diff --git a/defaults/initrd.d/00-fsdev.sh b/defaults/initrd.d/00-fsdev.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1dd2523
--- /dev/null
+++ b/defaults/initrd.d/00-fsdev.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+. /etc/initrd.d/00-common.sh
+
+find_real_device() {
+    local device="${1}"
+    local out=
+    case "${device}" in
+        UUID=*|LABEL=*)
+            local real_device=""
+            local retval=1
+
+            if [ "${retval}" -ne 0 ]; then
+                real_device=$(findfs "${device}" 2>/dev/null)
+                retval=$?
+            fi
+
+            if [ "$retval" -ne 0 ]; then
+                real_device=$(busybox findfs "${device}" 2>/dev/null)
+                retval=$?
+            fi
+
+            if [ "${retval}" -ne 0 ]; then
+                real_device=$(blkid -o device -l -t "${device}")
+                retval=$?
+            fi
+
+            if [ "${retval}" -eq 0 ] && [ -n "${real_device}" ]; then
+                out="${real_device}"
+            fi
+        ;;
+        *)
+            out="${device}"
+        ;;
+    esac
+    echo -n "${out}"
+}
+
+get_device_fstype() {
+    local device=$(find_real_device "${1}")
+    if [ -n "${device}" ]; then
+        blkid -o value -s TYPE "${device}"
+        return ${?}  # readability
+    else
+        bad_msg "Cannot resolve device: ${1}"
+        return 1
+    fi
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/defaults/initrd.d/00-zfs.sh b/defaults/initrd.d/00-zfs.sh
index 4d48bbc..3541e58 100755
--- a/defaults/initrd.d/00-zfs.sh
+++ b/defaults/initrd.d/00-zfs.sh
@@ -1,12 +1,45 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 . /etc/initrd.d/00-common.sh
+. /etc/initrd.d/00-fsdev.sh
 
-is_zfs() {
+_is_zfs() {
+    # Note: this only works after zfs_real_root_init
+    #       (thus, only after real_root_init)
     [ "${USE_ZFS}" = "1" ] && return 0
     return 1
 }
 
+is_zfs_fstype() {
+    local fstype="${1}"
+    [ "${fstype}" = "zfs_member" ] && return 0
+    return 1
+}
+
+zfs_real_root_init() {
+    case "${REAL_ROOT}" in
+        ZFS=*)
+            ZFS_POOL=${REAL_ROOT#*=}
+            ZFS_POOL=${ZFS_POOL%%/*}
+            USE_ZFS=1
+        ;;
+        ZFS)
+            USE_ZFS=1
+        ;;
+    esac
+
+    # Verify that zfs support has been compiled in
+    if [ "USE_ZFS" = "1" ]; then
+        for i in /sbin/zfs /sbin/zpool; do
+            if [ ! -x "${i}" ]; then
+                USE_ZFS=0
+                bad_msg 'Aborting use of zfs because ${i} not found!'
+                break
+            fi
+        done
+    fi
+}
+
 # This helper function is to be called using _call_func_timeout.  This
 # works around the inability of busybox modprobe to handle complex
 # module dependencies. This also enables us to wait a reasonable
@@ -29,35 +62,10 @@ _call_func_timeout() {
     return 0
 }
 
-zfs_init() {
-    # Set variables based on the value of REAL_ROOT
-    case "${REAL_ROOT}" in
-        ZFS=*)
-            ZFS_POOL=${REAL_ROOT#*=}
-            ZFS_POOL=${ZFS_POOL%%/*}
-            USE_ZFS=1
-        ;;
-        ZFS)
-            USE_ZFS=1
-        ;;
-    esac
-
-    # Verify that it is safe to use ZFS
-    if [ "USE_ZFS" = "1" ]
-    then
-        for i in /sbin/zfs /sbin/zpool
-        do
-            if [ ! -x ${i} ]
-            then
-                USE_ZFS=0
-                bad_msg 'Aborting use of zfs because ${i} not found!'
-                break
-            fi
-        done
-    fi
-}
-
 zfs_start_volumes() {
+    # is ZFS enabled?
+    _is_zfs || return 0
+
     # Avoid race involving asynchronous module loading
     if _call_func_timeout wait_for_zfs 5; then
         bad_msg "Cannot import ZFS pool because /dev/zfs is missing"
@@ -65,7 +73,7 @@ zfs_start_volumes() {
     elif [ -z "${ZFS_POOL}" ]; then
         good_msg "Importing ZFS pools"
 
-        /sbin/zpool import -N -a ${ZPOOL_FORCE}
+        zpool import -N -a ${ZPOOL_FORCE}
         if [ "${?}" = "0" ]; then
             good_msg "Importing ZFS pools succeeded"
         else
@@ -79,12 +87,12 @@ zfs_start_volumes() {
 
             if [ -n "${CRYPT_ROOT}" ] || [ -n "${CRYPT_SWAP}" ]; then
                 good_msg "LUKS detected. Reimporting ${ZFS_POOL}"
-                /sbin/zpool export -f "${ZFS_POOL}"
-                /sbin/zpool import -N ${ZPOOL_FORCE} "${ZFS_POOL}"
+                zpool export -f "${ZFS_POOL}"
+                zpool import -N ${ZPOOL_FORCE} "${ZFS_POOL}"
             fi
         else
             good_msg "Importing ZFS pool ${ZFS_POOL}"
-            /sbin/zpool import -N ${ZPOOL_FORCE} "${ZFS_POOL}"
+            zpool import -N ${ZPOOL_FORCE} "${ZFS_POOL}"
 
             if [ "${?}" = "0" ]; then
                 good_msg "Import of ${ZFS_POOL} succeeded"
@@ -93,4 +101,44 @@ zfs_start_volumes() {
             fi
         fi
     fi
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+# Initialize the zfs root filesystem device and
+# tweak ${REAL_ROOT}. In addition, set ${ZFS_POOL}
+# for later use.
+# Return 0 if initialization is successful.
+zfs_rootdev_init() {
+    local root_dev="${REAL_ROOT#*=}"
+    ZFS_POOL="${root_dev%%/*}"
+
+    if [ "${root_dev}" != "ZFS" ]; then
+        local ztype=$(zfs get type -o value -H "${root_dev}")
+        if [ "${ztype}" = "filesystem" ]; then
+            REAL_ROOT="${root_dev}"
+            good_msg "Detected zfs root: ${REAL_ROOT}"
+            return 0
+        else
+            bad_msg "${root_dev} is not a zfs filesystem"
+            return 1
+        fi
+    fi
+
+    local bootfs=$(zpool list -H -o bootfs)
+    [ "${bootfs}" = "-" ] && return 1
+
+    for i in ${bootfs}; do
+        if zfs get type "${i}" > /dev/null; then
+            REAL_ROOT="${i}"
+            good_msg "Detected zfs bootfs root: ${REAL_ROOT}"
+            return 0
+        fi
+    done
+    return 1
+}
+
+zfs_get_real_root_mount_flags() {
+    local flags=rw,zfsutil
+    local zmtype=$(zfs get -H -o value mountpoint "${REAL_ROOT}")
+    [ "${zmtype}" = "legacy" ] && flags=rw
+    echo "${flags}"
+}
diff --git a/defaults/initrd.scripts b/defaults/initrd.scripts
index 036421a..8d91d50 100755
--- a/defaults/initrd.scripts
+++ b/defaults/initrd.scripts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 . /etc/initrd.defaults
 . /etc/initrd.d/00-splash.sh
 . /etc/initrd.d/00-common.sh
+. /etc/initrd.d/00-fsdev.sh
 . /etc/initrd.d/00-devmgr.sh
 . /etc/initrd.d/00-zfs.sh
 
@@ -84,16 +85,19 @@ uppercase() {
     echo ${1} | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z'
 }
 
-setup_real_root() {
-    if [ -z "${REAL_ROOT}" -a "${FAKE_ROOT}" != "/dev/ram0" ]; then
+real_root_init() {
+    if [ -z "${REAL_ROOT}" ] && [ "${FAKE_ROOT}" != "/dev/ram0" ]; then
         REAL_ROOT="${FAKE_ROOT}"
     fi
-    if [ -z "${REAL_INIT}" -a "${FAKE_INIT}" != "/linuxrc" ]; then
+    if [ -z "${REAL_INIT}" ] && [ "${FAKE_INIT}" != "/linuxrc" ]; then
         REAL_INIT="${FAKE_INIT}"
     fi
     if [ -z "${REAL_ROOTFLAGS}" ]; then
         REAL_ROOTFLAGS="${FAKE_ROOTFLAGS}"
     fi
+
+    # let zfs code setup its parameters
+    zfs_real_root_init
 }
 
 findmediamount() {
@@ -342,51 +346,6 @@ find_nfs() {
     fi
 }
 
-find_real_device() {
-    local device="${1}"
-    local out=
-    case "${device}" in
-        UUID=*|LABEL=*)
-            local REAL_DEVICE=""
-            local retval=1
-
-            if [ "${retval}" -ne 0 ]; then
-                REAL_DEVICE=$(findfs "${device}" 2>/dev/null)
-                retval=$?
-            fi
-
-            if [ "$retval" -ne 0 ]; then
-                REAL_DEVICE=$(busybox findfs "${device}" 2>/dev/null)
-                retval=$?
-            fi
-
-            if [ "${retval}" -ne 0 ]; then
-                REAL_DEVICE=$(blkid -o device -l -t "${device}")
-                retval=$?
-            fi
-
-            if [ "${retval}" -eq 0 ] && [ -n "${REAL_DEVICE}" ]; then
-                out="${REAL_DEVICE}"
-            fi
-        ;;
-        *)
-            out="${device}"
-        ;;
-    esac
-    echo -n "${out}"
-}
-
-get_device_fstype() {
-    local device=$(find_real_device "${1}")
-    if [ -n "${device}" ]; then
-        blkid -o value -s TYPE "${device}"
-        return ${?}  # readability
-    else
-        echo "Cannot resolve device: ${1}" >&2
-        return 1
-    fi
-}
-
 check_loop() {
     if [ -z "${LOOP}" ] || [ ! -e "${CDROOT_PATH}/${LOOP}" ]; then
         bad_msg "Invalid loop location: ${LOOP}"
@@ -772,7 +731,8 @@ start_volumes() {
         fi
     fi
 
-    is_zfs && zfs_start_volumes
+    # If zfs is enabled, this will initialize the volumes
+    zfs_start_volumes
 
     is_udev && udevadm settle
 }
@@ -1549,97 +1509,92 @@ fstype_init() {
     fi
 }
 
-rootdev_init() {
-    good_msg "Initializing root device..."
+_rootdev_detect() {
+    local got_good_root=0
+    while [ "${got_good_root}" != "1" ]; do
 
-    while true
-    do
-        local got_good_root=
-        while [ "${got_good_root}" != "1" ]; do
+        case "${REAL_ROOT}" in
+            LABEL=*|UUID=*)
+                local root_dev=$(find_real_device "${REAL_ROOT}")
+                if [ -n "${root_dev}" ]; then
+                    REAL_ROOT="${root_dev}"
+                    good_msg "Detected root: ${REAL_ROOT}"
+                else
+                    bad_msg "Unable to resolve root: ${REAL_ROOT}"
 
-            case "${REAL_ROOT}" in
-                LABEL=*|UUID=*)
+                    got_good_root=0
+                    prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
+                    continue
+                fi
+                ;;
 
-                    local root_dev=$(find_real_device "${REAL_ROOT}")
-                    if [ -n "${root_dev}" ]; then
-                        REAL_ROOT="${root_dev}"
-                        good_msg "Detected root: ${REAL_ROOT}"
-                    else
-                        bad_msg "Unable to resolve root: ${REAL_ROOT}"
-                        prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
-                        got_good_root=0
-                        continue
-                    fi
-                    ;;
-
-                # move this cruft into a separate function? do we really need
-                # the crazy root=ZFS= thing? can't we just detect the fstype?
-                ZFS*)
-                    if [ "${USE_ZFS}" = "0" ]; then
-                        prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
-                        continue
-                    fi
+            ZFS*)
+                # zfs_rootdev_init will tweak ${REAL_ROOT}
+                zfs_rootdev_init
+                if [ "${?}" = "0" ]; then
+                    got_good_root=1
+                else
+                    got_good_root=0
+                    prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
+                    continue
+                fi
+                ;;
+        esac
 
-                    ROOT_DEV="${REAL_ROOT#*=}"
-                    if [ "${ROOT_DEV}" != "ZFS" ]; then
-                        local ztype=$(zfs get type -o value -H "${ROOT_DEV}")
-                        if [ "${ztype}" = "filesystem" ]; then
-                            got_good_root=1;
-                            REAL_ROOT=${ROOT_DEV}
-                            ROOTFSTYPE=zfs
-                        else
-                            bad_msg "${ROOT_DEV} is not a filesystem"
-                            prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
-                            got_good_root=0
-                            continue
-                        fi
-                    else
-                        BOOTFS=$(/sbin/zpool list -H -o bootfs)
-                        if [ "${BOOTFS}" != "-" ]; then
+        if [ -z "${REAL_ROOT}" ]; then
+            # No REAL_ROOT determined/specified.
+            # Prompt user for root block device.
+            prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
+            got_good_root=0
 
-                            for i in ${BOOTFS}; do
-                                zfs get type ${i} > /dev/null
-                                retval=$?
+        # Check for a block device or NFS
+        elif [ -b "${REAL_ROOT}" ] || is_nfs; then
+            got_good_root=1
+        else
+            bad_msg "${REAL_ROOT} is an invalid root device..."
+            REAL_ROOT=""
+            got_good_root=0
+        fi
+    done
 
-                                if [ ${retval} -eq 0 ]; then
-                                    got_good_root=1
-                                    REAL_ROOT=${i}
-                                    ROOTFSTYPE=zfs
-                                    break
-                                fi
-                            done
-                        else
-                            got_good_root=0
-                        fi
+    return 0
+}
 
-                    fi
+_rootdev_mount() {
+    local mount_opts=ro
+    local mount_fstype="${ROOTFSTYPE}"
+    local fstype=$(get_device_fstype "${REAL_ROOT}")
+    if is_zfs_fstype "${fstype}"; then
+        mount_fstype=zfs
+        mount_opts=$(zfs_get_real_root_mount_flags)
+    fi
 
-                    if [ ${got_good_root} -ne 1 ]; then
-                        prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
-                        got_good_root=0
-                    fi
-                    continue
-                    ;;
-            esac
-
-            if [ -z "${REAL_ROOT}" ]; then
-                # No REAL_ROOT determined/specified.
-                # Prompt user for root block device.
-                prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
-                got_good_root=0
-
-            # Check for a block device or NFS
-            elif [ -b "${REAL_ROOT}" ] || is_nfs; then
-                got_good_root=1
-            else
-                bad_msg "${REAL_ROOT} is an invalid root device..."
-                REAL_ROOT=""
-                got_good_root=0
-            fi
-        done
+    good_msg "Detected fstype: ${fstype}"
+    good_msg "Using mount fstype: ${mount_fstype}"
+    fstype_init "${fstype}"
 
+    local mopts="${mount_opts}"
+    [ -n "${REAL_ROOTFLAGS}" ] && \
+        mopts="${mopts},${REAL_ROOTFLAGS}"
+    good_msg "Using mount opts: -o ${mopts}"
 
-        if [ "${got_good_root}" = "1" ] && is_livecd && ! is_nfs; then
+    mount -t "${mount_fstype}" -o "${mopts}" \
+        "${REAL_ROOT}" "${NEW_ROOT}" || return 1
+    return 0
+}
+
+rootdev_init() {
+    good_msg "Initializing root device..."
+
+    while true; do
+
+        if ! _rootdev_detect; then
+            bad_msg "Could not mount specified ROOT, try again"
+            prompt_user "REAL_ROOT" "root block device"
+            continue
+        fi
+
+        if is_livecd && ! is_nfs; then
             # CD already mounted; no further checks necessary
             break
         fi
@@ -1649,37 +1604,13 @@ rootdev_init() {
             break
         fi
 
-        local fstype=$(get_device_fstype "${REAL_ROOT}")
-        good_msg "Initializing ${REAL_ROOT} if needed"
-        good_msg "Detected fstype: ${fstype}"
-        fstype_init "${fstype}"
-
         good_msg "Mounting ${REAL_ROOT} as root..."
-        local mount_state=ro
-
-        # TODO(lxnay): determine if it's possible to move this
-        #              crufty thing into fstype_init
-        if [ "${ROOTFSTYPE}" = "zfs" ]; then
-            local zmtype=$(zfs get -H -o value mountpoint "${REAL_ROOT}")
-            if [ "${zmtype}" = "legacy" ]; then
-                mount_state=rw
-            else
-                mount_state=rw,zfsutil
-            fi
-        fi
 
         # Try to mount the device as ${NEW_ROOT}
         if is_nfs; then
             find_nfs  # sets ${?} checked below
         else
-            # mount ro so fsck doesn't barf later
-            local mopts="${mount_state}"
-            [ -n "${REAL_ROOTFLAGS}" ] && \
-                mopts="${mopts},${REAL_ROOTFLAGS}"
-
-            good_msg "Using mount -t ${ROOTFSTYPE} -o ${mopts}"
-            mount -t "${ROOTFSTYPE}" -o "${mopts}" \
-                "${REAL_ROOT}" "${NEW_ROOT}"
+            _rootdev_mount  # sets ${?} checked below
         fi
 
         # If mount is successful break out of the loop
@@ -1713,7 +1644,6 @@ rootdev_init() {
             break
         else
             bad_msg "Could not mount specified ROOT, try again"
-            got_good_root=0
             REAL_ROOT=''
         fi
     done
diff --git a/defaults/linuxrc b/defaults/linuxrc
index 34585b0..ec14891 100755
--- a/defaults/linuxrc
+++ b/defaults/linuxrc
@@ -97,10 +97,9 @@ for x in ${CMDLINE}; do
             good_msg "Booting with multipath activated."
             USE_MULTIPATH_NORMAL=1
         ;;
-        dozfs*)
-            USE_ZFS=1
-
-            if [ "${x#*=}" = "force" ]; then
+        dozfs=*)
+            ZFS_OPTS=${x#*=}
+            if [ "${ZFS_OPTS}" = "force" ]; then
                 ZPOOL_FORCE=-f
             fi
         ;;
@@ -241,9 +240,7 @@ done
 
 quiet_kmsg
 
-is_livecd || setup_real_root
-
-zfs_init
+is_livecd || real_root_init
 
 cmdline_hwopts