diff --git a/threadnetwork/aidl/default/Android.bp b/threadnetwork/aidl/default/Android.bp
index 82a76e0669..51e5c25eec 100644
--- a/threadnetwork/aidl/default/Android.bp
+++ b/threadnetwork/aidl/default/Android.bp
@@ -90,10 +90,20 @@ prebuilt_etc {
     installable: false,
 }
 
+filegroup {
+    name: "com.android.hardware.threadnetwork_manifest",
+    srcs: ["manifest.json"],
+}
+
+filegroup {
+    name: "com.android.hardware.threadnetwork_file_contexts",
+    srcs: ["file_contexts"],
+}
+
 apex {
     name: "com.android.hardware.threadnetwork",
-    manifest: "manifest.json",
-    file_contexts: "file_contexts",
+    manifest: ":com.android.hardware.threadnetwork_manifest",
+    file_contexts: ":com.android.hardware.threadnetwork_file_contexts",
     key: "com.android.hardware.key",
     certificate: ":com.android.hardware.certificate",
     updatable: false,
@@ -110,3 +120,21 @@ apex {
         "android.hardware.thread_network.prebuilt.xml", // permission
     ],
 }
+
+prebuilt_etc {
+    name: "threadnetwork-service-simulation-rcp.rc",
+    src: "threadnetwork-service-simulation-rcp.rc",
+    installable: false,
+}
+
+// Thread HAL service which uses a simulation RCP (i.e. ot-rcp),
+// typically used in emulator devices.
+override_apex {
+    name: "com.android.hardware.threadnetwork-simulation-rcp",
+    base: "com.android.hardware.threadnetwork",
+    prebuilts: [
+        "threadnetwork-service-simulation-rcp.rc",
+        "threadnetwork-default.xml",
+        "android.hardware.thread_network.prebuilt.xml",
+    ],
+}
diff --git a/threadnetwork/aidl/default/threadnetwork-service-simulation-rcp.rc b/threadnetwork/aidl/default/threadnetwork-service-simulation-rcp.rc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3b889eb23a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/threadnetwork/aidl/default/threadnetwork-service-simulation-rcp.rc
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+service vendor.threadnetwork_hal /apex/com.android.hardware.threadnetwork/bin/hw/android.hardware.threadnetwork-service spinel+hdlc+forkpty:///apex/com.android.hardware.threadnetwork/bin/ot-rcp?forkpty-arg=1
+    class hal
+    user thread_network