diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index de7c18902..d13dbe4b4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -xeuo pipefail
           sudo podman run --rm -ti --privileged -v /:/target -v ./usr/bin/bootc:/usr/bin/bootc --pid=host --security-opt label=disable \
-            quay.io/centos-boot/fedora-tier-1:eln bootc install-to-filesystem --target-no-signature-verification \
+            quay.io/centos-boot/fedora-tier-1-dev:eln bootc install-to-filesystem --target-no-signature-verification \
             --karg=foo=bar --disable-selinux --replace=alongside /target
           ls -al /boot/loader/
           sudo grep foo=bar /boot/loader/entries/*.conf
diff --git a/lib/src/bootloader.rs b/lib/src/bootloader.rs
index c52aef872..f9cbeb2b1 100644
--- a/lib/src/bootloader.rs
+++ b/lib/src/bootloader.rs
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
-use std::os::unix::prelude::PermissionsExt;
-
-use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+use anyhow::Result;
 use camino::Utf8Path;
-use cap_std::fs::Dir;
-use cap_std::fs::Permissions;
-use cap_std_ext::cap_std;
-use cap_std_ext::prelude::*;
 use fn_error_context::context;
 
 use crate::task::Task;
 
-const GRUB_BOOT_UUID_FILE: &str = "bootuuid.cfg";
 /// The name of the mountpoint for efi (as a subdirectory of /boot, or at the toplevel)
 pub(crate) const EFI_DIR: &str = "efi";
 
@@ -18,17 +11,15 @@ pub(crate) const EFI_DIR: &str = "efi";
 pub(crate) fn install_via_bootupd(
     device: &Utf8Path,
     rootfs: &Utf8Path,
-    boot_uuid: &str,
-    is_alongside: bool,
+    configopts: &crate::install::InstallConfigOpts,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let verbose = std::env::var_os("BOOTC_BOOTLOADER_DEBUG").map(|_| "-vvvv");
-    // If we're doing an alongside install, only match the host boot method because Anaconda defaults
-    // to only doing that.
-    let component_args = is_alongside.then_some("--auto");
-    let args = ["backend", "install", "--with-static-configs"]
+    // bootc defaults to only targeting the platform boot method.
+    let bootupd_opts = (!configopts.generic_image).then_some(["--update-firmware", "--auto"]);
+    let args = ["backend", "install", "--write-uuid"]
         .into_iter()
         .chain(verbose)
-        .chain(component_args)
+        .chain(bootupd_opts.iter().copied().flatten())
         .chain([
             "--src-root",
             "/",
@@ -36,22 +27,5 @@ pub(crate) fn install_via_bootupd(
             device.as_str(),
             rootfs.as_str(),
         ]);
-    Task::new_and_run("Running bootupctl to install bootloader", "bootupctl", args)?;
-
-    let grub2_uuid_contents = format!("set BOOT_UUID=\"{boot_uuid}\"\n");
-
-    let bootfs = &rootfs.join("boot");
-    let bootfs =
-        Dir::open_ambient_dir(bootfs, cap_std::ambient_authority()).context("Opening boot")?;
-    let grub2 = bootfs.open_dir("grub2").context("Opening boot/grub2")?;
-
-    grub2
-        .atomic_write_with_perms(
-            GRUB_BOOT_UUID_FILE,
-            grub2_uuid_contents,
-            Permissions::from_mode(0o644),
-        )
-        .with_context(|| format!("Writing {GRUB_BOOT_UUID_FILE}"))?;
-
-    Ok(())
+    Task::new_and_run("Running bootupctl to install bootloader", "bootupctl", args)
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/install.rs b/lib/src/install.rs
index 367b04320..dafe20489 100644
--- a/lib/src/install.rs
+++ b/lib/src/install.rs
@@ -105,6 +105,15 @@ pub(crate) struct InstallConfigOpts {
     #[clap(long)]
     /// Add a kernel argument
     karg: Option<Vec<String>>,
+
+    /// Perform configuration changes suitable for a "generic" disk image.
+    /// At the moment:
+    ///
+    /// - All bootloader types will be installed
+    /// - Changes to the system firmware will be skipped
+    #[clap(long)]
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub(crate) generic_image: bool,
 }
 
 /// Perform an installation to a block device.
@@ -964,6 +973,13 @@ async fn install_to_filesystem_impl(state: &State, rootfs: &mut RootSetup) -> Re
         rootfs.kargs.push("selinux=0".to_string());
     }
 
+    // We verify this upfront because it's currently required by bootupd
+    let boot_uuid = rootfs
+        .get_boot_uuid()?
+        .or(rootfs.rootfs_uuid.as_deref())
+        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("No uuid for boot/root"))?;
+    tracing::debug!("boot uuid={boot_uuid}");
+
     // Write the aleph data that captures the system state at the time of provisioning for aid in future debugging.
     {
         let aleph = initialize_ostree_root_from_self(state, rootfs).await?;
@@ -976,16 +992,7 @@ async fn install_to_filesystem_impl(state: &State, rootfs: &mut RootSetup) -> Re
             .context("Writing aleph version")?;
     }
 
-    let boot_uuid = rootfs
-        .get_boot_uuid()?
-        .or(rootfs.rootfs_uuid.as_deref())
-        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("No uuid for boot/root"))?;
-    crate::bootloader::install_via_bootupd(
-        &rootfs.device,
-        &rootfs.rootfs,
-        boot_uuid,
-        rootfs.is_alongside,
-    )?;
+    crate::bootloader::install_via_bootupd(&rootfs.device, &rootfs.rootfs, &state.config_opts)?;
     tracing::debug!("Installed bootloader");
 
     // ostree likes to have the immutable bit on the physical sysroot to ensure
diff --git a/tests/kolainst/install b/tests/kolainst/install
index 291a4edec..b71f4de2e 100755
--- a/tests/kolainst/install
+++ b/tests/kolainst/install
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 set -xeuo pipefail
 
-IMAGE=quay.io/centos-boot/fedora-tier-1:eln
+IMAGE=quay.io/centos-boot/fedora-tier-1-dev:eln
 # TODO: better detect this, e.g. look for an empty device
 DEV=/dev/vda