diff --git a/Tethering/apex/Android.bp b/Tethering/apex/Android.bp
index de9017ae57..c5d3a94302 100644
--- a/Tethering/apex/Android.bp
+++ b/Tethering/apex/Android.bp
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@ apex {
         "ServiceConnectivityResources",
     ],
     prebuilts: [
-        "ot-daemon.init.34rc",
         "current_sdkinfo",
+        "netbpfload.mainline.rc",
+        "ot-daemon.init.34rc",
     ],
     manifest: "manifest.json",
     key: "com.android.tethering.key",
diff --git a/netbpfload/Android.bp b/netbpfload/Android.bp
index 1f92374b83..69bbf12b36 100644
--- a/netbpfload/Android.bp
+++ b/netbpfload/Android.bp
@@ -49,3 +49,16 @@ cc_binary {
     init_rc: ["netbpfload.rc"],
     required: ["bpfloader"],
 }
+
+// Versioned netbpfload init rc: init system will process it only on api V/35+ devices
+// (TODO: consider reducing to T/33+ - adjust the comment up above in line 43 as well)
+// Note: S[31] Sv2[32] T[33] U[34] V[35])
+//
+// For details of versioned rc files see:
+// https://android.googlesource.com/platform/system/core/+/HEAD/init/README.md#versioned-rc-files-within-apexs
+prebuilt_etc {
+    name: "netbpfload.mainline.rc",
+    src: "netbpfload.mainline.rc",
+    filename: "netbpfload.35rc",
+    installable: false,
+}
diff --git a/netbpfload/NetBpfLoad.cpp b/netbpfload/NetBpfLoad.cpp
index 6152287e45..cbd14ec7e5 100644
--- a/netbpfload/NetBpfLoad.cpp
+++ b/netbpfload/NetBpfLoad.cpp
@@ -173,11 +173,40 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv, char * const envp[]) {
     (void)argc;
     android::base::InitLogging(argv, &android::base::KernelLogger);
 
-    const int device_api_level = android_get_device_api_level();
-    const bool isAtLeastU = (device_api_level >= __ANDROID_API_U__);
+    ALOGI("NetBpfLoad '%s' starting...", argv[0]);
 
-    if (!android::bpf::isAtLeastKernelVersion(4, 19, 0)) {
-        ALOGE("Android U QPR2 requires kernel 4.19.");
+    // true iff we are running from the module
+    const bool is_mainline = !strcmp(argv[0], "/apex/com.android.tethering/bin/netbpfload");
+
+    // true iff we are running from the platform
+    const bool is_platform = !strcmp(argv[0], "/system/bin/netbpfload");
+
+    const int device_api_level = android_get_device_api_level();
+    const bool isAtLeastT = (device_api_level >= __ANDROID_API_T__);
+    const bool isAtLeastU = (device_api_level >= __ANDROID_API_U__);
+    const bool isAtLeastV = (device_api_level >= __ANDROID_API_V__);
+
+    ALOGI("NetBpfLoad api:%d/%d kver:%07x platform:%d mainline:%d",
+          android_get_application_target_sdk_version(), device_api_level,
+          android::bpf::kernelVersion(), is_platform, is_mainline);
+
+    if (!is_platform && !is_mainline) {
+        ALOGE("Unable to determine if we're platform or mainline netbpfload.");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (isAtLeastT && !android::bpf::isAtLeastKernelVersion(4, 9, 0)) {
+        ALOGE("Android T requires kernel 4.9.");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (isAtLeastU && !android::bpf::isAtLeastKernelVersion(4, 14, 0)) {
+        ALOGE("Android U requires kernel 4.14.");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (isAtLeastV && !android::bpf::isAtLeastKernelVersion(4, 19, 0)) {
+        ALOGE("Android V requires kernel 4.19.");
         return 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/netbpfload/netbpfload.mainline.rc b/netbpfload/netbpfload.mainline.rc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0ac5de8b97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/netbpfload/netbpfload.mainline.rc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+service bpfloader /apex/com.android.tethering/bin/netbpfload
+    capabilities CHOWN SYS_ADMIN NET_ADMIN
+    group root graphics network_stack net_admin net_bw_acct net_bw_stats net_raw system
+    user root
+    rlimit memlock 1073741824 1073741824
+    oneshot
+    reboot_on_failure reboot,bpfloader-failed
+    override