diff --git a/lib/functions/cli/cli-firmware.sh b/lib/functions/cli/cli-firmware.sh
index 1932c133e0..6bc53daa62 100644
--- a/lib/functions/cli/cli-firmware.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/cli/cli-firmware.sh
@@ -7,14 +7,10 @@ function cli_firmware_pre_run() {
 
 function cli_firmware_run() {
 
-	# configuration etc - it initializes the extension manager; handles its own logging sections.
-	prep_conf_main_only_firmware < /dev/null # no stdin for this, so it bombs if tries to be interactive.
+	# minimal, non-interactive configuration - it initializes the extension manager; handles its own logging sections.
+	prep_conf_main_minimal_ni < /dev/null # no stdin for this, so it bombs if tries to be interactive.
 
-	# Minimal config needed
-	declare -g -r BOARD_FIRMWARE_INSTALL="-full" # Build full firmware "too"
-
-	# Fool the preparation step; firmware is arch agnostic.
-	declare -g -r ARCH=arm64
+	declare -g -r BOARD_FIRMWARE_INSTALL="-full" # Build full firmware "too"; overrides the config
 
 	# default build, but only invoke specific rootfs functions needed. It has its own logging sections.
 	do_with_default_build cli_firmware_only_in_default_build < /dev/null # no stdin for this, so it bombs if tries to be interactive.
@@ -27,25 +23,5 @@ function cli_firmware_run() {
 # This is run inside do_with_default_build(), above.
 function cli_firmware_only_in_default_build() {
 	github_actions_add_output firmware_version "fake"
-
 	compile_firmware_light_and_possibly_full
 }
-
-# Lean version, for building rootfs, that doesn't need BOARD/BOARDFAMILY; never interactive.
-function prep_conf_main_only_firmware() {
-	LOG_SECTION="config_early_init" do_with_conditional_logging config_early_init
-
-	check_basic_host
-
-	LOG_SECTION="config_pre_main" do_with_conditional_logging config_pre_main
-
-	allow_no_family="yes" \
-		LOG_SECTION="do_main_configuration" do_with_conditional_logging do_main_configuration # This initializes the extension manager among a lot of other things, and call extension_prepare_config() hook
-
-	LOG_SECTION="do_extra_configuration" do_with_conditional_logging do_extra_configuration
-
-	skip_kernel="yes" \
-		LOG_SECTION="config_post_main" do_with_conditional_logging config_post_main
-
-	display_alert "Configuration prepared for non-BOARD build" "prep_conf_main_only_rootfs" "info"
-}
diff --git a/lib/functions/cli/cli-rootfs.sh b/lib/functions/cli/cli-rootfs.sh
index a44689361d..fd76a3bb07 100644
--- a/lib/functions/cli/cli-rootfs.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/cli/cli-rootfs.sh
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ function cli_rootfs_run() {
 	declare -g -r RELEASE="${RELEASE}" # make readonly for finding who tries to change it
 	declare -g -r NEEDS_BINFMT="yes"   # make sure binfmts are installed during prepare_host_interactive
 
-	# configuration etc - it initializes the extension manager; handles its own logging sections.
-	prep_conf_main_only_rootfs < /dev/null # no stdin for this, so it bombs if tries to be interactive.
+	# prep_conf_main_only_rootfs_ni is prep_conf_main_only_rootfs_ni() + aggregate_packages_in_logging_section() .
+	prep_conf_main_only_rootfs_ni < /dev/null # no stdin for this, so it bombs if tries to be interactive.
 
 	declare -g -r ARCH="${ARCH}" # make readonly for finding who tries to change it
 	if [[ "${ARCH}" != "${__wanted_rootfs_arch}" ]]; then
diff --git a/lib/functions/main/config-prepare.sh b/lib/functions/main/config-prepare.sh
index edb42d4082..f18e25fe00 100644
--- a/lib/functions/main/config-prepare.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/main/config-prepare.sh
@@ -33,25 +33,36 @@ function prep_conf_main_build_single() {
 	display_alert "Configuration prepared for BOARD build" "${BOARD}.${BOARD_TYPE}" "info"
 }
 
-# Lean version, for building rootfs, that doesn't need BOARD/BOARDFAMILY; never interactive.
-function prep_conf_main_only_rootfs() {
+# Minimal, non-interactive version.
+function prep_conf_main_minimal_ni() {
+	# needed
 	LOG_SECTION="config_early_init" do_with_conditional_logging config_early_init
 
+	# needed
 	check_basic_host
 
+	# not needed, doesnt hurt; might be moved to aggregation
 	LOG_SECTION="config_pre_main" do_with_conditional_logging config_pre_main
 
-	allow_no_family="yes" \
+	# Required, but does stuff it maybe shouldn't
+	allow_no_family="${allow_no_family:-"yes"}" \
 		LOG_SECTION="do_main_configuration" do_with_conditional_logging do_main_configuration # This initializes the extension manager among a lot of other things, and call extension_prepare_config() hook
 
+	# Required: does a lot of stuff and extension_prepare_config() hook
 	LOG_SECTION="do_extra_configuration" do_with_conditional_logging do_extra_configuration
 
-	skip_kernel="yes" \
+	# Calculates CHOSEN_xxx's and optional kernel stuff; runs extension_finish_config() hook
+	skip_kernel="${skip_kernel:-"yes"}" \
 		LOG_SECTION="config_post_main" do_with_conditional_logging config_post_main
-		
-	aggregate_packages_in_logging_section
 
-	display_alert "Configuration prepared for non-BOARD build" "prep_conf_main_only_rootfs" "info"
+	display_alert "Minimal configuration prepared for build" "prep_conf_main_only_firmware" "info"
+}
+
+# Lean version, for building rootfs, that doesn't need BOARD/BOARDFAMILY; never interactive.
+function prep_conf_main_only_rootfs_ni() {
+	prep_conf_main_minimal_ni
+	aggregate_packages_in_logging_section
+	display_alert "Configuration prepared for minimal+rootfs" "prep_conf_main_only_rootfs_ni" "info"
 }
 
 function config_source_board_file() {