diff --git a/hw/riscv/boot.c b/hw/riscv/boot.c
index 5ec6d32165..1e32ce1e10 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/boot.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/boot.c
@@ -176,10 +176,12 @@ target_ulong riscv_load_firmware(const char *firmware_filename,
 target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
                                RISCVHartArrayState *harts,
                                target_ulong kernel_start_addr,
+                               bool load_initrd,
                                symbol_fn_t sym_cb)
 {
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     uint64_t kernel_load_base, kernel_entry, kernel_low;
+    void *fdt = machine->fdt;
 
     g_assert(kernel_filename != NULL);
 
@@ -199,21 +201,34 @@ target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
             kernel_entry = kernel_low;
         }
 
-        return kernel_entry;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     if (load_uimage_as(kernel_filename, &kernel_entry, NULL, NULL,
                        NULL, NULL, NULL) > 0) {
-        return kernel_entry;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     if (load_image_targphys_as(kernel_filename, kernel_start_addr,
                                current_machine->ram_size, NULL) > 0) {
-        return kernel_start_addr;
+        kernel_entry = kernel_start_addr;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     error_report("could not load kernel '%s'", kernel_filename);
     exit(1);
+
+out:
+    if (load_initrd && machine->initrd_filename) {
+        riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
+    }
+
+    if (fdt && machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
+        qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs",
+                                machine->kernel_cmdline);
+    }
+
+    return kernel_entry;
 }
 
 void riscv_load_initrd(MachineState *machine, uint64_t kernel_entry)
diff --git a/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c b/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
index 712625d2a4..e81bbd12df 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
@@ -630,16 +630,7 @@ static void microchip_icicle_kit_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
         kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc.u_cpus,
-                                         kernel_start_addr, NULL);
-
-        if (machine->initrd_filename) {
-            riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
-        }
-
-        if (machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
-            qemu_fdt_setprop_string(machine->fdt, "/chosen",
-                                    "bootargs", machine->kernel_cmdline);
-        }
+                                         kernel_start_addr, true, NULL);
 
         /* Compute the fdt load address in dram */
         fdt_load_addr = riscv_compute_fdt_addr(memmap[MICROCHIP_PFSOC_DRAM_LO].base,
diff --git a/hw/riscv/opentitan.c b/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
index 7fe4fb5628..b06944d382 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ static void opentitan_board_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     if (machine->kernel_filename) {
         riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc.cpus,
-                          memmap[IBEX_DEV_RAM].base, NULL);
+                          memmap[IBEX_DEV_RAM].base,
+                          false, NULL);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c b/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
index 1a7d381514..04939b60c3 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@ static void sifive_e_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     if (machine->kernel_filename) {
         riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc.cpus,
-                          memmap[SIFIVE_E_DEV_DTIM].base, NULL);
+                          memmap[SIFIVE_E_DEV_DTIM].base,
+                          false, NULL);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c b/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
index 71be442a50..ad3bb35b34 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
@@ -599,16 +599,7 @@ static void sifive_u_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
         kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc.u_cpus,
-                                         kernel_start_addr, NULL);
-
-        if (machine->initrd_filename) {
-            riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
-        }
-
-        if (machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
-            qemu_fdt_setprop_string(machine->fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs",
-                                    machine->kernel_cmdline);
-        }
+                                         kernel_start_addr, true, NULL);
     } else {
        /*
         * If dynamic firmware is used, it doesn't know where is the next mode
diff --git a/hw/riscv/spike.c b/hw/riscv/spike.c
index 1fa91167ab..a584d5b3a2 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/spike.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/spike.c
@@ -307,16 +307,7 @@ static void spike_board_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc[0],
                                          kernel_start_addr,
-                                         htif_symbol_callback);
-
-        if (machine->initrd_filename) {
-            riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
-        }
-
-        if (machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
-            qemu_fdt_setprop_string(machine->fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs",
-                                    machine->kernel_cmdline);
-        }
+                                         true, htif_symbol_callback);
     } else {
        /*
         * If dynamic firmware is used, it doesn't know where is the next mode
diff --git a/hw/riscv/virt.c b/hw/riscv/virt.c
index d0531cc641..2f2c82e8df 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/virt.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/virt.c
@@ -1278,16 +1278,7 @@ static void virt_machine_done(Notifier *notifier, void *data)
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
         kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc[0],
-                                         kernel_start_addr, NULL);
-
-        if (machine->initrd_filename) {
-            riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
-        }
-
-        if (machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
-            qemu_fdt_setprop_string(machine->fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs",
-                                    machine->kernel_cmdline);
-        }
+                                         kernel_start_addr, true, NULL);
     } else {
        /*
         * If dynamic firmware is used, it doesn't know where is the next mode
diff --git a/include/hw/riscv/boot.h b/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
index 6295316afb..ea1de8b020 100644
--- a/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
+++ b/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ target_ulong riscv_load_firmware(const char *firmware_filename,
 target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
                                RISCVHartArrayState *harts,
                                target_ulong firmware_end_addr,
+                               bool load_initrd,
                                symbol_fn_t sym_cb);
 void riscv_load_initrd(MachineState *machine, uint64_t kernel_entry);
 uint64_t riscv_compute_fdt_addr(hwaddr dram_start, uint64_t dram_size,
