diff --git a/man/rules/meson.build b/man/rules/meson.build
index 7461398720..df4af1e543 100644
--- a/man/rules/meson.build
+++ b/man/rules/meson.build
@@ -1096,6 +1096,7 @@ manpages = [
   ['systemd-confext',
    'systemd-confext-initrd.service',
    'systemd-confext.service',
+   'systemd-sysext-initrd.service',
    'systemd-sysext.service'],
   'ENABLE_SYSEXT'],
  ['systemd-system-update-generator', '8', [], ''],
diff --git a/man/systemd-sysext.xml b/man/systemd-sysext.xml
index 9f78b3b214..bf47e7ca55 100644
--- a/man/systemd-sysext.xml
+++ b/man/systemd-sysext.xml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
   <refnamediv>
     <refname>systemd-sysext</refname>
     <refname>systemd-sysext.service</refname>
+    <refname>systemd-sysext-initrd.service</refname>
     <refname>systemd-confext</refname>
     <refname>systemd-confext.service</refname>
     <refname>systemd-confext-initrd.service</refname>
diff --git a/units/meson.build b/units/meson.build
index bc71c72686..792c4250c0 100644
--- a/units/meson.build
+++ b/units/meson.build
@@ -624,6 +624,11 @@ units = [
           'file' : 'systemd-sysext.service',
           'conditions' : ['ENABLE_SYSEXT'],
         },
+        {
+          'file' : 'systemd-sysext-initrd.service',
+          'conditions' : ['ENABLE_INITRD', 'ENABLE_SYSEXT'],
+          'symlinks' : ['initrd.target.wants/'],
+        },
         {
           'file' : 'systemd-sysext.socket',
           'conditions' : ['ENABLE_SYSEXT'],
diff --git a/units/systemd-sysext-initrd.service b/units/systemd-sysext-initrd.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f0b8ff4de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/units/systemd-sysext-initrd.service
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#  SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
+#
+#  This file is part of systemd.
+#
+#  systemd is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+#  under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+#  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+#  (at your option) any later version.
+
+[Unit]
+Description=Merge System Extension Images into /usr/ and /opt/
+Documentation=man:systemd-sysext-initrd.service(8)
+
+ConditionCapability=CAP_SYS_ADMIN
+ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=|/etc/extensions
+ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=|/run/extensions
+ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=|/var/lib/extensions
+ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=|/.extra/sysext
+ConditionPathExists=/etc/initrd-release
+
+DefaultDependencies=no
+Before=local-fs-pre.target cryptsetup-pre.target systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service
+Wants=local-fs-pre.target cryptsetup-pre.target
+Conflicts=initrd-switch-root.target
+Before=initrd-switch-root.target
+Wants=modprobe@loop.service modprobe@dm_mod.service modprobe@squashfs.service modprobe@erofs.service
+After=modprobe@loop.service modprobe@dm_mod.service modprobe@squashfs.service modprobe@erofs.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+RemainAfterExit=yes
+ExecStart=systemd-sysext refresh
+ExecReload=systemd-sysext refresh
+ExecStop=systemd-sysext unmerge
diff --git a/units/systemd-sysext.service b/units/systemd-sysext.service
index 5c11eba7c9..672faa946f 100644
--- a/units/systemd-sysext.service
+++ b/units/systemd-sysext.service
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ ConditionCapability=CAP_SYS_ADMIN
 ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=|/etc/extensions
 ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=|/run/extensions
 ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=|/var/lib/extensions
-ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=|/.extra/sysext
+ConditionPathExists=!/etc/initrd-release
 
 DefaultDependencies=no
 After=local-fs.target
 Before=sysinit.target systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service
-Conflicts=shutdown.target initrd-switch-root.target
-Before=shutdown.target initrd-switch-root.target
+Conflicts=shutdown.target
+Before=shutdown.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot