diff --git a/man/kernel-install.xml b/man/kernel-install.xml
index 83255bb932..685617863e 100644
--- a/man/kernel-install.xml
+++ b/man/kernel-install.xml
@@ -171,11 +171,19 @@
     <para><varname>KERNEL_INSTALL_BOOT_ROOT=</varname> is set for the plugins to the root directory (mount point, usually) of the hierarchy
     where boot-loader entries, kernel images, and associated resources should be placed. Can be overridden by setting <varname>BOOT_ROOT=</varname>.</para>
 
-    <para><varname>KERNEL_INSTALL_LAYOUT=bls|other|...</varname> specifies the installation layout.
+    <para><varname>KERNEL_INSTALL_LAYOUT=bls|other|...</varname> is set for the plugins to specify the installation layout.
     Defaults to <option>bls</option> if <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable></filename> exists, or <option>other</option> otherwise.
     Additional layout names may be defined by convention. If a plugin uses a special layout,
     it's encouraged to declare its own layout name and configure <varname>layout=</varname> in <filename>install.conf</filename> upon initial installation.</para>
 
+    <para><varname>KERNEL_INSTALL_INITRD_GENERATOR=...</varname> is set for plugins to select the initrd generator.
+    This should be configured as <varname>initrd_generator=</varname> in <filename>install.conf</filename>.
+    </para>
+
+    <para><varname>KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA=...</varname> is set for plugins to a path to a directory.
+    Plugins may drop files in that directory, and they will be installed as part of the loader entry, based
+    on the file name and extension.</para>
+
     <variablelist>
       <varlistentry>
         <term>bls</term>
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/90-loaderentry.install b/src/kernel-install/90-loaderentry.install
index e588e72bf9..3edefdefb4 100644
--- a/src/kernel-install/90-loaderentry.install
+++ b/src/kernel-install/90-loaderentry.install
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 # along with systemd; If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+shopt -s nullglob
+
 COMMAND="$1"
 KERNEL_VERSION="$2"
 ENTRY_DIR_ABS="$3"
@@ -38,6 +40,8 @@ fi
 
 case "$COMMAND" in
     remove)
+        [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && \
+            echo "Removing $BOOT_ROOT/loader/entries/$MACHINE_ID-$KERNEL_VERSION*.conf"
         exec rm -f \
             "$BOOT_ROOT/loader/entries/$MACHINE_ID-$KERNEL_VERSION.conf" \
             "$BOOT_ROOT/loader/entries/$MACHINE_ID-$KERNEL_VERSION+"*".conf"
@@ -78,36 +82,33 @@ else
 fi
 
 if ! [ -d "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS" ]; then
-    if [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ]; then
-        echo "+mkdir -v -p $ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
-        mkdir -v -p "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
-    else
-        mkdir -p "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
-    fi
+    echo "Error: entry directory '$ENTRY_DIR_ABS' does not exist" >&2
+    exit 1
 fi
 
 install -g root -o root -m 0644 "$KERNEL_IMAGE" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/linux" || {
-    echo "Could not copy '$KERNEL_IMAGE' to '$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/linux'." >&2
+    echo "Error: could not copy '$KERNEL_IMAGE' to '$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/linux'." >&2
     exit 1
 }
 
 shift "$INITRD_OPTIONS_SHIFT"
-for initrd; do
+# All files listed as arguments, and staged files called "initrd*" are installed as initrds.
+for initrd in "$@" "${KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA}"/initrd*; do
     [ -f "$initrd" ] || {
-        echo "Initrd '$initrd' not a file." >&2
+        echo "Error: initrd '$initrd' not a file." >&2
         exit 1
     }
 
     initrd_basename="${initrd##*/}"
     [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && echo "Installing $ENTRY_DIR_ABS/$initrd_basename"
     install -g root -o root -m 0644 "$initrd" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/$initrd_basename" || {
-        echo "Could not copy '$initrd' to '$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/$initrd_basename'." >&2
+        echo "Error: could not copy '$initrd' to '$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/$initrd_basename'." >&2
         exit 1
     }
 done
 
 mkdir -p "${LOADER_ENTRY%/*}" || {
-    echo "Could not create loader entry directory '${LOADER_ENTRY%/*}'." >&2
+    echo "Error: could not create loader entry directory '${LOADER_ENTRY%/*}'." >&2
     exit 1
 }
 
@@ -118,14 +119,18 @@ mkdir -p "${LOADER_ENTRY%/*}" || {
     echo "machine-id $MACHINE_ID"
     echo "options    $BOOT_OPTIONS"
     echo "linux      $ENTRY_DIR/linux"
-    for initrd; do
+
+    have_initrd=
+    for initrd in "${@}" "${KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA}"/initrd*; do
         echo "initrd     $ENTRY_DIR/${initrd##*/}"
+        have_initrd=yes
     done
+
     # Try "initrd", generated by dracut in its kernel-install hook, if no initrds were supplied
-    [ $# -eq 0 ] && [ -f "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/initrd" ] && echo "initrd     $ENTRY_DIR/initrd"
+    [ -z "$have_initrd" ] && [ -f "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/initrd" ] && echo "initrd     $ENTRY_DIR/initrd"
     :
 } >"$LOADER_ENTRY" || {
-    echo "Could not create loader entry '$LOADER_ENTRY'." >&2
+    echo "Error: could not create loader entry '$LOADER_ENTRY'." >&2
     exit 1
 }
 exit 0
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/install.conf b/src/kernel-install/install.conf
index e4802e6fae..43b6e7d792 100644
--- a/src/kernel-install/install.conf
+++ b/src/kernel-install/install.conf
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@
 # See kernel-install(8) for details.
 
 #layout=bls|other|...
+#initrd_generator=dracut|...
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/kernel-install b/src/kernel-install/kernel-install
index e56483ef96..8cfef3208d 100755
--- a/src/kernel-install/kernel-install
+++ b/src/kernel-install/kernel-install
@@ -73,13 +73,16 @@ else
 fi
 
 if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
-    echo "Not enough arguments" >&2
+    echo "Error: not enough arguments" >&2
     exit 1
 fi
 
 KERNEL_VERSION="$1"
 shift
 
+layout=
+initrd_generator=
+
 if [ -r "/etc/kernel/install.conf" ]; then
     . /etc/kernel/install.conf
 elif [ -r "/usr/lib/kernel/install.conf" ]; then
@@ -123,12 +126,22 @@ if [ -z "$layout" ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
-
 ENTRY_DIR_ABS="$BOOT_ROOT/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
 
+# Provide a directory where to store generated initrds
+cleanup() {
+    [ -n "$KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA" ] && rm -rf "$KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA"
+}
+
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA="$(mktemp -d -t -p /tmp kernel-install.staging.XXXXXXX)"
+
 export KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID="$MACHINE_ID"
 export KERNEL_INSTALL_BOOT_ROOT="$BOOT_ROOT"
 export KERNEL_INSTALL_LAYOUT="$layout"
+export KERNEL_INSTALL_INITRD_GENERATOR="$initrd_generator"
+export KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA
 
 [ "$layout" = "bls" ]
 MAKE_ENTRY_DIR_ABS=$?
@@ -147,12 +160,12 @@ IFS="
 case "$COMMAND" in
     add)
         if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
-            echo "Command 'add' requires a kernel image" >&2
+            echo "Error: command 'add' requires a kernel image" >&2
             exit 1
         fi
 
         if ! [ -f "$1" ]; then
-            echo "Kernel image argument $1 not a file" >&2
+            echo "Error: kernel image argument $1 not a file" >&2
             exit 1
         fi
 
@@ -162,9 +175,9 @@ case "$COMMAND" in
             # to serve as the indication to use or to not use the BLS
             if [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ]; then
                 echo "+mkdir -v -p $ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
-                mkdir -v -p "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
+                mkdir -v -p "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS" || exit 1
             else
-                mkdir -p "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
+                mkdir -p "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS" || exit 1
             fi
         fi
 
@@ -193,7 +206,7 @@ case "$COMMAND" in
         ;;
 
     *)
-        echo "Unknown command '$COMMAND'" >&2
+        echo "Error: unknown command '$COMMAND'" >&2
         exit 1
         ;;
 esac