diff --git a/generate.sh b/generate.sh
index f8e5b6ff..3f2e56c0 100755
--- a/generate.sh
+++ b/generate.sh
@@ -46,6 +46,15 @@ mkdir -p $tmpdir/etc $tmpdir/proc $tmpdir/sys $tmpdir/sysroot
 # FIXME: we don't install modules right now, but for the testing we're doing
 # everything is already built-in
 
+# plymouth
+if [ -x /usr/libexec/plymouth/plymouth-populate-initrd ]; then
+    /usr/libexec/plymouth/plymouth-populate-initrd -t "$tmpdir" || :
+    # since we actually require a patched plymouth at the moment, this is useful
+    if [ -d plymouth ]; then
+      pushd plymouth >/dev/null ; make DESTDIR="$tmpdir" install ; popd >/dev/null
+    fi
+fi
+
 pushd $tmpdir >/dev/null
 find . |cpio -H newc -o |gzip -9 > $INITRDOUT
 popd >/dev/null
diff --git a/init b/init
index 7fdd3fcc..615dfc3b 100755
--- a/init
+++ b/init
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@
 
 emergency_shell()
 {
+    [ -x /bin/plymouth ] && /bin/plymouth --hide-splash
     echo ; echo
     echo "Bug in initramfs /init detected. Dropping to a shell. Good luck!"
     echo
-    bash
+    bash < /dev/console
 }
 trap "emergency_shell" 0 2
 
@@ -27,6 +28,30 @@ mount -t proc /proc /proc
 mount -t sysfs /sys /sys
 mount -t tmpfs -omode=0755 udev /dev
 
+# FIXME: what device nodes does plymouth really _need_ ?
+mknod /dev/console c 5 1
+mknod /dev/null c 1 3
+mknod /dev/kmsg c 1 11
+mknod /dev/ptmx c 5 2
+mknod /dev/fb c 29 0
+mkdir /dev/pts
+mount -t devpts -o gid=5,mode=620 /dev/pts /dev/pts
+mkdir -m 1777 /dev/shm
+ln -s /proc/self/fd /dev/fd
+ln -s fd/0 /dev/stdin
+ln -s fd/1 /dev/stdout
+ln -s fd/2 /dev/stderr
+mknod /dev/systty c 4 0
+mknod /dev/tty0 c 4 0
+mknod /dev/tty1 c 4 1
+mknod /dev/tty2 c 4 2
+
+# start plymouth if it's available
+# arguably we need some of udev run first for fbmods and above devnodes :/
+[ -x /sbin/plymouthd ] && /sbin/plymouthd --attach-to-session
+[ -x /bin/plymouth ] && /bin/plymouth --show-splash
+
+
 # start up udev and trigger cold plugs
 /sbin/udevd --daemon
 /sbin/udevadm trigger
@@ -83,6 +108,8 @@ mount -t sysfs /sys $NEWROOT/sys
 
 # kill off udev
 kill `pidof udevd`
+
+[ -x /bin/plymouth ] && /bin/plymouth --newroot=$NEWROOT
 # FIXME: nash die die die
 exec /sbin/switch_root
 # davej doesn't like initrd bugs