diff --git a/config/Config-images.in b/config/Config-images.in
index 957d3af18f..080fee2cce 100644
--- a/config/Config-images.in
+++ b/config/Config-images.in
@@ -35,9 +35,11 @@ menu "Target Images"
 				bool "lzma"
 
 			config TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZO
+				depends on !TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_SEPERATE
 				bool "lzo"
 
 			config TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZ4
+				depends on !TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_SEPERATE
 				bool "lz4"
 
 			config TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ
@@ -56,11 +58,20 @@ menu "Target Images"
 			  Kernel uses specified external cpio as INITRAMFS_SOURCE.
 
 		config TARGET_INITRAMFS_FORCE
-                        bool "Force"
-                        depends on TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS
-                        default n
-                        help
-                          Ignore the initramfs passed by the bootloader.
+			bool "Force"
+			depends on TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS
+			default n
+			help
+			  Ignore the initramfs passed by the bootloader.
+
+		config TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_SEPERATE
+			bool "seperate ramdisk"
+			depends on TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS && !TARGET_INITRAMFS_FORCE
+			default y if USES_SEPERATE_INITRAMFS
+			help
+			  Generate seperate initrd.cpio instead of embedding it.
+			  This is useful for generating images with a dedicated
+			  ramdisk e.g. in U-Boot's uImage and uImage.FIT formats.
 
 	comment "Root filesystem archives"
 
diff --git a/include/image-commands.mk b/include/image-commands.mk
index 3377680a07..d4ec51ca7c 100644
--- a/include/image-commands.mk
+++ b/include/image-commands.mk
@@ -196,11 +196,22 @@ define Build/eva-image
 	mv $@.new $@
 endef
 
+define Build/initrd_compression
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_BZIP2),.bzip2) \
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_GZIP),.gzip) \
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZMA),.lzma) \
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ),.xz) \
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_ZSTD),.zstd)
+endef
+
 define Build/fit
 	$(TOPDIR)/scripts/mkits.sh \
 		-D $(DEVICE_NAME) -o $@.its -k $@ \
 		$(if $(word 2,$(1)),-d $(word 2,$(1))) -C $(word 1,$(1)) \
 		$(if $(findstring with-rootfs,$(word 3,$(1))),-r $(IMAGE_ROOTFS)) \
+		$(if $(findstring with-initrd,$(word 3,$(1))), \
+			$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_SEPERATE), \
+				-i $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio$(strip $(call Build/initrd_compression)))) \
 		-a $(KERNEL_LOADADDR) -e $(if $(KERNEL_ENTRY),$(KERNEL_ENTRY),$(KERNEL_LOADADDR)) \
 		$(if $(DEVICE_FDT_NUM),-n $(DEVICE_FDT_NUM)) \
 		-c $(if $(DEVICE_DTS_CONFIG),$(DEVICE_DTS_CONFIG),"config@1") \
@@ -450,6 +461,22 @@ define Build/uImage
 	mv $@.new $@
 endef
 
+define Build/uImage-with-ramdisk
+	mkimage \
+		-A $(LINUX_KARCH) \
+		-O linux \
+		-T kernel \
+		-C $(word 1,$(1)) \
+		-a $(KERNEL_LOADADDR) \
+		-e $(if $(KERNEL_ENTRY),$(KERNEL_ENTRY),$(KERNEL_LOADADDR)) \
+		-i $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio.$(strip $(call Build/initrd_compression)) \
+		-n '$(if $(UIMAGE_NAME),$(UIMAGE_NAME),$(call toupper,$(LINUX_KARCH)) $(VERSION_DIST) Linux-$(LINUX_VERSION))' \
+		$(if $(UIMAGE_MAGIC),-M $(UIMAGE_MAGIC)) \
+		$(wordlist 2,$(words $(1)),$(1)) \
+		-d $@ $@.new
+	mv $@.new $@
+endef
+
 define Build/xor-image
 	$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/xorimage -i $@ -o $@.xor $(1)
 	mv $@.xor $@
diff --git a/include/kernel-defaults.mk b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
index 8293956f6b..4b39296f8c 100644
--- a/include/kernel-defaults.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ else
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS),y)
+  ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_SEPERATE),y)
+    define Kernel/SetInitramfs/PreConfigure
+	grep -v -e CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old > $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+	echo 'CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD=y' >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+	echo 'CONFIG_INITRAMFS_SOURCE=""' >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+    endef
+  else
   ifeq ($(strip $(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CPIO)),"")
     define Kernel/SetInitramfs/PreConfigure
 	grep -v -e INITRAMFS -e CONFIG_RD_ -e CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old > $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
@@ -60,14 +67,19 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS),y)
 	echo 'CONFIG_INITRAMFS_SOURCE="$(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CPIO))"' >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
     endef
   endif
+endif
 
   define Kernel/SetInitramfs
 	rm -f $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.prev
 	mv $(LINUX_DIR)/.config $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.old
 	$(call Kernel/SetInitramfs/PreConfigure)
+  ifneq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_SEPERATE),y)
 	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_FORCE),CONFIG_INITRAMFS_FORCE=y,# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_FORCE is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+  else
+	echo "# CONFIG_INITRAMFS_FORCE is not set" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
+  endif
 	echo "$(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
@@ -147,6 +159,20 @@ define Kernel/CompileImage/Initramfs
 	$(CP) $(GENERIC_PLATFORM_DIR)/other-files/init $(TARGET_DIR)/init
 	$(if $(SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH),touch -hcd "@$(SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH)" $(TARGET_DIR)/init)
 	rm -rf $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/linux-$(LINUX_VERSION)/usr/initramfs_data.cpio*
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_SEPERATE),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CPIO),y)
+	$(CP) $(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CPIO) $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio
+else
+	( cd $(TARGET_DIR); find . | cpio -o -H newc -R root:root > $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio )
+endif
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_BZIP2),bzip2 -9 -c < $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio > $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio.bzip2)
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_GZIP),gzip -f -S .gzip -9n $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio)
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZMA),$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/lzma e -lc1 -lp2 -pb2 $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio.lzma)
+# ?	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZO),)
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ),$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/xz -9 -fz --check=crc32 $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio)
+# ?	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZ4),)
+	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_ZSTD),$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/zstd -T0 -f -o $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio.zstd $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio)
+endif
 	+$(KERNEL_MAKE) $(KERNEL_MAKEOPTS_IMAGE) $(if $(KERNELNAME),$(KERNELNAME),all)
 	$(call Kernel/CopyImage,-initramfs)
 endef
diff --git a/scripts/mkits.sh b/scripts/mkits.sh
index 59ff3a2d15..ecaba8e965 100755
--- a/scripts/mkits.sh
+++ b/scripts/mkits.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ usage() {
 	printf "\n\t-a ==> set load address to 'addr' (hex)"
 	printf "\n\t-e ==> set entry point to 'entry' (hex)"
 	printf "\n\t-f ==> set device tree compatible string"
+	printf "\n\t-i ==> include initrd Blob 'initrd'"
 	printf "\n\t-v ==> set kernel version to 'version'"
 	printf "\n\t-k ==> include kernel image 'kernel'"
 	printf "\n\t-D ==> human friendly Device Tree Blob 'name'"
@@ -37,10 +38,11 @@ usage() {
 
 FDTNUM=1
 ROOTFSNUM=1
+INITRDNUM=1
 HASH=sha1
 LOADABLES=
 
-while getopts ":A:a:c:C:D:d:e:f:k:n:o:v:r:S" OPTION
+while getopts ":A:a:c:C:D:d:e:f:i:k:n:o:v:r:S" OPTION
 do
 	case $OPTION in
 		A ) ARCH=$OPTARG;;
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ do
 		d ) DTB=$OPTARG;;
 		e ) ENTRY_ADDR=$OPTARG;;
 		f ) COMPATIBLE=$OPTARG;;
+		i ) INITRD=$OPTARG;;
 		k ) KERNEL=$OPTARG;;
 		n ) FDTNUM=$OPTARG;;
 		o ) OUTPUT=$OPTARG;;
@@ -96,6 +99,27 @@ if [ -n "${DTB}" ]; then
 	FDT_PROP="fdt = \"fdt@$FDTNUM\";"
 fi
 
+if [ -n "${INITRD}" ]; then
+	INITRD_NODE="
+		initrd@$INITRDNUM {
+			description = \"${ARCH_UPPER} OpenWrt ${DEVICE} initrd\";
+			${COMPATIBLE_PROP}
+			data = /incbin/(\"${INITRD}\");
+			type = \"ramdisk\";
+			arch = \"${ARCH}\";
+			os = \"linux\";
+			hash@1 {
+				algo = \"crc32\";
+			};
+			hash@2 {
+				algo = \"${HASH}\";
+			};
+		};
+"
+	INITRD_PROP="ramdisk=\"initrd@${INITRDNUM}\";"
+fi
+
+
 if [ -n "${ROOTFS}" ]; then
 	dd if="${ROOTFS}" of="${ROOTFS}.pagesync" bs=4096 conv=sync
 	ROOTFS_NODE="
@@ -141,6 +165,7 @@ DATA="/dts-v1/;
 				algo = \"$HASH\";
 			};
 		};
+${INITRD_NODE}
 ${FDT_NODE}
 ${ROOTFS_NODE}
 	};
@@ -153,6 +178,7 @@ ${ROOTFS_NODE}
 			${FDT_PROP}
 			${LOADABLES:+loadables = ${LOADABLES};}
 			${COMPATIBLE_PROP}
+			${INITRD_PROP}
 		};
 	};
 };"
diff --git a/scripts/target-metadata.pl b/scripts/target-metadata.pl
index 78f77b16d5..4128d54461 100755
--- a/scripts/target-metadata.pl
+++ b/scripts/target-metadata.pl
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ sub target_config_features(@) {
 		/^fpu$/ and $ret .= "\tselect HAS_FPU\n";
 		/^spe_fpu$/ and $ret .= "\tselect HAS_SPE_FPU\n";
 		/^ramdisk$/ and $ret .= "\tselect USES_INITRAMFS\n";
+		/^seperate_ramdisk$/ and $ret .= "\tselect USES_INITRAMFS\n\tselect USES_SEPERATE_INITRAMFS\n";
 		/^powerpc64$/ and $ret .= "\tselect powerpc64\n";
 		/^nommu$/ and $ret .= "\tselect NOMMU\n";
 		/^mips16$/ and $ret .= "\tselect HAS_MIPS16\n";
diff --git a/target/Config.in b/target/Config.in
index 43de4710df..9dbc5ffe46 100644
--- a/target/Config.in
+++ b/target/Config.in
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ config USES_DEVICETREE
 config USES_INITRAMFS
 	bool
 
+config USES_SEPERATE_INITRAMFS
+	bool
+
 config USES_SQUASHFS
 	bool