diff --git a/src/boot/ostree-prepare-root.service b/src/boot/ostree-prepare-root.service
index 510d866a4c..797148c9bc 100644
--- a/src/boot/ostree-prepare-root.service
+++ b/src/boot/ostree-prepare-root.service
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 Description=OSTree Prepare OS/
 Documentation=man:ostree(1)
 DefaultDependencies=no
-ConditionKernelCommandLine=ostree
 ConditionPathExists=/etc/initrd-release
 OnFailure=emergency.target
 After=sysroot.mount
diff --git a/src/boot/ostree-remount.service b/src/boot/ostree-remount.service
index 7c0d01a3bb..9f56248462 100644
--- a/src/boot/ostree-remount.service
+++ b/src/boot/ostree-remount.service
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 Description=OSTree Remount OS/ Bind Mounts
 Documentation=man:ostree(1)
 DefaultDependencies=no
-ConditionKernelCommandLine=ostree
+ConditionPathExists=/run/ostree
 OnFailure=emergency.target
 Conflicts=umount.target
 # Run after core mounts
diff --git a/src/switchroot/ostree-mount-util.h b/src/switchroot/ostree-mount-util.h
index 92bc802786..bcb267a474 100644
--- a/src/switchroot/ostree-mount-util.h
+++ b/src/switchroot/ostree-mount-util.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #ifndef __OSTREE_MOUNT_UTIL_H_
 #define __OSTREE_MOUNT_UTIL_H_
 
+#include <dirent.h>
 #include <err.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <sys/statvfs.h>
@@ -72,6 +73,19 @@ read_proc_cmdline (void)
   return cmdline;
 }
 
+static inline void
+free_char (char **to_free)
+{
+  free (*to_free);
+}
+
+static inline void
+close_dir (DIR **dir)
+{
+  if (*dir)
+    closedir (*dir);
+}
+
 static inline char *
 read_proc_cmdline_ostree (void)
 {
@@ -106,6 +120,96 @@ read_proc_cmdline_ostree (void)
   return ret;
 }
 
+static inline int
+append_latest_link(char* dir_str, int* len, int* cap) {
+  char* append_from = dir_str + *len;
+  int appended_len = 0;
+  DIR __attribute__ ((cleanup(close_dir))) *dir = opendir(dir_str);
+  if (!dir)
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "'%s' %d", strerror(errno), __LINE__);
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  struct dirent *ent = 0;
+  for (time_t latest = 0; (ent = readdir(dir)); )
+    {
+      if (ent->d_type != DT_LNK)
+        continue;
+
+      struct stat lsb;
+      lsb.st_mtime = 0;
+      char ent_str[PATH_MAX + sizeof (ent->d_name)];
+      snprintf(ent_str, sizeof (ent_str), "%s/%s", dir_str, ent->d_name);
+      if (lstat(ent_str, &lsb) == -1)
+        {
+          fprintf(stderr, "'%s' %d", strerror(errno), __LINE__);
+          return 1;
+        }
+
+      if (latest <= lsb.st_mtime)
+        {
+          appended_len = snprintf(append_from, *cap, "/%s", ent->d_name);
+          latest = lsb.st_mtime;
+        }
+    }
+
+  *len += appended_len;
+  *cap = PATH_MAX - *len;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static inline int
+append_osname_sum_deployserial(char* dir_str, int* len, int* cap) {
+  for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i)
+    {
+      DIR __attribute__ ((cleanup(close_dir))) *dir1 = opendir(dir_str);
+      if (!dir1)
+        {
+          fprintf(stderr, "%s:%d\n", strerror(errno), __LINE__);
+          return 1;
+        }
+
+      for (struct dirent *ent = 0; (ent = readdir(dir1)); )
+        {
+          if (ent->d_name[0] != '.')
+            {
+              *len += snprintf(dir_str + *len, *cap, "/%s", ent->d_name);
+              *cap = PATH_MAX - *len;
+              break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/* This function is for boot arrangements where it is not possible to use a
+ * karg/cmdline (normally when the cmdline is part of the commit),
+ * alternatively this function uses the latest symlink in prefix + /ostree
+ * the prefix is normally "/sysroot"
+ */
+static inline char*
+gen_ostree_target (const char* prefix)
+{
+  char dir_str[PATH_MAX];
+  int dir_str_len = snprintf(dir_str, sizeof(dir_str), "%s/ostree", prefix);
+  int dir_str_cap = PATH_MAX - dir_str_len;
+  const int prefix_len = strlen(prefix);
+
+  if (append_latest_link(dir_str, &dir_str_len, &dir_str_cap))
+    return strdup("");
+
+  if (append_osname_sum_deployserial(dir_str, &dir_str_len, &dir_str_cap))
+    return strdup("");
+
+  /* We don't want the initial part included, we want to start at /ostree from
+   * the caller perspective.
+   */
+  return strdup(dir_str + prefix_len);
+}
+
 /* This is an API for other projects to determine whether or not the
  * currently running system is ostree-controlled.
  */
diff --git a/src/switchroot/ostree-prepare-root.c b/src/switchroot/ostree-prepare-root.c
index a5fbc8a810..7c59602479 100644
--- a/src/switchroot/ostree-prepare-root.c
+++ b/src/switchroot/ostree-prepare-root.c
@@ -124,11 +124,15 @@ resolve_deploy_path (const char * root_mountpoint)
 {
   char destpath[PATH_MAX];
   struct stat stbuf;
-  char *ostree_target, *deploy_path;
+  char __attribute__ ((cleanup(free_char))) *ostree_target;
+  char *deploy_path;
 
   ostree_target = read_proc_cmdline_ostree ();
   if (!ostree_target)
-    errx (EXIT_FAILURE, "No OSTree target; expected ostree=/ostree/boot.N/...");
+    ostree_target = gen_ostree_target (root_mountpoint);
+
+  if (!ostree_target)
+    errx (EXIT_FAILURE, "Could not find OSTree target either via ostree=/ostree/boot.N/ or searching,...");
 
   if (snprintf (destpath, sizeof(destpath), "%s/%s", root_mountpoint, ostree_target) < 0)
     err (EXIT_FAILURE, "failed to assemble ostree target path");
diff --git a/src/switchroot/ostree-system-generator.c b/src/switchroot/ostree-system-generator.c
index bd0901bcff..f85db2e1fe 100644
--- a/src/switchroot/ostree-system-generator.c
+++ b/src/switchroot/ostree-system-generator.c
@@ -62,7 +62,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
    * exit so that we don't error, but at the same time work where switchroot
    * is PID 1 (and so hasn't created /run/ostree-booted).
    */
-  char *ostree_cmdline = read_proc_cmdline_ostree ();
+  char __attribute__ ((cleanup(free_char))) *ostree_cmdline = read_proc_cmdline_ostree ();
+  if (!ostree_cmdline)
+    ostree_cmdline = gen_ostree_target("/sysroot");
+
   if (!ostree_cmdline)
     exit (EXIT_SUCCESS);