diff --git a/features.in/stage2/stage1/modules.d/10-stage2 b/features.in/stage2/stage1/modules.d/10-stage2
index 846482a4..29ebd8b6 100644
--- a/features.in/stage2/stage1/modules.d/10-stage2
+++ b/features.in/stage2/stage1/modules.d/10-stage2
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ atl2.ko
 atp870u.ko
 atp.ko
 aufs.ko
+overlay.ko
 axnet_cs.ko
 b44.ko
 bnx2.ko
diff --git a/features.in/stage2/stage1/scripts.d/03-test-kernel b/features.in/stage2/stage1/scripts.d/03-test-kernel
index e846dbb8..9b21fbbb 100755
--- a/features.in/stage2/stage1/scripts.d/03-test-kernel
+++ b/features.in/stage2/stage1/scripts.d/03-test-kernel
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ configured()
 ls $CONFIGS >&/dev/null || fatal "no stage1 kernel config found in /boot"
 
 # test for installer-required filesystems support
-for opt in SQUASHFS AUFS_FS $GLOBAL_STAGE1_KCONFIG; do
+for opt in SQUASHFS AUFS_FS OVERLAY_FS $GLOBAL_STAGE1_KCONFIG; do
+	[ "$opt" = AUFS_FS ] && [ $(configured "OVERLAY_FS=[my]") -a $(configured "AUFS_FS=n") ] && continue
 	configured "$opt=[my]" || fatal "stage1 kernel must have $opt support"
 done
 
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/modules b/sub.in/stage1/modules
index 629681a5..f6f9e767 100644
--- a/sub.in/stage1/modules
+++ b/sub.in/stage1/modules
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ kernel/drivers/rtc
 af_packet.ko
 arc4.ko
 aufs.ko
+overlay.ko
 cdrom.ko
 evdev.ko
 ext4.ko