diff --git a/internal/agent/agent.go b/internal/agent/agent.go
index ad2853d..18229dc 100644
--- a/internal/agent/agent.go
+++ b/internal/agent/agent.go
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ func Run(apiAddress string, dir []string, force bool) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	bf := machine.BootFrom()
+	if c.Install != nil && c.Install.Auto && (bf == machine.NetBoot || bf == machine.LiveCDBoot) {
+		// Don't go ahead if we are asked to install from a booting live medium
+		fmt.Println("Agent run aborted. Installation being performed from live medium")
+		return nil
+	}
 
 	os.MkdirAll("/var/log/c3os", 0600)
 	fileName := filepath.Join("/var/log/c3os", "agent-provider.log")
diff --git a/internal/machine/machine.go b/internal/machine/machine.go
index 28f65c0..67e6433 100644
--- a/internal/machine/machine.go
+++ b/internal/machine/machine.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/c3os-io/c3os/internal/machine/openrc"
 	"github.com/c3os-io/c3os/internal/machine/systemd"
@@ -20,6 +21,37 @@ type Service interface {
 	Restart() error
 }
 
+const (
+	PassiveBoot  = "passive"
+	ActiveBoot   = "active"
+	RecoveryBoot = "recovery"
+	LiveCDBoot   = "liveCD"
+	NetBoot      = "netboot"
+	UnknownBoot  = "unknown"
+)
+
+// BootFrom returns the booting partition of the SUT
+func BootFrom() string {
+	out, err := utils.SH("cat /proc/cmdline")
+	if err != nil {
+		return UnknownBoot
+	}
+	switch {
+	case strings.Contains(out, "COS_ACTIVE"):
+		return ActiveBoot
+	case strings.Contains(out, "COS_PASSIVE"):
+		return PassiveBoot
+	case strings.Contains(out, "COS_RECOVERY"), strings.Contains(out, "COS_SYSTEM"):
+		return RecoveryBoot
+	case strings.Contains(out, "live:CDLABEL"):
+		return LiveCDBoot
+	case strings.Contains(out, "netboot"):
+		return NetBoot
+	default:
+		return UnknownBoot
+	}
+}
+
 func EdgeVPN(instance, rootDir string) (Service, error) {
 	if utils.IsOpenRCBased() {
 		return openrc.NewService(