diff --git a/files/build_templates/init_cfg.json.j2 b/files/build_templates/init_cfg.json.j2
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..33cfe990f900
--- /dev/null
+++ b/files/build_templates/init_cfg.json.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{
+    "DEVICE_METADATA": {
+        "localhost": {
+            "default_bgp_status": {% if shutdown_bgp_on_start == "y" %}"down"{% else %}"up"{% endif %},
+            "default_pfcwd_status": {% if enable_pfcwd_on_start == "y" %}"enable"{% else %}"disable"{% endif %}
+        }
+    },
+    "CRM": {
+        "Config": {
+            "polling_interval": "300",
+{%- for crm_res in ["ipv4_route", "ipv6_route", "ipv4_nexthop", "ipv6_nexthop", "ipv4_neighbor",
+                    "ipv6_neighbor", "nexthop_group_member", "nexthop_group", "acl_table",
+                    "acl_group", "acl_entry", "acl_counter", "fdb_entry"] %}
+            "{{crm_res}}_threshold_type": "percentage",
+            "{{crm_res}}_low_threshold": "70",
+            "{{crm_res}}_high_threshold": "85"{% if not loop.last %},{% endif -%}
+{% endfor %}
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2 b/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
index bdcb415839d4..16b7a3b160b5 100644
--- a/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
+++ b/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
@@ -264,11 +264,9 @@ sudo bash -c "echo dhcp_as_static=true >> $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/updategraph
 {% else %}
 sudo bash -c "echo enabled=false > $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/updategraph.conf"
 {% endif %}
-sudo bash -c "echo '{ \"DEVICE_METADATA\": { \"localhost\": { \"default_bgp_status\": {% if shutdown_bgp_on_start == "y" %}\"down\"{% else %}\"up\"{% endif %}, \"default_pfcwd_status\": {% if enable_pfcwd_on_start == "y" %}\"enable\"{% else %}\"disable\"{% endif %}  } },
-{%- print ' \\"CRM\\": { \\"Config\\": { \\"polling_interval\\": \\"300\\", ' %}
-{%- for crm_res in ["ipv4_route", "ipv6_route", "ipv4_nexthop", "ipv6_nexthop", "ipv4_neighbor", "ipv6_neighbor", "nexthop_group_member", "nexthop_group", "acl_table", "acl_group", "acl_entry", "acl_counter", "fdb_entry"] -%}
-\"{{crm_res}}_threshold_type\": \"percentage\", \"{{crm_res}}_low_threshold\": \"70\", \"{{crm_res}}_high_threshold\": \"85\"{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}
-{%- endfor %} } } }' >> $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/init_cfg.json"
+
+# Generate initial SONiC configuration file
+j2 files/build_templates/init_cfg.json.j2 | sudo tee $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/init_cfg.json
 
 # Copy config-setup script and service file
 j2 files/build_templates/config-setup.service.j2 | sudo tee $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/systemd/system/config-setup.service