diff -Nru open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/changelog open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/changelog
--- open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/changelog	2021-08-31 10:05:31.000000000 +0000
+++ open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/changelog	2021-10-12 05:53:54.000000000 +0000
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+open-vm-tools (2:11.3.0-2ubuntu0~ubuntu20.04.2) focal; urgency=medium
+
+  * d/rules: provide a compat link for the old open-vm-tools
+    library/plugin paths (LP: #1944946)
+    - d/open-vm-tools.postinst: handle upgrades from <11.3.0-2 in regard
+      to the symlink
+
+ -- Christian Ehrhardt <christian.ehrhardt@canonical.com>  Tue, 12 Oct 2021 07:53:54 +0200
+
 open-vm-tools (2:11.3.0-2ubuntu0~ubuntu20.04.1) focal; urgency=medium
 
   * Update to latest release v11.3.0 (LP: #1933143)
diff -Nru open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/open-vm-tools.postinst open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/open-vm-tools.postinst
--- open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/open-vm-tools.postinst	2021-07-12 05:49:25.000000000 +0000
+++ open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/open-vm-tools.postinst	2021-10-12 05:53:54.000000000 +0000
@@ -7,6 +7,30 @@
         if which udevadm 1>/dev/null; then
             udevadm trigger || true
         fi
+
+        # Transitions from directory (<11.3.0-2) to symlink can cause issues
+        # See this bug and links from there for prior examples
+        # https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=626203
+        # Upgrades "through" 11.3.0-2 are ok as it removed the dir and then
+        # deploys the symlink on the next upgrade. But directly from e.g.
+        # 2:11.0.5-4 in focal-release the upgrade would leave a dir behind.
+        if [ -n "$2" ] && dpkg --compare-versions -- "$2" lt "2:11.3.0-2~"; then
+            # upgrade from a version that had the directory
+            d_to_s_dir="/usr/lib/open-vm-tools"
+            if [ -d "$d_to_s_dir" ]; then
+                if [ "$(find "$d_to_s_dir" -maxdepth 0 -empty)" = "$d_to_s_dir" ]; then
+                    # remove empty dir
+                    rmdir "$d_to_s_dir"
+                else
+                    # Backup non-empty dir
+                    echo "Warning $d_to_s_dir not empty, create backup in $d_to_s_dir.bckp"
+                    mv "$d_to_s_dir" "$d_to_s_dir.bckp"
+                fi
+                target_dir=$(dpkg -L open-vm-tools | grep '^/usr/lib/.*-linux-gnu/open-vm-tools$')
+                # Create symlink in place of the former directory
+                ln -s "$target_dir" "$d_to_s_dir"
+            fi
+        fi
         ;;
 
     abort-upgrade|abort-remove|abort-deconfigure)
diff -Nru open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/rules open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/rules
--- open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/rules	2021-08-31 10:05:31.000000000 +0000
+++ open-vm-tools-11.3.0/debian/rules	2021-10-12 05:53:46.000000000 +0000
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@
 	mv debian/open-vm-tools/usr/lib/$(DEB_HOST_MULTIARCH)/open-vm-tools/serviceDiscovery/scripts/* debian/open-vm-tools-sdmp/usr/lib/$(DEB_HOST_MULTIARCH)/open-vm-tools/serviceDiscovery/scripts/
 	rm -rf debian/open-vm-tools/usr/lib/$(DEB_HOST_MULTIARCH)/open-vm-tools/serviceDiscovery/
 
+	# Compat link for LP: #1944946 due to software checking the old non multiarch .so paths
+	ln --relative --symbolic debian/open-vm-tools/usr/lib/$(DEB_HOST_MULTIARCH)/open-vm-tools debian/open-vm-tools/usr/lib/open-vm-tools
+
 override_dh_gencontrol:
 	if [ "${VENDOR}" = "UBUNTU" ]; \
 	then \