diff --git a/build/scripts/inject-kubesolo.sh b/build/scripts/inject-kubesolo.sh
index 3aa8550..ce30071 100755
--- a/build/scripts/inject-kubesolo.sh
+++ b/build/scripts/inject-kubesolo.sh
@@ -55,14 +55,14 @@ rm -f "$ROOTFS/sbin/init"
 cp "$PROJECT_ROOT/init/init.sh" "$ROOTFS/sbin/init"
 chmod +x "$ROOTFS/sbin/init"
 
-# Remove piCore/TC's /init at the rootfs root. The kernel's init search order
-# is /init -> /sbin/init -> ..., so leaving piCore's /init in place causes the
-# kernel to run that instead of ours, which then segfaults (it tries to do
-# piCore-specific TCE handling on a host that doesn't have it).
-if [ -e "$ROOTFS/init" ]; then
-    rm -f "$ROOTFS/init"
-    echo "    Removed upstream /init (kernel will fall through to /sbin/init)"
-fi
+# Replace the upstream /init at the rootfs root with our staged init.
+# The kernel ALWAYS runs /init when booting from an initramfs (legacy root-mount
+# fallback otherwise). piCore/TC ship their own /init; ours has to take its
+# place so the kernel runs our staged boot, not piCore's TCE handler.
+rm -f "$ROOTFS/init"
+cp "$PROJECT_ROOT/init/init.sh" "$ROOTFS/init"
+chmod +x "$ROOTFS/init"
+echo "    Installed staged init at /init and /sbin/init"
 
 # Init stages
 mkdir -p "$ROOTFS/usr/lib/kubesolo-os/init.d"