diff --git a/config/functions b/config/functions
index 6aa6781354..b38ed56195 100644
--- a/config/functions
+++ b/config/functions
@@ -1197,6 +1197,22 @@ kernel_config_path() {
   die "ERROR: Unable to locate kernel config for ${LINUX} - looking for ${config_name}"
 }
 
+kernel_initramfs_confs() {
+  local config_name cfg confs
+
+  config_name="initramfs.${TARGET_PATCH_ARCH:-$TARGET_ARCH}.conf"
+  confs="$(get_pkg_directory initramfs)/config/initramfs.conf"
+
+  for cfg in $PROJECT_DIR/$PROJECT/packages/initramfs/config/$config_name \
+             $PROJECT_DIR/$PROJECT/devices/$DEVICE/packages/initramfs/config/$config_name \
+             ; do
+    [[ $cfg =~ /devices//packages/ ]] && continue
+    [ -f "$cfg" ] && confs+=" $cfg"
+  done
+
+  echo "$confs"
+}
+
 kernel_make() {
   (
     setup_pkg_config_host
diff --git a/packages/linux/package.mk b/packages/linux/package.mk
index 3f2cc30dc0..0137811656 100644
--- a/packages/linux/package.mk
+++ b/packages/linux/package.mk
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ PKG_NAME="linux"
 PKG_LICENSE="GPL"
 PKG_SITE="http://www.kernel.org"
 PKG_DEPENDS_HOST="ccache:host rsync:host openssl:host"
-PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain linux:host cpio:host kmod:host xz:host keyutils $KERNEL_EXTRA_DEPENDS_TARGET"
+PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain linux:host kmod:host xz:host keyutils $KERNEL_EXTRA_DEPENDS_TARGET"
 PKG_NEED_UNPACK="$LINUX_DEPENDS $(get_pkg_directory initramfs) $(get_pkg_variable initramfs PKG_NEED_UNPACK)"
 PKG_LONGDESC="This package contains a precompiled kernel image and the modules."
 PKG_IS_KERNEL_PKG="yes"
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ post_patch() {
   else
     cp $PKG_KERNEL_CFG_FILE $PKG_BUILD/.config
 
-    sed -i -e "s|@INITRAMFS_SOURCE@|$BUILD/image/initramfs.cpio|" $PKG_BUILD/.config
+    sed -i -e "s|@INITRAMFS_SOURCE@|$(kernel_initramfs_confs) $BUILD/initramfs|" $PKG_BUILD/.config
 
     # set default hostname based on $DISTRONAME
       sed -i -e "s|@DISTRONAME@|$DISTRONAME|g" $PKG_BUILD/.config
diff --git a/packages/virtual/initramfs/config/initramfs.conf b/packages/virtual/initramfs/config/initramfs.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a4c8e3289d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/virtual/initramfs/config/initramfs.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+dir /dev 0755 0 0
+nod /dev/console 0600 0 0 c 5 1
+
+dir usr 0755 0 0
+slink lib usr/lib 0777 0 0
+slink bin usr/bin 0777 0 0
+slink sbin usr/sbin 0777 0 0
diff --git a/packages/virtual/initramfs/package.mk b/packages/virtual/initramfs/package.mk
index c31c5ba4f1..65e5ce4bf5 100644
--- a/packages/virtual/initramfs/package.mk
+++ b/packages/virtual/initramfs/package.mk
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ PKG_LICENSE="GPL"
 PKG_SITE="http://www.openelec.tv"
 PKG_URL=""
 PKG_DEPENDS_INIT="libc:init busybox:init plymouth-lite:init util-linux:init e2fsprogs:init dosfstools:init terminus-font:init"
-PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain fakeroot:host initramfs:init"
+PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain initramfs:init"
 PKG_SECTION="virtual"
 PKG_LONGDESC="Metapackage for installing initramfs"
 
@@ -23,21 +23,3 @@ fi
 for i in $PKG_DEPENDS_INIT; do
   PKG_NEED_UNPACK+=" $(get_pkg_directory $i)"
 done
-
-post_install() {
-  ( cd $BUILD/initramfs
-    if [ "$TARGET_ARCH" = "x86_64" ]; then
-      ln -sfn /usr/lib $BUILD/initramfs/lib64
-      mkdir -p $BUILD/initramfs/usr
-      ln -sfn /usr/lib $BUILD/initramfs/usr/lib64
-    fi
-
-    ln -sfn /usr/lib $BUILD/initramfs/lib
-    ln -sfn /usr/bin $BUILD/initramfs/bin
-    ln -sfn /usr/sbin $BUILD/initramfs/sbin
-
-    mkdir -p $BUILD/image/
-    fakeroot -- sh -c \
-      "mkdir -p dev; mknod -m 600 dev/console c 5 1; find . | cpio -H newc -ov -R 0:0 > $BUILD/image/initramfs.cpio"
-  )
-}
diff --git a/projects/Generic/packages/initramfs/config/initramfs.x86_64.conf b/projects/Generic/packages/initramfs/config/initramfs.x86_64.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cea7afcf33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/Generic/packages/initramfs/config/initramfs.x86_64.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+slink lib64 usr/lib 0777 0 0
+slink usr/lib64 lib 0777 0 0