diff --git a/src/kernel-install/kernel-install.in b/src/kernel-install/kernel-install.in
index c6c74cc792..5f88ac2490 100755
--- a/src/kernel-install/kernel-install.in
+++ b/src/kernel-install/kernel-install.in
@@ -81,9 +81,11 @@ fi
 if [ "${0##*/}" = "installkernel" ]; then
     COMMAND=add
     # make install doesn't pass any initrds
+    no_initrds=1
 else
     COMMAND="$1"
     [ $# -ge 1 ] && shift
+    no_initrds=0
 fi
 
 if [ "$COMMAND" = "inspect" ]; then
@@ -321,8 +323,17 @@ case "$COMMAND" in
         fi
 
         for f in $PLUGINS; do
-            [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && echo "+$f add $KERNEL_VERSION $ENTRY_DIR_ABS $*"
-            "$f" add "$KERNEL_VERSION" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS" "$@"
+            if [ "$no_initrds" = 1 ]; then
+                # kernel's install.sh invokes us as
+                #   /sbin/installkernel <version> <vmlinuz> <map> <installation-dir>
+                # We ignore the last two arguments.
+                [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && echo "+$f add $KERNEL_VERSION $ENTRY_DIR_ABS $1"
+                "$f" add "$KERNEL_VERSION" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS" "$1"
+            else
+                [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && echo "+$f add $KERNEL_VERSION $ENTRY_DIR_ABS $*"
+                "$f" add "$KERNEL_VERSION" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS" "$@"
+            fi
+
             err=$?
             [ $err -eq $skip_remaining ] && break
             ret=$(( ret + err ))