diff --git a/gen-custom-android-build.py b/gen-custom-android-build.py
index 41e125e5f..8853af3c7 100755
--- a/gen-custom-android-build.py
+++ b/gen-custom-android-build.py
@@ -334,25 +334,6 @@ def step_update_xml_nodes(jsdata, **options):
     flushxml(soup, 'RelativeLayout', toolbar_xml, head=False)
 
 
-def step_update_gradle(jsdata, **options):
-    ''' uncomment compiling the content-libs.jar file into the APK '''
-
-    if not jsdata.get('embed_zim'):
-        return
-
-    move_to_android_placeholder()
-
-    # rename settings.SliderPreference node in res/xml/preferences.xml
-    fpath = os.path.join(ANDROID_PATH, 'build.gradle')
-    lines = open(fpath, 'r').readlines()
-    for idx, line in enumerate(lines):
-        if 'content-libs.jar' in line:
-            lines[idx] = ("    {}\n"
-                          .format(re.sub(r'^//', '', line.strip()).strip()))
-    with open(fpath, 'w') as f:
-        f.write(''.join(lines))
-
-
 def step_update_android_manifest(jsdata, **options):
     ''' update AndroidManifest.xml to set package, name, version
 
@@ -446,23 +427,8 @@ def step_embed_zimfile(jsdata, **options):
 
     move_to_android_placeholder()
 
-    # create content-libs.jar
-    tmpd = tempfile.mkdtemp()
-    archs = os.listdir('libs')
-    for arch in archs:
-        os.makedirs(os.path.join(tmpd, 'lib', arch))
-        # shutil.copy(os.path.join('libs', arch, 'libkiwix.so'),
-        #             os.path.join(tmpd, 'lib', arch, 'libkiwix.so'))
     copy_to(jsdata.get('zim_file'),
-            os.path.join(tmpd, 'lib', archs[0], jsdata.get('zim_name')))
-    for arch in archs[1:]:
-        os.chdir(os.path.join(tmpd, 'lib', arch))
-        os.link('../{}/{}'.format(archs[0], jsdata.get('zim_name')),
-                   jsdata.get('zim_name'))
-    os.chdir(tmpd)
-    syscall('zip -r -0 -y {} lib'
-            .format(os.path.join(ANDROID_PATH, 'content-libs.jar')))
-    shutil.rmtree(tmpd)
+            os.path.join('assets', jsdata.get('zim_name')))
 
 def step_build_apk(jsdata, **options):
     ''' build the actual APK '''
@@ -524,7 +490,6 @@ ARGS_MATRIX = OrderedDict([
     ('jni', step_update_kiwix_c),
     ('libkiwix', step_compile_libkiwix),
     ('embed', step_embed_zimfile),
-    ('gradle', step_update_gradle),
     ('build', step_build_apk),
     ('move', step_move_apk_to_destination),
     ('list', step_list_output_apk),
@@ -576,7 +541,7 @@ def main(jspath, **options):
     jsdata.update({'zim_size': str(get_file_size(jsdata.get('zim_file')))})
     jsdata.update({'zim_name': zim_name_from_path(jsdata.get('zim_file'))})
     if jsdata.get('embed_zim'):
-        jsdata.update({'zim_name': 'libcontent.so'})
+        jsdata.update({'zim_name': 'content.zim'})
 
     # greetings
     logger.info("Your are now building {app_name} version {version_name} "
diff --git a/src/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/KiwixMobileActivity.java b/src/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/KiwixMobileActivity.java
index 58999abc8..accdf8c6e 100644
--- a/src/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/KiwixMobileActivity.java
+++ b/src/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/KiwixMobileActivity.java
@@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@ public class KiwixMobileActivity extends AppCompatActivity
 
           String filePath;
           if (Constants.CUSTOM_APP_HAS_EMBEDDED_ZIM) {
-            filePath = String.format("/data/data/%s/lib/%s", Constants.CUSTOM_APP_ID,
+            filePath = String.format("/data/data/%s/files/zim/%s", Constants.CUSTOM_APP_ID,
                 Constants.CUSTOM_APP_ZIM_FILE_NAME);
           } else {
             String fileName = FileUtils.getExpansionAPKFileName(true);
diff --git a/src/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/ZimContentProvider.java b/src/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/ZimContentProvider.java
index 04f2f7ce4..e7f6cb751 100644
--- a/src/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/ZimContentProvider.java
+++ b/src/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/ZimContentProvider.java
@@ -181,6 +181,33 @@ public class ZimContentProvider extends ContentProvider {
     }
   }
 
+  private static String loadZIMData(Context context, File workingDir) {
+    String zimFileName = "content.zim";
+    try {
+      File zimDir = new File(workingDir, "zim");
+      if (!zimDir.exists()) {
+        zimDir.mkdirs();
+      }
+      File zimDataFile = new File(zimDir, zimFileName);
+      if (!zimDataFile.exists()) {
+        InputStream in = context.getAssets().open(zimFileName);
+        OutputStream out = new FileOutputStream(zimDataFile);
+        byte[] buf = new byte[1024];
+        int len;
+        while ((len = in.read(buf)) > 0) {
+          out.write(buf, 0, len);
+        }
+        in.close();
+        out.flush();
+        out.close();
+      }
+      return zimDir.getAbsolutePath();
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      Log.e(TAG_KIWIX, "Error copying ZIM data file", e);
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+
   private static String getFilePath(Uri articleUri) {
     String filePath = articleUri.toString();
     int pos = articleUri.toString().indexOf(CONTENT_URI.toString());
@@ -200,6 +227,7 @@ public class ZimContentProvider extends ContentProvider {
   public boolean onCreate() {
     jniKiwix = new JNIKiwix();
     setIcuDataDirectory();
+    setZIMDataDirectory();
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -317,6 +345,11 @@ public class ZimContentProvider extends ContentProvider {
     }
   }
 
+  private void setZIMDataDirectory() {
+    File workingDir = this.getContext().getFilesDir();
+    loadZIMData(this.getContext(), workingDir);
+  }
+
   static class TransferThread extends Thread {
 
     Uri articleUri;