diff --git a/cmd/control/install.go b/cmd/control/install.go
index 68e1e6ec..6c085c48 100755
--- a/cmd/control/install.go
+++ b/cmd/control/install.go
@@ -336,48 +336,25 @@ func runInstall(image, installType, cloudConfig, device, kappend string, force,
 func mountBootIso() error {
 	deviceName := "/dev/sr0"
 	deviceType := "iso9660"
-	{ // force the defer
-		mountsFile, err := os.Open("/proc/mounts")
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("failed to read /proc/mounts %s", err)
-			return err
-		}
-		defer mountsFile.Close()
+	if d, t := util.Blkid("RancherOS"); d != "" {
+		deviceName = d
+		deviceType = t
+	}
 
-		if partitionMounted(deviceName, mountsFile) {
-			return nil
-		}
+	mountsFile, err := os.Open("/proc/mounts")
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("failed to read /proc/mounts %s", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	defer mountsFile.Close()
+
+	if partitionMounted(deviceName, mountsFile) {
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	os.MkdirAll("/bootiso", 0755)
-
-	// find the installation device
-	cmd := exec.Command("blkid", "-L", "RancherOS")
-	log.Debugf("Run(%v)", cmd)
-	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-	out, err := cmd.Output()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("Failed to get RancherOS boot device: %s", err)
-		return err
-	}
-	deviceName = strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
-	log.Debugf("blkid found -L RancherOS: %s", deviceName)
-
-	cmd = exec.Command("blkid", deviceName)
-	log.Debugf("Run(%v)", cmd)
-	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-	if out, err = cmd.Output(); err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("Failed to get RancherOS boot device type: %s", err)
-		return err
-	}
-	deviceType = strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
-	s1 := strings.Split(deviceType, "TYPE=\"")
-	s2 := strings.Split(s1[1], "\"")
-	deviceType = s2[0]
-	log.Debugf("blkid type of %s: %s", deviceName, deviceType)
-
-	cmd = exec.Command("mount", "-t", deviceType, deviceName, "/bootiso")
-	log.Debugf("Run(%v)", cmd)
+	cmd := exec.Command("mount", "-t", deviceType, deviceName, "/bootiso")
+	log.Infof("mount (%#v)", cmd)
 
 	cmd.Stdout, cmd.Stderr = os.Stdout, os.Stderr
 	err = cmd.Run()
@@ -750,27 +727,21 @@ func mountdevice(baseName, bootDir, partition string, raw bool) (string, string,
 	// Don't use ResolveDevice - it can fail, whereas `blkid -L LABEL` works more often
 
 	cfg := config.LoadConfig()
-	cmd := exec.Command("blkid", "-L", "RANCHER_BOOT")
-	log.Debugf("Run(%v)", cmd)
-	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-	if out, err := cmd.Output(); err == nil {
-		partition = strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+	if d, _ := util.Blkid("RANCHER_BOOT"); d != "" {
+		partition = d
 		baseName = filepath.Join(baseName, "boot")
 	} else {
 		if dev := util.ResolveDevice(cfg.Rancher.State.Dev); dev != "" {
 			// try the rancher.state.dev setting
 			partition = dev
 		} else {
-			cmd := exec.Command("blkid", "-L", "RANCHER_STATE")
-			log.Debugf("Run(%v)", cmd)
-			cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-			if out, err := cmd.Output(); err == nil {
-				partition = strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+			if d, _ := util.Blkid("RANCHER_STATE"); d != "" {
+				partition = d
 			}
 		}
 	}
 	device := ""
-	cmd = exec.Command("lsblk", "-no", "pkname", partition)
+	cmd := exec.Command("lsblk", "-no", "pkname", partition)
 	log.Debugf("Run(%v)", cmd)
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 	if out, err := cmd.Output(); err == nil {
diff --git a/tests/installer_test.go b/tests/installer_test.go
index 66db79d0..22a7fde6 100755
--- a/tests/installer_test.go
+++ b/tests/installer_test.go
@@ -80,3 +80,40 @@ sync
 	// TEST parted output? (gpt non-uefi == legacy_boot)
 	s.Stop(c)
 }
+
+func (s *QemuSuite) TestInstallAlpine(c *C) {
+	// ./scripts/run --no-format --append "rancher.debug=true"  --iso --fresh
+	runArgs := []string{
+		"--iso",
+		"--fresh",
+	}
+	version := ""
+	{
+		s.RunQemuWith(c, runArgs...)
+
+		s.MakeCall("sudo ros console switch -f alpine")
+		c.Assert(s.WaitForSSH(), IsNil)
+
+		version = s.CheckOutput(c, version, Not(Equals), "sudo ros -v")
+		fmt.Printf("installing %s", version)
+
+		s.CheckCall(c, `
+set -ex
+echo "ssh_authorized_keys:" > config.yml
+echo "  - $(cat /home/rancher/.ssh/authorized_keys)" >> config.yml
+sudo ros install --force --no-reboot --device /dev/vda -c config.yml
+sync
+`)
+		time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
+		s.Stop(c)
+	}
+
+	// ./scripts/run --no-format --append "rancher.debug=true"
+	runArgs = []string{
+		"--boothd",
+	}
+	s.RunQemuWith(c, runArgs...)
+
+	s.CheckOutput(c, version, Equals, "sudo ros -v")
+	s.Stop(c)
+}
diff --git a/util/util_linux.go b/util/util_linux.go
index cb9596fa..2eb5ba68 100755
--- a/util/util_linux.go
+++ b/util/util_linux.go
@@ -3,10 +3,15 @@
 package util
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/mount"
+	"github.com/rancher/os/log"
 )
 
 func mountProc() error {
@@ -43,3 +48,32 @@ func Mount(device, directory, fsType, options string) error {
 func Unmount(target string) error {
 	return mount.Unmount(target)
 }
+
+func Blkid(label string) (deviceName, deviceType string) {
+	// Not all blkid's have `blkid -L label (see busybox/alpine)
+	cmd := exec.Command("blkid")
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	out, err := cmd.Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("Failed to run blkid: %s", err)
+		return
+	}
+	r := bytes.NewReader(out)
+	s := bufio.NewScanner(r)
+	for s.Scan() {
+		line := s.Text()
+		log.Debugf("blkid: %s", cmd, line)
+		if !strings.Contains(line, `LABEL="`+label+`"`) {
+			continue
+		}
+		d := strings.Split(line, ":")
+		deviceName = d[0]
+
+		s1 := strings.Split(line, `TYPE="`)
+		s2 := strings.Split(s1[1], `"`)
+		deviceType = s2[0]
+		log.Debugf("blkid type of %s: %s", deviceName, deviceType)
+		return
+	}
+	return
+}