diff --git a/defaults/initrd.scripts b/defaults/initrd.scripts
index 960987c..aecf8c4 100755
--- a/defaults/initrd.scripts
+++ b/defaults/initrd.scripts
@@ -22,9 +22,6 @@ real_root_init() {
     if [ -z "${REAL_ROOTFLAGS}" ]; then
         REAL_ROOTFLAGS="${FAKE_ROOTFLAGS}"
     fi
-
-    # let zfs code setup its parameters
-    zfs_real_root_init
 }
 
 bootstrap_key() {
diff --git a/defaults/linuxrc b/defaults/linuxrc
index 5b509bd..f109153 100755
--- a/defaults/linuxrc
+++ b/defaults/linuxrc
@@ -240,7 +240,9 @@ done
 
 quiet_kmsg
 
-is_livecd || real_root_init
+is_livecd || {
+    real_root_init && zfs_real_root_init;
+}
 
 cmdline_hwopts