diff --git a/Config.in b/Config.in
index 4e874a69de90a6a7c8b6b5ff01baead5fb2afa6d..4231f85aa559cd3d36f29526fec8cb69c406602a 100644
--- a/Config.in
+++ b/Config.in
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ menu "Target Images"
 				depends LINUX_2_6_38
 		endchoice
 
+		config EXTERNAL_CPIO
+			string
+			prompt "Use external cpio" if TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS
+			default ""
+			help
+			  Kernel uses specified external cpio as INITRAMFS_SOURCE
+
 	comment "Root filesystem archives"
 
 	config TARGET_ROOTFS_CPIOGZ
diff --git a/include/kernel-defaults.mk b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
index 52ce03776caaa59f6a8aa1b99f08a333b8a1aab0..9a1dace3e6951f9846b96f85f487d821ef70c87e 100644
--- a/include/kernel-defaults.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS),y)
+  ifeq ($(strip $(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CPIO)),"")
     define Kernel/SetInitramfs
 		mv $(LINUX_DIR)/.config $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old
 		grep -v -e INITRAMFS -e CONFIG_RD_ -e CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old > $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
@@ -70,6 +71,21 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS),y)
 		echo -e "$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ),CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ=y\nCONFIG_RD_XZ=y,# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ is not set\n# CONFIG_RD_XZ is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
     endef
   else
+    define Kernel/SetInitramfs
+		mv $(LINUX_DIR)/.config $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old
+		grep -v INITRAMFS $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old > $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo 'CONFIG_INITRAMFS_SOURCE="$(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CPIO))"' >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo 'CONFIG_INITRAMFS_ROOT_UID=$(shell id -u)' >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo 'CONFIG_INITRAMFS_ROOT_GID=$(shell id -g)' >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo "$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_NONE),CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_NONE=y,# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_NONE is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo -e "$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_GZIP),CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_GZIP=y\nCONFIG_RD_GZIP=y,# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_GZIP is not set\n# CONFIG_RD_GZIP is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo -e "$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_BZIP2),CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_BZIP2=y\nCONFIG_RD_BZIP2=y,# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_BZIP2 is not set\n# CONFIG_RD_BZIP2 is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo -e "$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZMA),CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZMA=y\nCONFIG_RD_LZMA=y,# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZMA is not set\n# CONFIG_RD_LZMA is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo -e "$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZO),CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZO=y\nCONFIG_RD_LZO=y,# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZO is not set\n# CONFIG_RD_LZO is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+		echo -e "$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ),CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ=y\nCONFIG_RD_XZ=y,# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ is not set\n# CONFIG_RD_XZ is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+    endef
+  endif
+else
     define Kernel/SetInitramfs
 		mv $(LINUX_DIR)/.config $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old
 		grep -v INITRAMFS $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old > $(LINUX_DIR)/.config