diff --git a/tools/releasetools/common.py b/tools/releasetools/common.py
index 1533030d2952b139e73f1c853e53105657fab84c..64ac95aaffef0ae2bcf2fe8e2d7e6cc4fa41589b 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/common.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/common.py
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ class Options(object):
     self.search_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(exec_path))
 
     self.signapk_path = "framework/signapk.jar"  # Relative to search_path
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(self.search_path, self.signapk_path)):
+      if "ANDROID_HOST_OUT" in os.environ:
+        self.search_path = os.environ["ANDROID_HOST_OUT"]
     self.signapk_shared_library_path = "lib64"   # Relative to search_path
     self.extra_signapk_args = []
     self.java_path = "java"  # Use the one on the path by default.
@@ -973,6 +976,8 @@ class PartitionBuildProps(object):
         break
       except KeyError:
         logger.warning('Failed to read %s', prop_file)
+    if data == '':
+      logger.warning("Failed to read build.prop for partition {}".format(name))
     return data
 
   @staticmethod
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
index e99152a5cb248516df470a1df34b6bdd4e1011ba..5d9cbd259765d541a6ab4474623fc2375c7bc229 100755
--- a/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
@@ -1479,7 +1479,7 @@ def main(argv):
     # Only check for existence of key file if using the default signer.
     # Because the custom signer might not need the key file AT all.
     # b/191704641
-    if not OPTIONS.signapk_path:
+    if not OPTIONS.payload_signer:
       private_key_path = OPTIONS.package_key + OPTIONS.private_key_suffix
       if not os.path.exists(private_key_path):
         raise common.ExternalError(
@@ -1487,6 +1487,11 @@ def main(argv):
             " correct key path through -k option".format(
                 private_key_path)
         )
+      signapk_abs_path = os.path.join(
+          OPTIONS.search_path, OPTIONS.signapk_path)
+      if not os.path.exists(signapk_abs_path):
+        raise common.ExternalError(
+            "Failed to find sign apk binary {} in search path {}. Make sure the correct search path is passed via -p".format(OPTIONS.signapk_path, OPTIONS.search_path))
 
   if OPTIONS.source_info_dict:
     source_build_prop = OPTIONS.source_info_dict["build.prop"]