diff --git a/rootdir/etc/ld.config.txt b/rootdir/etc/ld.config.txt
index b60be20f9..fed5e28c4 100644
--- a/rootdir/etc/ld.config.txt
+++ b/rootdir/etc/ld.config.txt
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ namespace.default.links = runtime
 # libart.
 namespace.default.visible = true
 namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs  = libart.so:libartd.so
+namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs += libdexfile_external.so
 namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs += libnativebridge.so
 namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs += libnativehelper.so
 namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs += libnativeloader.so
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@ namespace.vndk.link.sphal.allow_all_shared_libs = true
 # (LL-NDK only) access.
 ###############################################################################
 [vendor]
-additional.namespaces = system,vndk
+additional.namespaces = runtime,system,vndk
 
 ###############################################################################
 # "default" namespace
@@ -349,6 +350,20 @@ namespace.default.link.system.shared_libs = %LLNDK_LIBRARIES%
 namespace.default.link.vndk.shared_libs  = %VNDK_SAMEPROCESS_LIBRARIES%
 namespace.default.link.vndk.shared_libs += %VNDK_CORE_LIBRARIES%
 
+###############################################################################
+# "runtime" APEX namespace
+#
+# This namespace exposes externally accessible libraries from the Runtime APEX.
+###############################################################################
+namespace.runtime.isolated = true
+
+# Keep in sync with ld.config.txt in the com.android.runtime APEX.
+namespace.runtime.search.paths = /apex/com.android.runtime/${LIB}
+namespace.runtime.links = system
+# TODO(b/119867084): Restrict to Bionic dlopen dependencies and PALette library
+# when it exists.
+namespace.runtime.link.system.allow_all_shared_libs = true
+
 ###############################################################################
 # "vndk" namespace
 #
@@ -406,6 +421,9 @@ namespace.system.asan.search.paths +=           /%PRODUCT%/${LIB}
 namespace.system.asan.search.paths += /data/asan/product_services/${LIB}
 namespace.system.asan.search.paths +=           /%PRODUCT_SERVICES%/${LIB}
 
+namespace.system.links = runtime
+namespace.system.link.runtime.shared_libs = libdexfile_external.so
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Namespace config for binaries under /postinstall.
 # Only default namespace is defined and default has no directories
diff --git a/rootdir/etc/ld.config.vndk_lite.txt b/rootdir/etc/ld.config.vndk_lite.txt
index 7a852c717..2dbb45ff9 100644
--- a/rootdir/etc/ld.config.vndk_lite.txt
+++ b/rootdir/etc/ld.config.vndk_lite.txt
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ namespace.default.links = runtime
 # libart.
 namespace.default.visible = true
 namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs  = libart.so:libartd.so
+namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs += libdexfile_external.so
 namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs += libnativehelper.so
 namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs += libnativeloader.so
 
@@ -256,6 +257,8 @@ namespace.vndk.link.default.shared_libs += %SANITIZER_RUNTIME_LIBRARIES%
 # (LL-NDK only) access.
 ###############################################################################
 [vendor]
+additional.namespaces = runtime
+
 namespace.default.isolated = false
 
 namespace.default.search.paths  = /odm/${LIB}
@@ -295,6 +298,23 @@ namespace.default.asan.search.paths +=           /%PRODUCT%/${LIB}
 namespace.default.asan.search.paths += /data/asan/product_services/${LIB}
 namespace.default.asan.search.paths +=           /%PRODUCT_SERVICES%/${LIB}
 
+namespace.default.links = runtime
+namespace.default.link.runtime.shared_libs = libdexfile_external.so
+
+###############################################################################
+# "runtime" APEX namespace
+#
+# This namespace exposes externally accessible libraries from the Runtime APEX.
+###############################################################################
+namespace.runtime.isolated = true
+
+# Keep in sync with ld.config.txt in the com.android.runtime APEX.
+namespace.runtime.search.paths = /apex/com.android.runtime/${LIB}
+namespace.runtime.links = default
+# TODO(b/119867084): Restrict to Bionic dlopen dependencies and PALette library
+# when it exists.
+namespace.runtime.link.default.allow_all_shared_libs = true
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Namespace config for binaries under /postinstall.
 # Only default namespace is defined and default has no directories