diff --git a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
index 0f3c66eaa7..1cae8d12dd 100644
--- a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
+++ b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
@@ -245,15 +245,17 @@ setup_disk_image() {
 # If the current type defines a oem package install it to the given fs image.
 install_oem_package() {
     local oem_pkg=$(_get_vm_opt OEM_PACKAGE)
-    local oem_mnt="${VM_TMP_ROOT}/usr/share/oem"
+    local oem_tmp="${VM_TMP_DIR}/oem"
 
     if [[ -z "${oem_pkg}" ]]; then
         return 0
     fi
 
     info "Installing ${oem_pkg} to OEM partition"
-    emerge-${BOARD} --root="${oem_mnt}" --root-deps=rdeps "${oem_pkg}"
-    sudo rm -rf "${oem_mnt}/var"  # clean out /var/pkg/db and friends
+    emerge-${BOARD} --root="${oem_tmp}" \
+        --root-deps=rdeps --usepkg --quiet "${oem_pkg}"
+    sudo rsync -a "${oem_tmp}/usr/share/oem/" "${VM_TMP_ROOT}/usr/share/oem/"
+    sudo rm -rf "${oem_tmp}"
 }
 
 # Write the vm disk image to the target directory in the proper format