diff --git a/configuration.sh b/configuration.sh
index 0c4dc72a1f..9157bf1ce7 100644
--- a/configuration.sh
+++ b/configuration.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ USEALLCORES=yes # Use all CPU cores for compiling
 EXIT_PATCHING_ERROR="" # exit patching if failed
 HOST="$BOARD" # set hostname to the board
 CACHEDIR=$DEST/cache
+ROOTFSCACHE_VERSION=2
 
 [[ -z $ROOTFS_TYPE ]] && ROOTFS_TYPE=ext4 # default rootfs type is ext4
 [[ "ext4 f2fs btrfs nfs fel" != *$ROOTFS_TYPE* ]] && exit_with_error "Unknown rootfs type" "$ROOTFS_TYPE"
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ CACHEDIR=$DEST/cache
 # echo $(( $(blockdev --getsize64 /dev/sdX) / 1024 / 1024 ))
 [[ "btrfs f2fs" == *$ROOTFS_TYPE* && -z $FIXED_IMAGE_SIZE ]] && exit_with_error "Please define FIXED_IMAGE_SIZE"
 
-# small SD card with kernel, boot scritpt and .dtb/.bin files
+# small SD card with kernel, boot script and .dtb/.bin files
 [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE == nfs ]] && FIXED_IMAGE_SIZE=64
 
 # used by multiple sources - reduce code duplication
diff --git a/debootstrap-ng.sh b/debootstrap-ng.sh
index 04f0b1bdd4..c19a9a11bc 100644
--- a/debootstrap-ng.sh
+++ b/debootstrap-ng.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 # create_rootfs_cache
 # prepare_partitions
 # create_image
-# install_dummy_initctl
 # mount_chroot
 # umount_chroot
 # unmount_on_exit
@@ -73,17 +72,18 @@ debootstrap_ng()
 	fi
 
 	# cleanup for install_kernel and install_board_specific
-	umount $CACHEDIR/sdcard/tmp/debs && rm -rf $CACHEDIR/sdcard/tmp/debs
+	umount $CACHEDIR/sdcard/tmp/debs
+	mountpoint -q $CACHEDIR/sdcard/tmp/debs || rm -rf $CACHEDIR/sdcard/tmp/debs
 
 	# stage: user customization script
 	# NOTE: installing too many packages may fill tmpfs mount
 	customize_image
 
 	# stage: cleanup
-	rm -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/usr/sbin/policy-rc.d
-	rm -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/usr/bin/$QEMU_BINARY
-	[[ -x $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl.REAL ]] && mv -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl.REAL $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl
-	[[ -x $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon.REAL ]] && mv -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon.REAL $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon
+	rm -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon
+	chroot $CACHEDIR/sdcard /bin/bash -c "dpkg-divert --quiet --local --rename --remove /sbin/initctl"
+	chroot $CACHEDIR/sdcard /bin/bash -c "dpkg-divert --quiet --local --rename --remove /sbin/start-stop-daemon"
+	rm -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/usr/sbin/policy-rc.d $CACHEDIR/sdcard/usr/bin/$QEMU_BINARY
 
 	umount_chroot "$CACHEDIR/sdcard"
 
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ debootstrap_ng()
 #
 create_rootfs_cache()
 {
-	local packages_hash=$(get_package_list_hash $PACKAGE_LIST)
+	local packages_hash=$(get_package_list_hash)
 	local cache_fname=$CACHEDIR/rootfs/${RELEASE}-ng-$ARCH.$packages_hash.tgz
 	local display_name=${RELEASE}-ng-$ARCH.${packages_hash:0:3}...${packages_hash:29}.tgz
 	if [[ -f $cache_fname ]]; then
@@ -163,8 +163,13 @@ create_rootfs_cache()
 
 		# policy-rc.d script prevents starting or reloading services during image creation
 		printf '#!/bin/sh\nexit 101' > $CACHEDIR/sdcard/usr/sbin/policy-rc.d
+		chroot $CACHEDIR/sdcard /bin/bash -c "dpkg-divert --quiet --local --rename --add /sbin/initctl"
+		chroot $CACHEDIR/sdcard /bin/bash -c "dpkg-divert --quiet --local --rename --add /sbin/start-stop-daemon"
+		printf '#!/bin/sh\necho "Warning: Fake start-stop-daemon called, doing nothing"' > $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon
+		printf '#!/bin/sh\necho "Warning: Fake initctl called, doing nothing"' > $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl
 		chmod 755 $CACHEDIR/sdcard/usr/sbin/policy-rc.d
-		install_dummy_initctl
+		chmod 755 $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl
+		chmod 755 $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon
 
 		# stage: configure language and locales
 		display_alert "Configuring locales" "$DEST_LANG" "info"
@@ -330,28 +335,45 @@ prepare_partitions()
 	dd if=/dev/zero bs=1M status=none count=$sdsize | pv -p -b -r -s $(( $sdsize * 1024 * 1024 )) | dd status=none of=$CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw
 
 	# stage: determine partition configuration
-	if [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE != ext4 && $BOOTSIZE == 0 ]]; then
-		local bootfs=ext4
-		BOOTSIZE=32 # MiB
-	elif [[ $BOOTSIZE != 0 ]]; then
+	if [[ $BOOTSIZE != 0 ]]; then
+		# fat32 /boot + ext4 root, deprecated
 		local bootfs=fat
+		local bootpart=1
+		local rootpart=2
+	elif [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE != ext4 && $ROOTFS_TYPE != nfs ]]; then
+		# ext4 /boot + non-ext4 root
+		BOOTSIZE=32 # MiB
+		local bootfs=ext4
+		local bootpart=1
+		local rootpart=2
+	elif [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE == nfs ]]; then
+		# ext4 /boot, no root
+		BOOTSIZE=32 # For cleanup processing only
+		local bootfs=ext4
+		local bootpart=1
+	else
+		# ext4 root
+		local rootpart=1
 	fi
 
 	# stage: calculate boot partition size
-	BOOTSTART=$(($OFFSET * 2048))
-	ROOTSTART=$(($BOOTSTART + ($BOOTSIZE * 2048)))
-	BOOTEND=$(($ROOTSTART - 1))
+	local bootstart=$(($OFFSET * 2048))
+	local rootstart=$(($bootstart + ($BOOTSIZE * 2048)))
+	local bootend=$(($rootstart - 1))
 
 	# stage: create partition table
 	display_alert "Creating partitions" "${bootfs:+/boot: $bootfs }root: $ROOTFS_TYPE" "info"
 	parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mklabel msdos
 	if [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE == nfs ]]; then
-		parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mkpart primary ${parttype[$bootfs]} ${BOOTSTART}s -1s
+		# single /boot partition
+		parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mkpart primary ${parttype[$bootfs]} ${bootstart}s -1s
 	elif [[ $BOOTSIZE == 0 ]]; then
-		parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mkpart primary ${parttype[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${ROOTSTART}s -1s
+		# single root partition
+		parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mkpart primary ${parttype[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${rootstart}s -1s
 	else
-		parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mkpart primary ${parttype[$bootfs]} ${BOOTSTART}s ${BOOTEND}s
-		parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mkpart primary ${parttype[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${ROOTSTART}s -1s
+		# /boot partition + root partition
+		parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mkpart primary ${parttype[$bootfs]} ${bootstart}s ${bootend}s
+		parted -s $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw -- mkpart primary ${parttype[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${rootstart}s -1s
 	fi
 
 	# stage: mount image
@@ -359,52 +381,48 @@ prepare_partitions()
 	[[ -z $LOOP ]] && exit_with_error "Unable to find free loop device"
 
 	# NOTE: losetup -P option is not available in Trusty
+	[[ $CONTAINER_COMPAT == yes ]] && mknod -m0660 $LOOP b 7 ${LOOP//\/dev\/loop} > /dev/null
+
 	losetup $LOOP $CACHEDIR/tmprootfs.raw
 	partprobe $LOOP
 
-	# stage: create fs
-	if [[ $BOOTSIZE == 0 ]]; then
-		eval mkfs.${mkfs[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${mkopts[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${LOOP}p1 ${OUTPUT_VERYSILENT:+' >/dev/null 2>/dev/null'}
-		[[ $ROOTFS_TYPE == ext4 ]] && tune2fs -o journal_data_writeback ${LOOP}p1 > /dev/null
-	else
-		if [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE != nfs ]]; then
-			eval mkfs.${mkfs[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${mkopts[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${LOOP}p2 ${OUTPUT_VERYSILENT:+' >/dev/null 2>/dev/null'}
-			[[ $ROOTFS_TYPE == ext4 ]] && tune2fs -o journal_data_writeback ${LOOP}p2 > /dev/null
-		fi
-		eval mkfs.${mkfs[$bootfs]} ${mkopts[$bootfs]} ${LOOP}p1 ${OUTPUT_VERYSILENT:+' >/dev/null 2>/dev/null'}
-	fi
-
-	# stage: mount partitions and create proper fstab
+	# stage: create fs, mount partitions, create fstab
 	rm -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
-
-	if [[ $HAS_UUID_SUPPORT == yes ]]; then
-		local part1="UUID=$(blkid -s UUID -o value ${LOOP}p1)"
-		local part2="UUID=$(blkid -s UUID -o value ${LOOP}p2)"
-	else
-		local part1="/dev/mmcblk0p1"
-		local part2="/dev/mmcblk0p2"
+	if [[ -n $rootpart ]]; then
+		display_alert "Creating rootfs" "$ROOTFS_TYPE"
+		[[ $CONTAINER_COMPAT == yes ]] && mknod -m0660 $LOOPp${rootpart} b 259 ${rootpart} > /dev/null
+		mkfs.${mkfs[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${mkopts[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} ${LOOP}p${rootpart}
+		[[ $ROOTFS_TYPE == ext4 ]] && tune2fs -o journal_data_writeback ${LOOP}p${rootpart} > /dev/null
+		mount ${LOOP}p${rootpart} $CACHEDIR/mount/
+		local rootfs="UUID=$(blkid -s UUID -o value ${LOOP}p${rootpart})"
+		echo "$rootfs / ${mkfs[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} defaults,noatime,nodiratime${mountopts[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} 0 1" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
 	fi
-
-	if [[ $BOOTSIZE == 0 ]]; then
-		mount ${LOOP}p1 $CACHEDIR/mount/
-		echo "$part1 / ${mkfs[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} defaults,noatime,nodiratime${mountopts[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} 0 1" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
-	else
-		if [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE != nfs ]]; then
-			mount ${LOOP}p2 $CACHEDIR/mount/
-			echo "$part2 / ${mkfs[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} defaults,noatime,nodiratime${mountopts[$ROOTFS_TYPE]} 0 1" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
-		else
-			echo "/dev/nfs / nfs defaults 0 0" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
-		fi
-		# create /boot on rootfs after it is mounted
+	if [[ -n $bootpart ]]; then
+		display_alert "Creating /boot" "$bootfs"
+		[[ $CONTAINER_COMPAT == yes ]] && mknod -m0660 $LOOPp${bootpart} b 259 ${bootpart} > /dev/null
+		mkfs.${mkfs[$bootfs]} ${mkopts[$bootfs]} ${LOOP}p${bootpart}
 		mkdir -p $CACHEDIR/mount/boot/
-		mount ${LOOP}p1 $CACHEDIR/mount/boot/
-		echo "$part1 /boot ${mkfs[$bootfs]} defaults${mountopts[$bootfs]} 0 2" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
+		mount ${LOOP}p${bootpart} $CACHEDIR/mount/boot/
+		echo "UUID=$(blkid -s UUID -o value ${LOOP}p${bootpart}) /boot ${mkfs[$bootfs]} defaults${mountopts[$bootfs]} 0 2" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
+	fi
+	if [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE == nfs ]]; then
+		echo "/dev/nfs / nfs defaults 0 0" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
 	fi
 	echo "tmpfs /tmp tmpfs defaults,nosuid 0 0" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/etc/fstab
 
-	if [[ $ROOTFS_TYPE != nfs && $BOOTSIZE != 0 && -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/boot.cmd ]]; then
-		sed -i 's/mmcblk0p1/mmcblk0p2/' $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/boot.cmd
-		sed -i "s/rootfstype=ext4/rootfstype=$ROOTFS_TYPE/" $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/boot.cmd
+	# stage: adjust boot script or boot environment
+	if [[ -f $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/armbianEnv.txt ]]; then
+		if [[ $HAS_UUID_SUPPORT == yes ]]; then
+			echo "rootdev=$rootfs" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/armbianEnv.txt
+		elif [[ $rootpart != 1 ]]; then
+			echo "rootdev=/dev/mmcblk0p${rootpart}" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/armbianEnv.txt
+		fi
+		echo "rootfstype=$ROOTFS_TYPE" >> $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/armbianEnv.txt
+	elif [[ $rootpart != 1 ]]; then
+		local bootscript_dst=${BOOTSCRIPT##*:}
+		sed -i 's/mmcblk0p1/mmcblk0p2/' $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/$bootscript_dst
+		sed -i -e "s/rootfstype=ext4/rootfstype=$ROOTFS_TYPE/" \
+			-e "s/rootfstype \"ext4\"/rootfstype \"$ROOTFS_TYPE\"/" $CACHEDIR/sdcard/boot/$bootscript_dst
 	fi
 
 	# recompile .cmd to .scr if boot.cmd exists
@@ -513,24 +531,6 @@ sign_and_compress()
 	fi
 } #############################################################################
 
-# install_dummy_initctl
-#
-# helper to reduce code duplication
-#
-install_dummy_initctl()
-{
-	if [[ -x $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon ]] && ! cmp -s $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon <(printf '#!/bin/sh\necho "Warning: Fake start-stop-daemon called, doing nothing"'); then
-		mv $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon.REAL
-		printf '#!/bin/sh\necho "Warning: Fake start-stop-daemon called, doing nothing"' > $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon
-		chmod 755 $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/start-stop-daemon
-	fi
-	if [[ -x $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl ]] && ! cmp -s $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl <(printf '#!/bin/sh\necho "Warning: Fake initctl called, doing nothing"'); then
-		mv $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl.REAL
-		printf '#!/bin/sh\necho "Warning: Fake initctl called, doing nothing"' $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl
-		chmod 755 $CACHEDIR/sdcard/sbin/initctl
-	fi
-} #############################################################################
-
 # mount_chroot <target>
 #
 # helper to reduce code duplication
@@ -570,4 +570,4 @@ unmount_on_exit()
 	losetup -d $LOOP >/dev/null 2>&1
 	rm -rf $CACHEDIR/sdcard
 	exit_with_error "debootstrap-ng was interrupted"
-} #############################################################################
\ No newline at end of file
+} #############################################################################
diff --git a/general.sh b/general.sh
index 9fbb972e8b..5fa81e5757 100644
--- a/general.sh
+++ b/general.sh
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ exit_with_error()
 	exit -1
 }
 
-# get_package_list_hash <package_list>
+# get_package_list_hash
 #
-# outputs md5hash for space-separated <package_list>
-# for rootfs cache
+# returns md5 hash for current package list and rootfs cache version
 
 get_package_list_hash()
 {
-	echo $(printf '%s\n' $PACKAGE_LIST | sort -u | md5sum | cut -d' ' -f 1)
+	( printf '%s\n' $PACKAGE_LIST | sort -u; printf '%s\n' $PACKAGE_LIST_EXCLUDE | sort -u; echo "$ROOTFSCACHE_VERSION" ) \
+		| md5sum | cut -d' ' -f 1
 }
 
 # create_sources_list <release> <basedir>
@@ -439,8 +439,8 @@ addtorepo()
 # * creates directory structure
 # * changes system settings
 #
-prepare_host() {
-
+prepare_host()
+{
 	display_alert "Preparing" "host" "info"
 
 	if [[ $(dpkg --print-architecture) == arm* ]]; then
@@ -494,10 +494,7 @@ prepare_host() {
 				display_alert "apt-cacher is disabled, set NO_APT_CACHER=no to override" "" "wrn"
 				NO_APT_CACHER=yes
 			fi
-			# create device nodes for loop devices
-			for i in {0..6}; do
-				mknod -m0660 /dev/loop$i b 7 $i > /dev/null 2>&1
-			done
+			CONTAINER_COMPAT=yes
 		fi
 	fi