diff --git a/usr/bin/archboot-x86_64-iso.sh b/usr/bin/archboot-x86_64-iso.sh
index fb9ea3d5b..6244c4fee 100755
--- a/usr/bin/archboot-x86_64-iso.sh
+++ b/usr/bin/archboot-x86_64-iso.sh
@@ -50,7 +50,31 @@ if ! [[ ${UID} -eq 0 ]]; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
+# from initcpio functions
+kver() {
+    # this is intentionally very loose. only ensure that we're
+    # dealing with some sort of string that starts with something
+    # resembling dotted decimal notation. remember that there's no
+    # requirement for CONFIG_LOCALVERSION to be set.
+    local kver re='^[[:digit:]]+(\.[[:digit:]]+)+'
+
+    # scrape the version out of the kernel image. locate the offset
+    # to the version string by reading 2 bytes out of image at at
+    # address 0x20E. this leads us to a string of, at most, 128 bytes.
+    # read the first word from this string as the kernel version.
+    local offset=$(hexdump -s 526 -n 2 -e '"%0d"' "/boot/vmlinuz-linux")
+    [[ $offset = +([0-9]) ]] || return 1
+
+    read kver _ < \
+        <(dd if="$1" bs=1 count=127 skip=$(( offset + 0x200 )) 2>/dev/null)
+
+    [[ $kver =~ $re ]] || return 1
+
+    printf '%s' "$kver"
+}
+
 # set defaults, if nothing given
+[[ -z "${KERNEL}" ]] && KERNEL="$(kver)"
 [[ -z "${RELEASENAME}" ]] && RELEASENAME="$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M)"
 [[ -z "${IMAGENAME}" ]] && IMAGENAME="archlinux-${RELEASENAME}-archboot-X86_64"
 
diff --git a/usr/lib/initcpio/install/archboot_motd b/usr/lib/initcpio/install/archboot_motd
index 7f5198979..b43f9bb1c 100644
--- a/usr/lib/initcpio/install/archboot_motd
+++ b/usr/lib/initcpio/install/archboot_motd
@@ -10,15 +10,15 @@ build ()
     echo "Consoles:" >> ${MOTD}
     echo "  - Virtual consoles 1-6 are active." >> ${MOTD}
     echo "  - To change virtual console use ALT + F(1-6)" >> ${MOTD}
-if [ "$(echo "${HOOKS[@]}" | grep arch_keymap)" ]; then
+if [ "$(echo "${HOOKS[@]}" | grep archboot_keymap)" ]; then
     echo "Change keymap:" >> ${MOTD}
     echo "  - To change to a non-US keymap, type 'km' at the console." >> ${MOTD}
 fi
-if [ "$(echo "${HOOKS[@]}" | grep arch_tz)" ]; then
+if [ "$(echo "${HOOKS[@]}" | grep archboot_tz)" ]; then
     echo "Change time and date:" >> ${MOTD}
     echo "  - To change your time and date, type 'tz' at the console." >> ${MOTD}
 fi
-if [ "$(echo "${HOOKS[@]}" | grep arch_installer)" ]; then
+if [ "$(echo "${HOOKS[@]}" | grep archboot_installer)" ]; then
     echo "Normal Setup:" >> ${MOTD}
     echo "  - On first login /arch/setup is launched automatically." >> ${MOTD}
     echo "  - Please run '/arch/setup' again to install Arch Linux if you left setup." >> ${MOTD}