diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 713c81ba2f..b1420b5363 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -790,6 +790,8 @@ built_ota_tools := \
 	$(call intermediates-dir-for,EXECUTABLES,updater)/updater
 $(BUILT_TARGET_FILES_PACKAGE): PRIVATE_OTA_TOOLS := $(built_ota_tools)
 
+$(BUILT_TARGET_FILES_PACKAGE): PRIVATE_RECOVERY_API_VERSION := $(RECOVERY_API_VERSION)
+
 # Depending on the various images guarantees that the underlying
 # directories are up-to-date.
 $(BUILT_TARGET_FILES_PACKAGE): \
@@ -853,6 +855,7 @@ endif
 	$(hide) mkdir -p $(zip_root)/META
 	$(hide) $(ACP) $(APKCERTS_FILE) $(zip_root)/META/apkcerts.txt
 	$(hide)	echo "$(PRODUCT_OTA_PUBLIC_KEYS)" > $(zip_root)/META/otakeys.txt
+	$(hide) echo "$(PRIVATE_RECOVERY_API_VERSION)" > $(zip_root)/META/recovery-api-version.txt
 	@# Zip everything up, preserving symlinks
 	$(hide) (cd $(zip_root) && zip -qry ../$(notdir $@) .)