diff --git a/tools/releasetools/common.py b/tools/releasetools/common.py
index 8a8a613c78..513fce541f 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/common.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/common.py
@@ -1313,7 +1313,11 @@ def MergeDynamicPartitionInfoDicts(framework_dict, vendor_dict):
     key = "super_%s_partition_list" % partition_group
     merged_dict[key] = uniq_concat(
         framework_dict.get(key, ""), vendor_dict.get(key, ""))
-
+  # in the case that vendor is on s build, but is taking a v3 -> v3 vabc ota, we want to fallback to v2
+  if "vabc_cow_version" not in vendor_dict or "vabc_cow_version" not in framework_dict:
+    merged_dict["vabc_cow_version"] = '2'
+  else:
+    merged_dict["vabc_cow_version"] = min(vendor_dict["vabc_cow_version"], framework_dict["vabc_cow_version"])
   # Various other flags should be copied from the vendor dict, if defined.
   for key in ("virtual_ab", "virtual_ab_retrofit", "lpmake",
               "super_metadata_device", "super_partition_error_limit",
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/test_common.py b/tools/releasetools/test_common.py
index 2989338fe8..89933a00fc 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/test_common.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/test_common.py
@@ -1515,6 +1515,7 @@ class CommonUtilsTest(test_utils.ReleaseToolsTestCase):
         'super_group_a_group_size': '1000',
         'super_group_b_partition_list': 'product',
         'super_group_b_group_size': '2000',
+        'vabc_cow_version': '2',
     }
     self.assertEqual(merged_dict, expected_merged_dict)
 
@@ -1525,6 +1526,7 @@ class CommonUtilsTest(test_utils.ReleaseToolsTestCase):
         'dynamic_partition_list': 'system',
         'super_group_a_partition_list': 'system',
         'super_group_a_group_size': '5000',
+        'vabc_cow_version': '3',
     }
     vendor_dict = {
         'use_dynamic_partitions': 'true',
@@ -1546,6 +1548,7 @@ class CommonUtilsTest(test_utils.ReleaseToolsTestCase):
         'super_group_a_group_size': '1000',
         'super_group_b_partition_list': 'product',
         'super_group_b_group_size': '2000',
+        'vabc_cow_version': '2',
     }
     self.assertEqual(merged_dict, expected_merged_dict)