diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index a5109f0..38ee46c 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@
             $(eval $(call copy-xml-file-checked,$(_src),$(_fulldest))),\
             $(if $(and $(filter %.jar,$(_dest)),$(filter $(basename $(notdir $(_dest))),$(PRODUCT_LOADED_BY_PRIVILEGED_MODULES))),\
                 $(eval $(call copy-and-uncompress-dexs,$(_src),$(_fulldest))), \
-                $(eval $(call copy-one-file,$(_src),$(_fulldest))))) \
+                $(if $(filter init%rc,$(notdir $(_dest)))$(filter %/etc/init,$(dir $(_dest))),\
+                    $(eval $(call copy-init-script-file-checked,$(_src),$(_fulldest))),\
+                    $(eval $(call copy-one-file,$(_src),$(_fulldest)))))) \
         $(eval ALL_DEFAULT_INSTALLED_MODULES += $(_fulldest)) \
         $(eval unique_product_copy_files_destinations += $(_dest))))
 
diff --git a/core/base_rules.mk b/core/base_rules.mk
index 4f0e39f..4f157cb 100644
--- a/core/base_rules.mk
+++ b/core/base_rules.mk
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@
 # Make sure we only set up the copy rules once, even if another arch variant
 # shares a common LOCAL_INIT_RC.
 my_init_rc_new_pairs := $(filter-out $(ALL_INIT_RC_INSTALLED_PAIRS),$(my_init_rc_pairs))
-my_init_rc_new_installed := $(call copy-many-files,$(my_init_rc_new_pairs))
+my_init_rc_new_installed := $(call copy-many-init-script-files-checked,$(my_init_rc_new_pairs))
 ALL_INIT_RC_INSTALLED_PAIRS += $(my_init_rc_new_pairs)
 
 $(my_all_targets) : $(my_init_rc_installed)
diff --git a/core/config.mk b/core/config.mk
index 0920b56..7bbb3e5 100644
--- a/core/config.mk
+++ b/core/config.mk
@@ -615,6 +615,7 @@
 CKATI := $(prebuilt_build_tools_bin)/ckati
 DEPMOD := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/depmod
 FILESLIST := $(SOONG_HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/fileslist
+HOST_INIT_VERIFIER := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/host_init_verifier
 MAKEPARALLEL := $(prebuilt_build_tools_bin)/makeparallel
 SOONG_JAVAC_WRAPPER := $(SOONG_HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/soong_javac_wrapper
 SOONG_ZIP := $(SOONG_HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/soong_zip
diff --git a/core/definitions.mk b/core/definitions.mk
index a8d7b2d..9f958fa 100644
--- a/core/definitions.mk
+++ b/core/definitions.mk
@@ -2658,6 +2658,33 @@
     $(_cmf_dest)))
 endef
 
+# Copy the file only if it's a well-formed init script file. For use via $(eval).
+# $(1): source file
+# $(2): destination file
+define copy-init-script-file-checked
+# Host init verifier doesn't exist on darwin.
+ifneq ($(HOST_OS),darwin)
+$(2): $(1) $(HOST_INIT_VERIFIER) $(call intermediates-dir-for,ETC,passwd)/passwd
+	$(hide) $(HOST_INIT_VERIFIER) $$< $(call intermediates-dir-for,ETC,passwd)/passwd
+else
+$(2): $(1)
+endif
+	@echo "Copy init script: $$@"
+	$$(copy-file-to-target)
+endef
+
+# Copies many init script files and check they are well-formed.
+# $(1): The init script files to copy.  Each entry is a ':' separated src:dst pair.
+# Evaluates to the list of the dst files. (ie suitable for a dependency list.)
+define copy-many-init-script-files-checked
+$(foreach f, $(1), $(strip \
+    $(eval _cmf_tuple := $(subst :, ,$(f))) \
+    $(eval _cmf_src := $(word 1,$(_cmf_tuple))) \
+    $(eval _cmf_dest := $(word 2,$(_cmf_tuple))) \
+    $(eval $(call copy-init-script-file-checked,$(_cmf_src),$(_cmf_dest))) \
+    $(_cmf_dest)))
+endef
+
 # Copy the file only if it's a well-formed xml file. For use via $(eval).
 # $(1): source file
 # $(2): destination file, must end with .xml.
diff --git a/core/prebuilt_internal.mk b/core/prebuilt_internal.mk
index 17dd046..d5b7877 100644
--- a/core/prebuilt_internal.mk
+++ b/core/prebuilt_internal.mk
@@ -508,10 +508,13 @@
 endif # LOCAL_DEX_PREOPT
 
 else  # ! prebuilt_module_is_dex_javalib
+ifneq ($(filter init%rc,$(notdir $(LOCAL_INSTALLED_MODULE)))$(filter %/etc/init,$(dir $(LOCAL_INSTALLED_MODULE))),)
+  $(eval $(call copy-init-script-file-checked,$(my_prebuilt_src_file),$(built_module)))
+else ifneq ($(LOCAL_PREBUILT_STRIP_COMMENTS),)
 $(built_module) : $(my_prebuilt_src_file)
-ifneq ($(LOCAL_PREBUILT_STRIP_COMMENTS),)
 	$(transform-prebuilt-to-target-strip-comments)
 else
+$(built_module) : $(my_prebuilt_src_file)
 	$(transform-prebuilt-to-target)
 endif
 ifneq ($(filter EXECUTABLES NATIVE_TESTS,$(LOCAL_MODULE_CLASS)),)