diff --git a/rc/bin/inst/bootsetup b/rc/bin/inst/bootsetup
index c1de3dce2..bce607476 100755
--- a/rc/bin/inst/bootsetup
+++ b/rc/bin/inst/bootsetup
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # prereq: copydist
 
 fats=()
-for(i in /dev/sd*/9fat){
+for(i in (/dev/sd*/9fat /dev/sd*/esp)){
 	if(test -f $i)
 		fats=($fats $i)
 }
diff --git a/rc/bin/inst/partdisk b/rc/bin/inst/partdisk
index bbe33fbbf..ccb0489c4 100755
--- a/rc/bin/inst/partdisk
+++ b/rc/bin/inst/partdisk
@@ -67,14 +67,16 @@ case go
 	}
 
 case checkdone
-	# we want at least one disk with both an mbr and a plan9 partition
-	mbrandplan9=0
+	# we want at least one disk that is both bootable and contains a Plan 9 partition
+	bootandplan9=0
 	disks=`{ls /dev/sd*/plan9 >[2]/dev/null | sed 's!/dev/(sd.*)/plan9!\1!'}
 	for(disk in $disks) {
-		if(./hasmbr /dev/$disk/data)
-			mbrandplan9=1
+		if(test -f /dev/$disk/esp)
+			bootandplan9=1
+		if not if(./hasmbr /dev/$disk/data)
+			bootandplan9=1
 	}
-	if(~ $mbrandplan9 0){
+	if(~ $bootandplan9 0){
 		partdisk=notdone
 		export partdisk
 	}
diff --git a/rc/bin/inst/prepdisk b/rc/bin/inst/prepdisk
index c3c08cf78..80fbf2bfc 100755
--- a/rc/bin/inst/prepdisk
+++ b/rc/bin/inst/prepdisk
@@ -3,13 +3,20 @@
 # desc: subdivide plan 9 disk partition
 # prereq: partdisk
 
+useesp=no
+
 fn autotype {
+	if(~ $useesp no)
+		parts=(9fat)
+	if not
+		parts=()
 	switch($fstype){
 	case cwfs cwfs64 cwfs64x
-		echo -a 9fat -a nvram -a fscache -a fsworm -a other
+		parts=($parts nvram fscache fsworm other)
 	case hjfs gefs
-		echo -a 9fat -a nvram -a fs
+		parts=($parts nvram fs)
 	}
+	echo '-a '^$parts
 }
 
 switch($1) {
@@ -36,6 +43,17 @@ case go
 	prompt $default 'Plan 9 partition to subdivide' $disks
 	disk=$rd
 
+	if(ls `{basename -d $disk}^/esp >[2]/dev/null){
+		echo
+		echo 'By default 9front places its boot materials on its own 9fat partition.'
+		echo 'This requires the firmware be capable of booting from fat partitions other than the esp.'
+		echo 'You can also place all boot materials directly on the esp instead.'
+		echo 'This option works with a larger set of machines, but may disrupt existing configurations.'
+		echo
+		prompt -d no 'Use esp as 9fat?' no yes
+		useesp=$rd
+	}
+
 	echo 'This is disk/prep; use it to subdivide the Plan 9 partition.'
 	echo 'If it is not yet subdivided, a sensible layout will be suggested;'
 	echo 'you can probably just type ''w'' and then ''q''.'
@@ -44,7 +62,7 @@ case go
 	disk/prep -p $disk >`{basename -d $disk}^/ctl >[2]/dev/null
 
 case checkdone
-	disks=(/dev/sd*/9fat)
+	disks=(/dev/sd*/nvram)
 	if(! test -f $disks(1))
 		prepdisk=ready
 	if(! ~ $prepdisk ready)