diff --git a/dracut.sh b/dracut.sh
index 177e66d5..b3b80886 100755
--- a/dracut.sh
+++ b/dracut.sh
@@ -704,9 +704,9 @@ readonly initdir="$(mktemp --tmpdir="$TMPDIR/" -d -t initramfs.XXXXXX)"
 }
 
 if [[ $early_microcode = yes ]]; then
-    readonly microcode_dir="$(mktemp --tmpdir="$TMPDIR/" -d -t early_microcode.XXXXXX)"
-    [ -d "$microcode_dir" ] || {
-        printf "%s\n" "dracut: mktemp --tmpdir=\"$TMPDIR/\" -d -t early_microcode.XXXXXX failed." >&2
+    readonly early_cpio_dir="$(mktemp --tmpdir="$TMPDIR/" -d -t early_cpio.XXXXXX)"
+    [ -d "$early_cpio_dir" ] || {
+        printf "%s\n" "dracut: mktemp --tmpdir=\"$TMPDIR/\" -d -t early_cpio.XXXXXX failed." >&2
         exit 1
     }
 fi
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ trap '
     ret=$?;
     [[ $outfile ]] && [[ -f $outfile.$$ ]] && rm -f -- "$outfile.$$";
     [[ $keep ]] && echo "Not removing $initdir." >&2 || { [[ $initdir ]] && rm -rf -- "$initdir"; };
-    [[ $keep ]] && echo "Not removing $microcode_dir." >&2 || { [[ $microcode_dir ]] && rm -Rf -- "$microcode_dir"; };
+    [[ $keep ]] && echo "Not removing $early_cpio_dir." >&2 || { [[ $early_cpio_dir ]] && rm -Rf -- "$early_cpio_dir"; };
     [[ $_dlogdir ]] && rm -Rf -- "$_dlogdir";
     exit $ret;
     ' EXIT
@@ -1311,7 +1311,7 @@ if [[ $early_microcode = yes ]]; then
     dinfo "*** Generating early-microcode cpio image ***"
     ucode_dir=(amd-ucode intel-ucode)
     ucode_dest=(AuthenticAMD.bin GenuineIntel.bin)
-    _dest_dir="$microcode_dir/d/kernel/x86/microcode"
+    _dest_dir="$early_cpio_dir/d/kernel/x86/microcode"
     _dest_idx="0 1"
     mkdir -p $_dest_dir
     if [[ $hostonly ]]; then
@@ -1331,14 +1331,15 @@ if [[ $early_microcode = yes ]]; then
             fi
         done
     done
-    (cd "$microcode_dir/d"; find . -print0 | cpio --null -o -H newc --quiet >../ucode.cpio)
+    create_early_cpio="yes"
 fi
 
 rm -f -- "$outfile"
 dinfo "*** Creating image file ***"
-if [[ $early_microcode = yes ]]; then
+if [[ $create_early_cpio = yes ]]; then
     # The microcode blob is _before_ the initramfs blob, not after
-    mv $microcode_dir/ucode.cpio $outfile.$$
+    (cd "$early_cpio_dir/d"; find . -print0 | cpio --null -o -H newc --quiet >../early.cpio)
+    mv $early_cpio_dir/early.cpio $outfile.$$
 fi
 if ! ( umask 077; cd "$initdir"; find . -print0 | cpio --null -R 0:0 -H newc -o --quiet| \
     $compress >> "$outfile.$$"; ); then