diff --git a/xCAT-server-2.0/share/xcat/netboot/rh/genimage b/xCAT-server-2.0/share/xcat/netboot/rh/genimage
index 01a646e12..47c2e5a4c 100755
--- a/xCAT-server-2.0/share/xcat/netboot/rh/genimage
+++ b/xCAT-server-2.0/share/xcat/netboot/rh/genimage
@@ -29,11 +29,12 @@ if ($name =~ /geninitrd/) {
 }
 my $rootlimit;
 my $tmplimit;
-my $kernelver = `uname -r`;
-my $basekernelver = $kernelver;
+my $installroot = "/install";
+my $kernelver = ""; #`uname -r`;
+my $basekernelver; # = $kernelver;
 
 GetOptions(
-   #'a=s' => \$architecture,
+   'a=s' => \$arch,
    'p=s' => \$profile,
    'o=s' => \$osver,
    'n=s' => \$netdriver,
@@ -43,6 +44,21 @@ GetOptions(
    't=s' => \$tmplimit,
    'k=s' => \$kernelver
 );
+#Default to the first kernel found in the install image if nothing specified explicitly.
+#A more accurate guess than whatever the image build server happens to be running
+#If specified, that takes precedence.
+#if image has one, that is used
+#if all else fails, resort to uname -r like this script did before
+my @KVERS= <$installroot/netboot/$osver/$arch/$profile/rootimg/lib/modules/*>;
+if (scalar(@KVERS)) {
+    $basekernelver = basename($KVERS[0]);
+}
+unless ($basekernelver) {
+    $basekernelver = `uname -r`;
+}
+unless ($kernelver) {
+    $kernelver=$basekernelver;
+}
 chomp($kernelver);
 unless ($osver and $profile and $netdriver and $prinic) {
    print 'Usage: genimage -i <nodebootif> -n <nodenetdrivers> [-r <otherifaces>] -o <OSVER> -p <PROFILE> -k <KERNELVER>'."\n";
@@ -62,7 +78,6 @@ foreach (split /,/,$netdriver) {
    push @ndrivers,$_;
 }
 
-my $installroot = "/install";
 unless ($onlyinitrd) {
    my $srcdir = "$installroot/$osver/$arch";
    @yumdirs=();