diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/README b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/README
index 7bbe0d080c..e6534b1b8d 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/README
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/README
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ Configuration attributes explained in more detail:
 
 :initrd_rom:
   This attribute is optional. It denotes the ROM, which is requested as initramfs
-  resp. initrd to be loaded. The default name requested will be "initrd".
+  resp. initrd to be loaded. If no name is given, no initramfs will be provided
+  to the guest OS.
 
 :ram_size:
   This attribute is mandatory. It defines the size of the VM's memory.
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/config.cc b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/config.cc
index 4c9fd4dca4..31b863099d 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/config.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/config.cc
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Config::Virtio_device::~Virtio_device()
 void Vmm::Config::update(Xml_node node)
 {
 	_kernel_name = node.attribute_value("kernel_rom",  Name("linux"));
-	_initrd_name = node.attribute_value("initrd_rom",  Name("initrd"));
+	_initrd_name = node.attribute_value("initrd_rom",  Name());
 	_ram_size    = node.attribute_value("ram_size",    Number_of_bytes());
 	_cpu_count   = node.attribute_value("cpu_count",   0U);
 	_cpu_type    = node.attribute_value("cpu_type",    Name("arm,cortex-a15"));
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/config.h b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/config.h
index 1db2cbfd9f..5cea0b9b90 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/config.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/config.h
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ class Vmm::Config
 		Config(Heap & heap) : _heap(heap) {
 			_mmio_alloc.add_range(VIRTIO_MMIO_START, VIRTIO_MMIO_SIZE); }
 
+		bool initrd() const { return _initrd_name.valid(); }
+
 		const char * kernel_name() const { return _kernel_name.string(); }
 		const char * initrd_name() const { return _initrd_name.string(); }
 		const char * cpu_type()    const { return _cpu_type.string();    }
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/fdt.cc b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/fdt.cc
index 294c3ba3a0..eb2f916e2e 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/fdt.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/fdt.cc
@@ -338,12 +338,16 @@ void Vmm::Fdt_generator::_generate_tree(uint32_t & off, Config const & config,
 
 		node(Name("chosen"), [&] ()
 		{
+			property(Name("bootargs"),           Name(config.bootargs()));
+			property(Name("stdout-path"),        Name("/pl011"));
+
+			if (!initrd_size)
+				return;
+
 			/* we're sure that the initrd start address is wide below 4GB */
 			uint32_t start = (uint32_t)((addr_t)initrd_start & 0xffffffff);
 			property(Name("linux,initrd-start"), Value(start));
 			property(Name("linux,initrd-end"),   Value(start+initrd_size));
-			property(Name("bootargs"),           Name(config.bootargs()));
-			property(Name("stdout-path"),        Name("/pl011"));
 		});
 
 		config.for_each_virtio_device([&] (Config::Virtio_device const & dev) {
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/vm.cc b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/vm.cc
index 163ee9101f..11ad8a4c9b 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/vm.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/vm.cc
@@ -46,9 +46,15 @@ Genode::addr_t Vm::_initrd_offset() const
 }
 
 
+Genode::size_t Vm::_initrd_size() const
+{
+	return _initrd_rom.constructed() ? _initrd_rom->size() : 0UL;
+}
+
+
 Genode::addr_t Vm::_dtb_offset() const
 {
-	return align_addr(_initrd_offset()+_initrd_rom.size(), LOG2_2MB);
+	return align_addr(_initrd_offset() + _initrd_size(), LOG2_2MB);
 }
 
 
@@ -61,15 +67,20 @@ void Vm::_load_kernel()
 
 void Vm::_load_initrd()
 {
+	if (!_config.initrd())
+		return;
+
+	_initrd_rom.construct(_env, _config.initrd_name());
 	memcpy((void*)(_ram.local() + _initrd_offset()),
-	       _initrd_rom.local_addr<void>(), _initrd_rom.size());
+	       _initrd_rom->local_addr<void>(), _initrd_size());
 }
 
 
 void Vm::_load_dtb()
 {
 	Fdt_generator fdt(_env, _heap, _ram.local() + _dtb_offset(), 1 << LOG2_2MB);
-	fdt.generate(_config, (void*)(_ram.base()+_initrd_offset()), _initrd_rom.size());
+	fdt.generate(_config, (void*)(_ram.base() + _initrd_offset()),
+	             _initrd_size());
 }
 
 
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/vm.h b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/vm.h
index 8c19b155a7..ea2a493a90 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/vmm/vm.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/vmm/vm.h
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ class Vmm::Vm
 		Config                 & _config;
 		Vm_connection            _vm         { _env           };
 		Attached_rom_dataspace   _kernel_rom { _env, _config.kernel_name() };
-		Attached_rom_dataspace   _initrd_rom { _env, _config.initrd_name() };
 		Attached_ram_dataspace   _vm_ram     { _env.ram(), _env.rm(),
 		                                       _config.ram_size(), CACHED };
 		Ram                      _ram        { RAM_START, _config.ram_size(),
@@ -65,9 +64,11 @@ class Vmm::Vm
 		List<Virtio_device_base> _device_list;
 		Pl011                    _uart;
 
-		Constructible<Gui::Connection> _gui {};
+		Constructible<Attached_rom_dataspace> _initrd_rom {};
+		Constructible<Gui::Connection>        _gui {};
 
 		addr_t _initrd_offset() const;
+		size_t _initrd_size()   const;
 		addr_t _dtb_offset()    const;
 
 		void _load_kernel();