diff --git a/xCAT-client/pods/man1/genimage.1.pod b/xCAT-client/pods/man1/genimage.1.pod
index 9a65efa24..d297e6edd 100644
--- a/xCAT-client/pods/man1/genimage.1.pod
+++ b/xCAT-client/pods/man1/genimage.1.pod
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ in the install image.
 
 =item B<-g> I<krpmver>
 
-This flag is for SLES only. Use this flag to specify the rpm version for kernel packages in the image. It must be present if -k flag is specified in the command for SLES.
+Use this flag to specify the rpm version for kernel packages in the image. It must be present if -k flag is specified in the command for SLES. Generally, the value of -g is the part after B<linux-> and before B<.rpm> in a kernel rpm name. 
 
 =item B<-m> statelite
 
diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/genimage.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/genimage.pm
index 9108dec90..e2e3bb08a 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/genimage.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/genimage.pm
@@ -270,14 +270,6 @@ sub process_request {
        return 1;
    }
 
-   if ($krpmver) {
-       if ($osfamily ne "sles") {
-	   $krpmver="";
-	   $callback->({error=>["-g flag is valid for Sles only."],errorcode=>[1]});
-	   return 1;
-       }
-   }   
-
    my $cmd="cd $profDir; ./genimage";
    if ($arch) { $cmd .= " -a $arch";}
    if ($osver) { $cmd .= " -o $osver";}
diff --git a/xCAT-server/share/xcat/netboot/rh/genimage b/xCAT-server/share/xcat/netboot/rh/genimage
index 6b75afe34..a4c232542 100755
--- a/xCAT-server/share/xcat/netboot/rh/genimage
+++ b/xCAT-server/share/xcat/netboot/rh/genimage
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ my $tmplimit;
 my $installroot = "/install";
 my $kerneldir;
 my $kernelver = ""; #`uname -r`;
+my $krpmver;
 my $basekernelver; # = $kernelver;
 my $customdir=$fullpath;
 $customdir =~ s/.*share\/xcat/$installroot\/custom/;
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ GetOptions(
    'l=s' => \$rootlimit,
    't=s' => \$tmplimit,
    'k=s' => \$kernelver,
+   'g=s' => \$krpmver,
    'permission=s' => \$permission,
    'kerneldir=s' => \$kerneldir,   
    'tempfile=s' =>\$tempfile, #internal flag
@@ -266,16 +268,19 @@ unless ($onlyinitrd) {
             # replace the kernel package with the name has the specific version
             foreach my $p (@$pa) {
                 if ($p =~ /^kernel$/ && $kernelver) {
-                    my $kernelname = "kernel-".$kernelver;
+                    my $kernelname;
+                    if ($krpmver) {
+                        $kernelname = "kernel-".$krpmver;
+                    } else {
+                        $kernelname = "kernel-".$kernelver;
+                    }
                     my $searchkern = $yumcmd . " list $kernelname -q";
                     my @kernpkgs = `$searchkern`;
                     my $found = 0;
                     foreach my $k (@kernpkgs) {
                         if ($k =~ /\s*kernel[^\s]*\s+([\w\.-]+)/) {
                             my $version = $1;
-                            my $relversion = $kernelver;
-                            $relversion =~ s/\.[^\.]+$//;
-                            if ($version == $relversion) {
+                            if ($kernelver =~ /$version/) {
                                 $found++;
                             }
                         }