diff --git a/features.in/grub/cfg.in/00defaults.cfg b/features.in/grub/cfg.in/00defaults.cfg
index 6b1d4ffb..b0e39401 100644
--- a/features.in/grub/cfg.in/00defaults.cfg
+++ b/features.in/grub/cfg.in/00defaults.cfg
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ if [ -s $pfxfat/grubenv ]; then
   load_env --file $pfxfat/grubenv
   set default="${saved_entry}"
 else
-  default=@default_id@
+  set default=@default_id@
 fi
 function savedefault {
   if [ -z "${boot_once}" -a -s $pfxfat/grubenv ]; then
diff --git a/features.in/grub/config.mk b/features.in/grub/config.mk
index 117af348..71d69446 100644
--- a/features.in/grub/config.mk
+++ b/features.in/grub/config.mk
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ ifeq (,$(filter-out i586 x86_64,$(ARCH)))
 	@$(call try,BOOTVGA,normal)
 endif
 	@$(call set,RELNAME,ALT ($(IMAGE_NAME)))
+	@$(call xport,GRUB_DEFAULT)
 
 # UI is overwritten
 use/grub/ui/%: use/grub
diff --git a/features.in/grub/stage1/scripts.d/01-grub b/features.in/grub/stage1/scripts.d/01-grub
index c8558d29..bf92a29d 100755
--- a/features.in/grub/stage1/scripts.d/01-grub
+++ b/features.in/grub/stage1/scripts.d/01-grub
@@ -29,25 +29,20 @@ local CFG=$1
 if [ -n "$GLOBAL_GRUB_DEFAULT" ]; then
 	if [ -n "$(grep -i "$GLOBAL_GRUB_DEFAULT" "$CFG")" ]; then
 		DEFAULT="$GLOBAL_GRUB_DEFAULT"
-		sed -i '/^default/d'
-		echo "default=$DEFAULT" >> "$CFG"
 	else
 		echo "error: $GLOBAL_GRUB_DEFAULT missing in $CFG" >&2
 		exit 1
 	fi
-fi
-DEFAULT="$(grep -i '\-\-id ' "$CFG" | head -1 | rev| cut -f2 -d' ' |rev)"
-if grep -i '@default_id@' "$CFG"; then
-	sed -i "s/@default_id@/$DEFAULT/" "$CFG"
-fi
-if ! grep -i '^\s*\(set\s\+\)\?default=' "$CFG"; then
-	if [ -n "$DEFAULT" ]; then
-		echo "default=$DEFAULT" >> "$CFG"
-	else
+elif [ -n "$(grep -i "--id 'linux'" "$CFG")" ]; then
+	DEFAULT=linux
+else
+	DEFAULT="$(grep -i '\-\-id ' "$CFG" | head -1 | rev| cut -f2 -d' ' |rev)"
+	if [ -z "$DEFAULT" ]; then
 		echo "error: no DEFAULT or UI directive and cannot guess for $CFG" >&2
 		exit 1
 	fi
 fi
+sed -i "s/@default_id@/$DEFAULT/" "$CFG"
 }
 
 default_change "$CFG"