diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index f61262fd57..305bdf9f10 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1957,12 +1957,14 @@ CHANGES WITH 234:
           systemd-logind to be safe. See
           https://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/?id=dc48bd653c7e101.)
 
-        * All kernel install plugins are called with the environment variable
+        * All kernel-install plugins are called with the environment variable
           KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID which is set to the machine ID given by
-          /etc/machine-id. If the file is missing or empty, the variable is
-          empty and BOOT_DIR_ABS is the path of a temporary directory which is
-          removed after all the plugins exit. So, if KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID
-          is empty, all plugins should not put anything in BOOT_DIR_ABS.
+          /etc/machine-id. If the machine ID could not be determined,
+          $KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID will be empty. Plugins should not put
+          anything in the entry directory (passed as the second argument) if
+          $KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID is empty. For backwards compatiblity, a
+          temporary directory is passed as the entry directory and removed
+          after all the plugins exit.
 
         Contributions from: Adrian Heine né Lang, Aggelos Avgerinos, Alexander
         Kurtz, Alexandros Frantzis, Alexey Brodkin, Alex Lu, Amir Pakdel, Amir
diff --git a/man/kernel-install.xml b/man/kernel-install.xml
index 50e1320105..965c43e465 100644
--- a/man/kernel-install.xml
+++ b/man/kernel-install.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
   SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+
 -->
 
-<refentry id="kernel-install">
+<refentry id="kernel-install"
+          xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude">
 
   <refentryinfo>
     <title>kernel-install</title>
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
     <cmdsynopsis>
       <command>kernel-install</command>
       <arg choice="plain">COMMAND</arg>
+      <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">OPTIONS</arg>
       <arg choice="plain"><replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable></arg>
       <arg choice="plain"><replaceable>KERNEL-IMAGE</replaceable></arg>
       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat"><replaceable>INITRD-FILE</replaceable></arg>
@@ -35,9 +37,9 @@
 
   <refsect1>
     <title>Description</title>
-    <para>
-      <command>kernel-install</command> is used to install and remove kernel and
-      initramfs images to and from <filename>/boot</filename>.
+    <para><command>kernel-install</command> is used to install and remove kernel and initramfs images to and
+    from the boot loader partition, referred to as <varname>$BOOT</varname> here. It will usually be one of
+    <filename>/boot</filename>, <filename>/efi</filename>, or <filename>/boot/efi</filename>, see below.
     </para>
 
     <para><command>kernel-install</command> will execute the files
@@ -65,17 +67,20 @@
         <term><command>add <replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable> <replaceable>KERNEL-IMAGE</replaceable> [<replaceable>INITRD-FILE</replaceable> ...]</command></term>
         <listitem>
           <para>This command expects a kernel version string and a path to a kernel image file as
-          arguments. <command>kernel-install</command> creates the directory
-          <filename>/boot/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename>
-          and calls the executables from <filename>/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/*.install</filename> and
+          arguments. <command>kernel-install</command> calls the executables from
+          <filename>/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/*.install</filename> and
           <filename>/etc/kernel/install.d/*.install</filename> with the following arguments:
 
-          <programlisting>add <replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable> <filename>/boot/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename> <replaceable>KERNEL-IMAGE</replaceable> [<replaceable>INITRD-FILE</replaceable> ...]</programlisting>
+          <programlisting>add <replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable> <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename> <replaceable>KERNEL-IMAGE</replaceable> [<replaceable>INITRD-FILE</replaceable> ...]</programlisting>
           </para>
 
-          <para>Two default plugins execute the following operations in this case:</para>
+          <para>Three default plugins execute the following operations in this case:</para>
 
           <itemizedlist>
+            <listitem><para><filename>00-entry-directory.install</filename> creates the directory
+            <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename>
+            if <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/</filename> already exists.
+            </para></listitem>
 
             <listitem><para><filename>50-depmod.install</filename> runs
             <citerefentry><refentrytitle>depmod</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry> for the
@@ -83,16 +88,20 @@
 
             <listitem><para><filename>90-loaderentry.install</filename> copies <replaceable>KERNEL-IMAGE</replaceable>
             to
-            <filename>/boot/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/linux</filename>.
+            <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/linux</filename>.
             If an <replaceable>INITRD-FILE</replaceable> is provided, it also copies <replaceable>INITRD-FILE</replaceable>
             to
-            <filename>/boot/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL_VERSION</replaceable>/<replaceable>INITRD-FILE</replaceable></filename>.
+            <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL_VERSION</replaceable>/<replaceable>INITRD-FILE</replaceable></filename>.
             It also creates a boot loader entry according to the <ulink
             url="https://systemd.io/BOOT_LOADER_SPECIFICATION">Boot Loader Specification</ulink> in
-            <filename>/boot/loader/entries/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>-<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>.conf</filename>.
+            <filename>$BOOT/loader/entries/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>-<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>.conf</filename>.
             The title of the entry is the <replaceable>PRETTY_NAME</replaceable> parameter specified in
             <filename>/etc/os-release</filename> or <filename>/usr/lib/os-release</filename> (if the former is
-            missing), or "Linux <replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>", if unset.</para></listitem>
+            missing), or "Linux <replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>", if unset.</para>
+
+            <para>If the entry directory
+            <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename>
+            does not exist, this plugin does nothing.</para></listitem>
           </itemizedlist>
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
@@ -103,11 +112,11 @@
           <filename>/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/*.install</filename> and
           <filename>/etc/kernel/install.d/*.install</filename> with the following arguments:
 
-          <programlisting>remove <replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable> <filename>/boot/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename></programlisting>
+          <programlisting>remove <replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable> <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename></programlisting>
           </para>
 
           <para>Afterwards, <command>kernel-install</command> removes the directory
-          <filename>/boot/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename>
+          <filename>$BOOT/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>/<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>/</filename>
           and its contents.</para>
 
           <para>Two default plugins execute the following operations in this case:</para>
@@ -117,14 +126,46 @@
             <listitem><para><filename>50-depmod.install</filename> removes the files generated by <command>depmod</command> for this kernel again.</para></listitem>
 
             <listitem><para><filename>90-loaderentry.install</filename> removes the file
-            <filename>/boot/loader/entries/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>-<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>.conf</filename>.</para></listitem>
+            <filename>$BOOT/loader/entries/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>-<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>.conf</filename>.</para></listitem>
           </itemizedlist>
 
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
     </variablelist>
+  </refsect1>
 
+  <refsect1>
+    <title>The <varname>$BOOT</varname> partition</title>
+    <para>The partition where the kernels and <ulink url="https://systemd.io/BOOT_LOADER_SPECIFICATION">Boot
+    Loader Specification</ulink> snippets are located is called <varname>$BOOT</varname>.
+    <command>kernel-install</command> determines the location of this partition by checking
+    <filename>/efi/</filename>, <filename>/boot/</filename>, and <filename>/boot/efi</filename>
+    in turn. The first location where <filename>$BOOT/loader/entries/</filename> or
+    <filename>$BOOT/$MACHINE_ID/</filename> exists is used.</para>
+  </refsect1>
+
+  <refsect1>
+    <title>Options</title>
+    <para>The following options are understood:</para>
+
+    <variablelist>
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term><option>-v</option></term>
+        <term><option>--verbose</option></term>
+        <listitem>
+          <para>Output additional information about operations being performed.</para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
+      <xi:include href="standard-options.xml" xpointer="help" />
+    </variablelist>
+  </refsect1>
+
+  <refsect1>
+    <title>Environment variables</title>
+    <para>If <option>--verbose</option> is used, <varname>$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE=1</varname> will be set for
+    the plugins. They may output additional logs in this case.</para>
   </refsect1>
 
   <refsect1>
@@ -162,7 +203,7 @@
           <listitem>
             <para>Read by <filename>90-loaderentry.install</filename>. If this file exists a numeric value is read from
             it and the naming of the generated entry file is slightly altered to include it as
-            <filename>/boot/loader/entries/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>-<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>+<replaceable>TRIES</replaceable>.conf</filename>. This
+            <filename>$BOOT/loader/entries/<replaceable>MACHINE-ID</replaceable>-<replaceable>KERNEL-VERSION</replaceable>+<replaceable>TRIES</replaceable>.conf</filename>. This
             is useful for boot loaders such as
             <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd-boot</refentrytitle><manvolnum>7</manvolnum></citerefentry> which
             implement boot attempt counting with a counter embedded in the entry file name.</para>
diff --git a/src/boot/bootctl.c b/src/boot/bootctl.c
index b5f4b8e5a3..381c234f3b 100644
--- a/src/boot/bootctl.c
+++ b/src/boot/bootctl.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "pretty-print.h"
 #include "rm-rf.h"
 #include "stat-util.h"
+#include "stdio-util.h"
 #include "string-util.h"
 #include "strv.h"
 #include "terminal-util.h"
@@ -516,9 +517,9 @@ static int copy_file_with_version_check(const char *from, const char *to, bool f
 }
 
 static int mkdir_one(const char *prefix, const char *suffix) {
-        char *p;
+        _cleanup_free_ char *p = NULL;
 
-        p = strjoina(prefix, "/", suffix);
+        p = path_join(prefix, suffix);
         if (mkdir(p, 0700) < 0) {
                 if (errno != EEXIST)
                         return log_error_errno(errno, "Failed to create \"%s\": %m", p);
@@ -885,11 +886,10 @@ static int remove_variables(sd_id128_t uuid, const char *path, bool in_order) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-static int install_loader_config(const char *esp_path) {
+static int install_loader_config(const char *esp_path, sd_id128_t machine_id) {
         char machine_string[SD_ID128_STRING_MAX];
         _cleanup_(unlink_and_freep) char *t = NULL;
         _cleanup_fclose_ FILE *f = NULL;
-        sd_id128_t machine_id;
         const char *p;
         int r, fd;
 
@@ -897,10 +897,6 @@ static int install_loader_config(const char *esp_path) {
         if (access(p, F_OK) >= 0) /* Silently skip creation if the file already exists (early check) */
                 return 0;
 
-        r = sd_id128_get_machine(&machine_id);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to get machine id: %m");
-
         fd = open_tmpfile_linkable(p, O_WRONLY|O_CLOEXEC, &t);
         if (fd < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(fd, "Failed to open \"%s\" for writing: %m", p);
@@ -929,10 +925,21 @@ static int install_loader_config(const char *esp_path) {
         return 1;
 }
 
-static int install_entries_directory(const char *dollar_boot_path) {
+static int install_entries_directories(const char *dollar_boot_path, sd_id128_t machine_id) {
+        int r;
+        char buf[SD_ID128_STRING_MAX];
+
         assert(dollar_boot_path);
 
-        return mkdir_one(dollar_boot_path, "/loader/entries");
+        /* Both /loader/entries and the entry directories themselves should be located on the same
+         * partition. Also create the parent directory for entry directories, so that kernel-install
+         * knows where to put them. */
+
+        r = mkdir_one(dollar_boot_path, "loader/entries");
+        if (r < 0)
+                return r;
+
+        return mkdir_one(dollar_boot_path, sd_id128_to_string(machine_id, buf));
 }
 
 static int help(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
@@ -1243,6 +1250,7 @@ static int verb_install(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         sd_id128_t uuid = SD_ID128_NULL;
         uint64_t pstart = 0, psize = 0;
         uint32_t part = 0;
+        sd_id128_t machine_id;
         bool install;
         int r;
 
@@ -1254,6 +1262,10 @@ static int verb_install(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        r = sd_id128_get_machine(&machine_id);
+        if (r < 0)
+                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to get machine id: %m");
+
         install = streq(argv[0], "install");
 
         RUN_WITH_UMASK(0002) {
@@ -1271,11 +1283,11 @@ static int verb_install(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
                         return r;
 
                 if (install) {
-                        r = install_loader_config(arg_esp_path);
+                        r = install_loader_config(arg_esp_path, machine_id);
                         if (r < 0)
                                 return r;
 
-                        r = install_entries_directory(arg_dollar_boot_path());
+                        r = install_entries_directories(arg_dollar_boot_path(), machine_id);
                         if (r < 0)
                                 return r;
                 }
@@ -1400,7 +1412,7 @@ static int run(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         log_parse_environment();
         log_open();
 
-        /* If we run in a container, automatically turn of EFI file system access */
+        /* If we run in a container, automatically turn off EFI file system access */
         if (detect_container() > 0)
                 arg_touch_variables = false;
 
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/00-entry-directory.install b/src/kernel-install/00-entry-directory.install
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2aa8c58319
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel-install/00-entry-directory.install
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# -*- mode: shell-script; indent-tabs-mode: nil; sh-basic-offset: 4; -*-
+# ex: ts=8 sw=4 sts=4 et filetype=sh
+
+COMMAND="$1"
+KERNEL_VERSION="$2"
+ENTRY_DIR_ABS="$3"
+KERNEL_IMAGE="$4"
+INITRD_OPTIONS_START="5"
+
+if ! [[ $KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID ]]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ $COMMAND != add ]]; then
+     exit 0
+fi
+
+# If the boot dir exists (e.g. $ESP/<machine-id>),
+# create the entry directory ($ESP/<machine-id>/<kernel-version>).
+# This is the only function of this plugin.
+MACHINE_ID_DIR="${ENTRY_DIR_ABS%/*}"
+if ! [ -d "$MACHINE_ID_DIR" ]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo "+mkdir -v -p $ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
+    exec mkdir -v -p "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
+else
+    exec mkdir -p "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
+fi
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/50-depmod.install b/src/kernel-install/50-depmod.install
index 88f550a486..268b6ce0a5 100644
--- a/src/kernel-install/50-depmod.install
+++ b/src/kernel-install/50-depmod.install
@@ -2,15 +2,25 @@
 # -*- mode: shell-script; indent-tabs-mode: nil; sh-basic-offset: 4; -*-
 # ex: ts=8 sw=4 sts=4 et filetype=sh
 
-[[ $2 ]] || exit 1
+COMMAND="$1"
+KERNEL_VERSION="$2"
+ENTRY_DIR_ABS="$3"
+KERNEL_IMAGE="$4"
+INITRD_OPTIONS_START="5"
 
-case "$1" in
+[[ $KERNEL_VERSION ]] || exit 1
+
+case "$COMMAND" in
     add)
-        [[ -d /lib/modules/"$2"/kernel ]] || exit 0
-        exec depmod -a "$2"
+        [[ -d "/lib/modules/${KERNEL_VERSION}/kernel" ]] || exit 0
+        [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && \
+            echo "Running depmod -a ${KERNEL_VERSION}"
+        exec depmod -a "${KERNEL_VERSION}"
         ;;
     remove)
-        exec rm -f /lib/modules/"$2"/modules.{alias{,.bin},builtin.bin,dep{,.bin},devname,softdep,symbols{,.bin}}
+        [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && \
+            echo "Removing /lib/modules/${KERNEL_VERSION}/modules.dep and associated files"
+        exec rm -f /lib/modules/"${KERNEL_VERSION}"/modules.{alias{,.bin},builtin.bin,dep{,.bin},devname,softdep,symbols{,.bin}}
         ;;
     *)
         exit 0
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/90-loaderentry.install b/src/kernel-install/90-loaderentry.install
index 75dd5a1b7d..2fb0f5207b 100644
--- a/src/kernel-install/90-loaderentry.install
+++ b/src/kernel-install/90-loaderentry.install
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 COMMAND="$1"
 KERNEL_VERSION="$2"
-BOOT_DIR_ABS="$3"
+ENTRY_DIR_ABS="$3"
 KERNEL_IMAGE="$4"
 INITRD_OPTIONS_START="5"
 
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ if ! [[ $KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID ]]; then
     exit 0
 fi
 
-if ! [[ -d "$BOOT_DIR_ABS" ]]; then
+if ! [[ -d "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS" ]]; then
     exit 0
 fi
 
 MACHINE_ID=$KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID
 
-BOOT_DIR="/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
-BOOT_ROOT=${BOOT_DIR_ABS%$BOOT_DIR}
+ENTRY_DIR="/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
+BOOT_ROOT=${ENTRY_DIR_ABS%$ENTRY_DIR}
 
 if [[ $COMMAND == remove ]]; then
     rm -f "$BOOT_ROOT/loader/entries/$MACHINE_ID-$KERNEL_VERSION.conf"
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@ else
     LOADER_ENTRY="$BOOT_ROOT/loader/entries/$MACHINE_ID-$KERNEL_VERSION.conf"
 fi
 
-cp "$KERNEL_IMAGE" "$BOOT_DIR_ABS/linux" &&
-   chown root:root "$BOOT_DIR_ABS/linux" &&
-   chmod 0644 "$BOOT_DIR_ABS/linux" || {
-    echo "Could not copy '$KERNEL_IMAGE to '$BOOT_DIR_ABS/linux'." >&2
+cp "$KERNEL_IMAGE" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/linux" &&
+   chown root:root "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/linux" &&
+   chmod 0644 "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/linux" || {
+    echo "Could not copy '$KERNEL_IMAGE to '$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/linux'." >&2
     exit 1
 }
 
@@ -88,10 +88,12 @@ INITRD_OPTIONS=( "${@:${INITRD_OPTIONS_START}}" )
 for initrd in "${INITRD_OPTIONS[@]}"; do
     if [[ -f "${initrd}" ]]; then
         initrd_basename="$(basename ${initrd})"
-        cp "${initrd}" "$BOOT_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}" &&
-            chown root:root "$BOOT_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}" &&
-            chmod 0644 "$BOOT_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}" || {
-             echo "Could not copy '${initrd}' to '$BOOT_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}'." >&2
+        [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && \
+            echo "Installing $ENTRY_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}"
+        cp "${initrd}" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}" &&
+            chown root:root "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}" &&
+            chmod 0644 "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}" || {
+             echo "Could not copy '${initrd}' to '$ENTRY_DIR_ABS/${initrd_basename}'." >&2
              exit 1
         }
     fi
@@ -106,15 +108,17 @@ mkdir -p "${LOADER_ENTRY%/*}" || {
     exit 1
 }
 
+[ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && \
+    echo "Creating $LOADER_ENTRY"
 {
     echo "title      $PRETTY_NAME"
     echo "version    $KERNEL_VERSION"
     echo "machine-id $MACHINE_ID"
     echo "options    ${BOOT_OPTIONS[*]}"
-    echo "linux      $BOOT_DIR/linux"
+    echo "linux      $ENTRY_DIR/linux"
     for initrd in "${INITRD_OPTIONS[@]}"; do
-        [[ -f $BOOT_DIR_ABS/$(basename ${initrd}) ]] && \
-            echo "initrd     $BOOT_DIR/$(basename ${initrd})"
+        [[ -f $ENTRY_DIR_ABS/$(basename ${initrd}) ]] && \
+            echo "initrd     $ENTRY_DIR/$(basename ${initrd})"
     done
     :
 } > "$LOADER_ENTRY" || {
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/kernel-install b/src/kernel-install/kernel-install
index b85c7c557e..610959ba9f 100644
--- a/src/kernel-install/kernel-install
+++ b/src/kernel-install/kernel-install
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #
 # This file is part of systemd.
 #
-#
 # systemd is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 # under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
 # the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
@@ -63,6 +62,13 @@ for i in "$@"; do
     fi
 done
 
+KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE=0
+if [ "$1" == "--verbose" -o "$1" == "-v" ]; then
+    shift
+    KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE=1
+fi
+export KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE
+
 if [[ "${0##*/}" == 'installkernel' ]]; then
     COMMAND='add'
     # make install doesn't pass any parameter wrt initrd handling
@@ -86,20 +92,20 @@ if [[ ! $COMMAND ]] || [[ ! $KERNEL_VERSION ]]; then
 fi
 
 if ! [[ $MACHINE_ID ]]; then
-    BOOT_DIR_ABS=$(mktemp -d /tmp/kernel-install.XXXXX) || exit 1
-    trap "rm -rf '$BOOT_DIR_ABS'" EXIT INT QUIT PIPE
+    ENTRY_DIR_ABS=$(mktemp -d /tmp/kernel-install.XXXXX) || exit 1
+    trap "rm -rf '$ENTRY_DIR_ABS'" EXIT INT QUIT PIPE
 elif [[ -d /efi/loader/entries ]] || [[ -d /efi/$MACHINE_ID ]]; then
-    BOOT_DIR_ABS="/efi/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
+    ENTRY_DIR_ABS="/efi/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
 elif [[ -d /boot/loader/entries ]] || [[ -d /boot/$MACHINE_ID ]]; then
-    BOOT_DIR_ABS="/boot/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
+    ENTRY_DIR_ABS="/boot/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
 elif [[ -d /boot/efi/loader/entries ]] || [[ -d /boot/efi/$MACHINE_ID ]]; then
-    BOOT_DIR_ABS="/boot/efi/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
+    ENTRY_DIR_ABS="/boot/efi/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
 elif mountpoint -q /efi; then
-    BOOT_DIR_ABS="/efi/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
+    ENTRY_DIR_ABS="/efi/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
 elif mountpoint -q /boot/efi; then
-    BOOT_DIR_ABS="/boot/efi/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
+    ENTRY_DIR_ABS="/boot/efi/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
 else
-    BOOT_DIR_ABS="/boot/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
+    ENTRY_DIR_ABS="/boot/$MACHINE_ID/$KERNEL_VERSION"
 fi
 
 export KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID=$MACHINE_ID
@@ -119,14 +125,11 @@ case $COMMAND in
             exit 1
         fi
 
-        mkdir -p "$BOOT_DIR_ABS" || {
-            echo "Could not create boot directory '$BOOT_DIR_ABS'." >&2
-            exit 1
-        }
-
         for f in "${PLUGINS[@]}"; do
             if [[ -x $f ]]; then
-                "$f" add "$KERNEL_VERSION" "$BOOT_DIR_ABS" "$KERNEL_IMAGE" "${INITRD_OPTIONS[@]}"
+                [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && \
+                    echo "+$f add $KERNEL_VERSION $ENTRY_DIR_ABS $KERNEL_IMAGE ${INITRD_OPTIONS[@]}"
+                "$f" add "$KERNEL_VERSION" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS" "$KERNEL_IMAGE" "${INITRD_OPTIONS[@]}"
                 x=$?
                 if [[ $x == $SKIP_REMAINING ]]; then
                     ret=0
@@ -136,11 +139,11 @@ case $COMMAND in
             fi
         done
 
-        if ! [[ $MACHINE_ID ]] && ! rmdir "$BOOT_DIR_ABS"; then
-            echo "Warning: In kernel-install plugins, requiring BOOT_DIR_ABS to be preset is deprecated." >&2
-            echo "         All plugins should not put anything in BOOT_DIR_ABS if the environment" >&2
+        if ! [[ $MACHINE_ID ]] && ! rmdir "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"; then
+            echo "Warning: In kernel-install plugins, requiring ENTRY_DIR_ABS to be preset is deprecated." >&2
+            echo "         All plugins should not put anything in ENTRY_DIR_ABS if the environment" >&2
             echo "         variable KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID is empty." >&2
-            rm -rf "$BOOT_DIR_ABS"
+            rm -rf "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
             ((ret+=$?))
         fi
         ;;
@@ -148,7 +151,9 @@ case $COMMAND in
     remove)
         for f in "${PLUGINS[@]}"; do
             if [[ -x $f ]]; then
-                "$f" remove "$KERNEL_VERSION" "$BOOT_DIR_ABS"
+                [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && \
+                    echo "+$f remove $KERNEL_VERSION $ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
+                "$f" remove "$KERNEL_VERSION" "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
                 x=$?
                 if [[ $x == $SKIP_REMAINING ]]; then
                     ret=0
@@ -158,7 +163,10 @@ case $COMMAND in
             fi
         done
 
-        rm -rf "$BOOT_DIR_ABS"
+        [ "$KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && \
+            echo "Removing $ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
+
+        rm -rf "$ENTRY_DIR_ABS"
         ((ret+=$?))
         ;;
 
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/meson.build b/src/kernel-install/meson.build
index c6e6f816d9..261c3aaae4 100644
--- a/src/kernel-install/meson.build
+++ b/src/kernel-install/meson.build
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ install_data('kernel-install',
              install_mode : 'rwxr-xr-x',
              install_dir : bindir)
 
-install_data('50-depmod.install',
+install_data('00-entry-directory.install',
+             '50-depmod.install',
              '90-loaderentry.install',
              install_mode : 'rwxr-xr-x',
              install_dir : kernelinstalldir)
diff --git a/src/shared/pretty-print.c b/src/shared/pretty-print.c
index ce71a7ef60..c602e036eb 100644
--- a/src/shared/pretty-print.c
+++ b/src/shared/pretty-print.c
@@ -244,6 +244,9 @@ static int guess_type(const char **name, bool *is_usr, bool *is_collection, cons
         if (path_equal(n, "udev/rules.d"))
                 ext = ".rules";
 
+        if (path_equal(n, "kernel/install.d"))
+                ext = ".install";
+
         if (PATH_IN_SET(n, "systemd/system-preset", "systemd/user-preset")) {
                 coll = true;
                 ext = ".preset";