diff --git a/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h b/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
index 8f4c70e9..b44ec333 100644
--- a/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
+++ b/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
@@ -282,10 +282,23 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_CMD_VIRTIO
-#define BOOTENV_SHARED_VIRTIO	BOOTENV_SHARED_BLKDEV(virtio)
+#define BOOTENV_RUN_VIRTIO_INIT "run virtio_init; "
+#define BOOTENV_SET_VIRTIO_NEED_INIT "virtio_need_init=; "
+#define BOOTENV_SHARED_VIRTIO \
+	"virtio_init=" \
+		"if ${virtio_need_init}; then " \
+			"virtio_need_init=false; " \
+			"virtio scan; " \
+		"fi\0" \
+	\
+	"virtio_boot=" \
+		BOOTENV_RUN_VIRTIO_INIT \
+		BOOTENV_SHARED_BLKDEV_BODY(virtio)
 #define BOOTENV_DEV_VIRTIO	BOOTENV_DEV_BLKDEV
 #define BOOTENV_DEV_NAME_VIRTIO	BOOTENV_DEV_NAME_BLKDEV
 #else
+#define BOOTENV_RUN_VIRTIO_INIT
+#define BOOTENV_SET_VIRTIO_NEED_INIT
 #define BOOTENV_SHARED_VIRTIO
 #define BOOTENV_DEV_VIRTIO \
 	BOOT_TARGET_DEVICES_references_VIRTIO_without_CONFIG_CMD_VIRTIO
@@ -465,6 +478,7 @@
 	\
 	"distro_bootcmd=" BOOTENV_SET_SCSI_NEED_INIT                      \
 		BOOTENV_SET_NVME_NEED_INIT                                \
+		BOOTENV_SET_VIRTIO_NEED_INIT                              \
 		"for target in ${boot_targets}; do "                      \
 			"run bootcmd_${target}; "                         \
 		"done\0"