,7 @@ product_copy_files_ignored :=
 $(foreach cf,$(unique_product_copy_files_pairs), \
     $(eval _src := $(call word-colon,1,$(cf))) \
     $(eval _dest := $(call word-colon,2,$(cf))) \
-    $(call check-product-copy-files,$(cf)) \
+    $(call check-product-copy-files,$(cf),$(_dest)) \
     $(if $(filter $(unique_product_copy_files_destinations),$(_dest)), \
         $(eval product_copy_files_ignored += $(cf)), \
         $(eval _fulldest := $(call append-path,$(PRODUCT_OUT),$(_dest))) \