diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/esxi7/initramfs/bin/dcuiweasel b/confluent_osdeploy/esxi7/initramfs/bin/dcuiweasel
index a573bc4d..f25b5b04 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/esxi7/initramfs/bin/dcuiweasel
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/esxi7/initramfs/bin/dcuiweasel
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ chmod +x /tmp/makeksnet
 rootpw=$(grep ^rootpassword: /etc/confluent/confluent.deploycfg|sed -e 's/^rootpassword: //')
 echo rootpw --iscrypted $rootpw > /tmp/rootuser
 export BOOT_CMDLINE=ks=/etc/confluent/ks.cfg
-exec /bin/install
+/bin/install
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/esxi7/profiles/hypervisor/kickstart b/confluent_osdeploy/esxi7/profiles/hypervisor/kickstart
index 5c3c17f2..e6dcbd5b 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/esxi7/profiles/hypervisor/kickstart
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/esxi7/profiles/hypervisor/kickstart
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 accepteula
-install --firstdisk
+install --firstdisk --preservevmfs
 %include /tmp/ksnet
 %include /tmp/rootuser
 reboot