diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/debian.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/debian.pm
index c6e5583d1..6aeab7d54 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/debian.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/debian.pm
@@ -161,7 +161,16 @@ sub using_dracut
     return 0;
 }
 
-
+sub copyAndAddCustomizations {
+	my $source = shift;
+	my $dest = shift;
+	#first, it's simple, we copy...
+	copy($source,$dest);
+	#next, we apply xCAT customizations to enhance debian installer..
+	chdir("$::XCATROOT/share/xcat/install/debian/initoverlay");
+	system("find . |cpio -o -H newc | gzip -c - -9 >> $dest");
+}
+	
 sub copycd
 {
     xCAT::MsgUtils->message("S","Doing debian copycds");
@@ -720,7 +729,7 @@ sub mkinstall
             if ($docopy) {
                 mkpath("$tftppath");
                 copy($kernpath,"$tftppath/vmlinuz");
-                copy($initrdpath,"$tftppath/initrd.img");
+                copyAndAddCustomizations($initrdpath,"$tftppath/initrd.img");
             }
 
             #We have a shot...
diff --git a/xCAT-server/share/xcat/install/debian/initoverlay/lib/debian-installer-startup.d/S91detectnic b/xCAT-server/share/xcat/install/debian/initoverlay/lib/debian-installer-startup.d/S91detectnic
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..547fec517
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-server/share/xcat/install/debian/initoverlay/lib/debian-installer-startup.d/S91detectnic
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+BOOTMAC=`sed -e s/.*BOOTIF=/BOOTIF=/ /proc/cmdline|cut -f 1`
+if echo $BOOTMAC|grep BOOTIF= > /dev/null; then
+        BOOTMAC=`echo $BOOTMAC|sed -e s/BOOTIF=01-// -e s/-/:/g`
+        for dir in /sys/class/net/*; do
+                if grep -i $BOOTMAC $dir/address > /dev/null; then
+                        debconf-set netcfg/choose_interface `basename $dir`
+                fi
+        done
+fi