diff --git a/boot/efi.zig b/boot/efi.zig
index c3d72bb..87931fd 100644
--- a/boot/efi.zig
+++ b/boot/efi.zig
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const std = @import("std");
 const uefi = std.os.uefi;
 const elf = std.elf;
 const boot_handoff = @import("boot-handoff");
+const initial_ramdisk = @import("initial-ramdisk");
 const build_options = @import("build_options");
 const BootInformation = boot_handoff.BootInformation;
 const GraphicsOutput = uefi.protocol.GraphicsOutput;
@@ -15,11 +16,11 @@ const MemoryMapSlice = uefi.tables.MemoryMapSlice;
 /// The kernel image: /system/kernel.
 const kernel_file_name = std.unicode.utf8ToUtf16LeStringLiteral("system\\kernel");
 
-/// The init program: /system/services/init.
-const init_file_name = std.unicode.utf8ToUtf16LeStringLiteral("system\\services\\init");
-
-/// The initial-ramdisk (the VFS server + drivers), in /boot.
-const initial_ramdisk_file_name = std.unicode.utf8ToUtf16LeStringLiteral("boot\\initial-ramdisk.img");
+/// The user binaries: everything under /system except the kernel itself. The
+/// loader walks this tree and packs it into the in-RAM initial_ramdisk image —
+/// the volume's file structure is the single source of truth (no packed image
+/// artifact on disk).
+const system_directory_name = std.unicode.utf8ToUtf16LeStringLiteral("system");
 
 /// Physical page size, and the sentinel UEFI uses to seek to end-of-file.
 const page_size = 4096;
@@ -64,20 +65,14 @@ fn boot() !noreturn {
 
     const entry = try loadKernel(bs, &boot_information);
 
-    // Best effort: a volume without /system/services/init still boots (kernel-only).
-    loadInit(bs, &boot_information) catch |err| {
-        log("EFI: no /system/services/init (");
+    // Best effort: a volume without a /system tree of user binaries still boots
+    // (kernel-only). The tree — init included — becomes the initial_ramdisk.
+    loadSystemTree(bs, &boot_information) catch |err| {
+        log("EFI: no /system binaries (");
         logBytes(@errorName(err));
         log(") - booting without user space\r\n");
     };
 
-    // Best effort: the initial_ramdisk (VFS server + drivers) is optional too.
-    loadInitialRamdisk(bs, &boot_information) catch |err| {
-        log("EFI: no initial_ramdisk (");
-        logBytes(@errorName(err));
-        log(")\r\n");
-    };
-
     // Build the page tables the kernel starts life on: identity + a physmap of
     // low RAM, plus the higher-half kernel image once it links high. Allocated
     // now, while boot services (and the memory map) are still stable — nothing
@@ -369,11 +364,28 @@ fn handoff(cr3: u64, entry: usize, boot_information: *const BootInformation) nor
     unreachable;
 }
 
-/// Read a whole file off the boot volume into a pool buffer that outlives the
-/// loader. The buffer is deliberately NOT freed: it's LoaderData, which the
-/// memory-map conversion classifies as reserved, so the kernel identity-maps it
-/// and reads from there. Returns the buffer (pointer + length).
-fn loadFile(bs: *uefi.tables.BootServices, name: [*:0]const u16) ![]u8 {
+// --- the /system tree -> initial_ramdisk ------------------------------------
+
+/// Cap on bundled binaries. Generous: the tree carries ~30 today.
+const maximum_bundled = 64;
+
+/// How deep the walk goes below /system ("/system/services/x" is depth 1).
+const maximum_tree_depth = 3;
+
+/// One binary discovered under /system: its FHS path (UTF-8, '/'-separated,
+/// NUL-free) and its contents in a transient pool buffer.
+const Bundled = struct {
+    path: [initial_ramdisk.maximum_name]u8,
+    path_len: usize,
+    data: []align(8) u8,
+};
+
+/// Walk the boot volume's /system tree and pack every regular file (except the
+/// kernel image itself — the only top-level file) into an in-RAM v2
+/// initial_ramdisk image, entries named by full FHS path. This is what makes the
+/// volume's file structure the single source of truth: there is no packed
+/// ramdisk artifact on disk, and init travels in the table like everything else.
+fn loadSystemTree(bs: *uefi.tables.BootServices, boot_information: *BootInformation) !void {
     const loaded = (try bs.handleProtocol(uefi.protocol.LoadedImage, uefi.handle)) orelse
         return error.NoLoadedImage;
     const device = loaded.device_handle orelse return error.NoBootDevice;
@@ -383,40 +395,111 @@ fn loadFile(bs: *uefi.tables.BootServices, name: [*:0]const u16) ![]u8 {
     const root = try fs.openVolume();
     defer _ = root.close() catch {};
 
-    const file = try root.open(name, .read, .{});
-    defer _ = file.close() catch {};
+    const system_directory = try root.open(system_directory_name, .read, .{});
+    defer _ = system_directory.close() catch {};
 
+    var list: [maximum_bundled]Bundled = undefined;
+    var count: usize = 0;
+    try walkDirectory(bs, system_directory, "/system", 0, &list, &count);
+    if (count == 0) return error.NoBinaries;
+
+    // Assemble the v2 image: header, entry table, then the blobs.
+    const table_end = @sizeOf(initial_ramdisk.Header) + count * @sizeOf(initial_ramdisk.Entry);
+    var total: usize = table_end;
+    for (list[0..count]) |e| total += e.data.len;
+
+    const image = try bs.allocatePool(.loader_data, total); // survives the handoff
+    std.mem.bytesAsValue(initial_ramdisk.Header, image[0..@sizeOf(initial_ramdisk.Header)]).* = .{
+        .magic = initial_ramdisk.magic,
+        .count = @intCast(count),
+    };
+    var offset: usize = table_end;
+    for (list[0..count], 0..) |e, i| {
+        var record = initial_ramdisk.Entry{ .name = @splat(0), .offset = offset, .len = e.data.len };
+        @memcpy(record.name[0..e.path_len], e.path[0..e.path_len]);
+        const slot = image[@sizeOf(initial_ramdisk.Header) + i * @sizeOf(initial_ramdisk.Entry) ..][0..@sizeOf(initial_ramdisk.Entry)];
+        std.mem.bytesAsValue(initial_ramdisk.Entry, slot).* = record;
+        @memcpy(image[offset..][0..e.data.len], e.data);
+        offset += e.data.len;
+        _ = bs.freePool(e.data.ptr) catch {};
+    }
+
+    boot_information.initial_ramdisk_base = @intFromPtr(image.ptr);
+    boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len = total;
+    progress("EFI: /system tree loaded\r\n");
+}
+
+/// Recursively collect the regular files below `directory` into `list`. Top-level
+/// files (depth 0) are skipped: the only one is /system/kernel, which loadKernel
+/// has already consumed and which is not a spawnable user binary.
+fn walkDirectory(
+    bs: *uefi.tables.BootServices,
+    directory: *uefi.protocol.File,
+    prefix: []const u8,
+    depth: usize,
+    list: *[maximum_bundled]Bundled,
+    count: *usize,
+) !void {
+    // Each read() on a directory yields one EFI_FILE_INFO; zero bytes means done.
+    var info_buffer: [1024]u8 align(8) = undefined;
+    while (true) {
+        const n = try directory.read(&info_buffer);
+        if (n == 0) return;
+        const info: *const uefi.protocol.File.Info.File = @ptrCast(@alignCast(&info_buffer));
+        const name16 = info.getFileName();
+
+        // Convert the (ASCII in practice) UTF-16 name; skip "." and "..".
+        var name_buffer: [initial_ramdisk.maximum_name]u8 = undefined;
+        var name_length: usize = 0;
+        while (name16[name_length] != 0) : (name_length += 1) {
+            if (name_length == name_buffer.len) return error.NameTooLong;
+            const c = name16[name_length];
+            if (c > 0x7F) return error.UnsupportedName;
+            name_buffer[name_length] = @intCast(c);
+        }
+        const name = name_buffer[0..name_length];
+        if (std.mem.eql(u8, name, ".") or std.mem.eql(u8, name, "..")) continue;
+
+        if (info.attribute.directory) {
+            if (depth == maximum_tree_depth) continue;
+            var child_prefix: [initial_ramdisk.maximum_name]u8 = undefined;
+            const child = try std.fmt.bufPrint(&child_prefix, "{s}/{s}", .{ prefix, name });
+            const child_directory = try directory.open(name16, .read, .{});
+            defer _ = child_directory.close() catch {};
+            try walkDirectory(bs, child_directory, child, depth + 1, list, count);
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if (depth == 0) continue; // /system/kernel — already loaded, not bundled
+        if (count.* == maximum_bundled) return error.TooManyBinaries;
+
+        var entry: *Bundled = &list[count.*];
+        const path = try std.fmt.bufPrint(&entry.path, "{s}/{s}", .{ prefix, name });
+        entry.path_len = path.len;
+
+        const file = try directory.open(name16, .read, .{});
+        defer _ = file.close() catch {};
+        entry.data = try readWholeFile(bs, file);
+        count.* += 1;
+    }
+}
+
+/// Read an open file completely into a fresh pool buffer that survives the
+/// handoff (LoaderData is classified reserved, so the kernel identity-maps it).
+fn readWholeFile(bs: *uefi.tables.BootServices, file: *uefi.protocol.File) ![]align(8) u8 {
     try file.setPosition(seek_end);
     const size: usize = @intCast(try file.getPosition());
     try file.setPosition(0);
     if (size == 0) return error.EmptyFile;
 
-    const image = try bs.allocatePool(.loader_data, size); // survives the handoff
-
+    const buffer = try bs.allocatePool(.loader_data, size);
     var read_total: usize = 0;
     while (read_total < size) {
-        const n = try file.read(image[read_total..]);
+        const n = try file.read(buffer[read_total..]);
         if (n == 0) return error.UnexpectedEof;
         read_total += n;
     }
-    return image[0..size];
-}
-
-/// Ferry the init program (/system/services/init) to the kernel. The kernel does the ELF
-/// loading itself (into ring-3 mappings) — the loader just carries the bytes.
-fn loadInit(bs: *uefi.tables.BootServices, boot_information: *BootInformation) !void {
-    const image = try loadFile(bs, init_file_name);
-    boot_information.init_base = @intFromPtr(image.ptr);
-    boot_information.init_len = image.len;
-    progress("EFI: /system/services/init loaded\r\n");
-}
-
-/// Ferry the initial_ramdisk (the VFS server + drivers) to the kernel, same as init.
-fn loadInitialRamdisk(bs: *uefi.tables.BootServices, boot_information: *BootInformation) !void {
-    const image = try loadFile(bs, initial_ramdisk_file_name);
-    boot_information.initial_ramdisk_base = @intFromPtr(image.ptr);
-    boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len = image.len;
-    progress("EFI: initial_ramdisk loaded\r\n");
+    return buffer[0..size];
 }
 
 /// Validate the ELF, copy every PT_LOAD segment to its physical address, and
diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index b9fa826..2b389d2 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -221,18 +221,21 @@ fn addKernel(
     return exe;
 }
 
-/// Assemble the bootable FAT32 image (the in-repo Python builder) holding what
-/// the firmware and loader need off the ESP: the EFI stub, `kernel`, `init`, and
-/// the initial-ramdisk. Factored so the serial-enabled `run-x86-64` variant can
-/// bundle its own serial kernel while sharing the loader, init, and ramdisk — all
-/// built once per invocation (the loader's boot breadcrumbs and init's heartbeat
-/// both follow the top-level -Dserial). Returns the image's LazyPath.
+/// One user binary and its FHS home on the boot volume (and in zig-out).
+const BundledBinary = struct { path: []const u8, binary: std.Build.LazyPath };
+
+/// Assemble the bootable FAT32 image (the in-repo Python builder) holding the
+/// EFI stub, the kernel, and every user binary at its FHS path — the volume's
+/// /system tree IS the system image; the EFI loader walks it at boot and builds
+/// the in-RAM initial_ramdisk from it. Factored so the serial-enabled
+/// `run-x86-64` variant can bundle its own serial kernel while sharing the
+/// loader and user tree (the loader's boot breadcrumbs and init's heartbeat both
+/// follow the top-level -Dserial). Returns the image's LazyPath.
 fn addBootImage(
     b: *std.Build,
     kernel_bin: std.Build.LazyPath,
     efi_bin: std.Build.LazyPath,
-    init_bin: std.Build.LazyPath,
-    initial_ramdisk_img: std.Build.LazyPath,
+    bundled: []const BundledBinary,
 ) std.Build.LazyPath {
     const mk_fat = b.addSystemCommand(&.{"python3"});
     mk_fat.addFileArg(b.path("tools/make-fat-image.py"));
@@ -242,10 +245,10 @@ fn addBootImage(
     mk_fat.addFileArg(efi_bin);
     mk_fat.addArg("system/kernel");
     mk_fat.addFileArg(kernel_bin);
-    mk_fat.addArg("system/services/init");
-    mk_fat.addFileArg(init_bin);
-    mk_fat.addArg("boot/initial-ramdisk.img");
-    mk_fat.addFileArg(initial_ramdisk_img);
+    for (bundled) |item| {
+        mk_fat.addArg(item.path);
+        mk_fat.addFileArg(item.binary);
+    }
     return fat_image;
 }
 
@@ -443,8 +446,9 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
         },
     });
 
-    // The initial_ramdisk container format, shared by the kernel (unpacks it) and the
-    // build-time packer tools/make-initial-ramdisk.py (produces it). No dependencies.
+    // The initial_ramdisk container format, shared by the kernel (unpacks it) and
+    // the EFI loader (packs it in RAM from the boot volume's /system tree). No
+    // dependencies.
     const initial_ramdisk_module = b.addModule("initial-ramdisk", .{
         .root_source_file = b.path("system/initial-ramdisk.zig"),
     });
@@ -502,13 +506,11 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     const init_options = b.addOptions();
     init_options.addOption(bool, "serial", serial);
     programModule(init_exe).addImport("build_options", init_options.createModule());
-    const init_install = b.addInstallArtifact(init_exe, .{ .dest_dir = .{ .override = .{ .custom = "system/services" } } });
-    b.getInstallStep().dependOn(&init_install.step);
 
-    // --- initial_ramdisk: a bundle of extra user binaries (VFS server + drivers) ---
-    // Each is built by the same user-binary recipe, then packed into one image by
-    // the host-side make-initial-ramdisk tool. The bootloader ferries the image to the kernel,
-    // which unpacks it and spawns each program (system/initial-ramdisk.zig).
+    // --- the rest of the /system tree: services, drivers, test fixtures ---
+    // Each is built by the same user-binary recipe and laid out at its FHS path on
+    // the boot volume (see `bundled` below). The EFI loader walks the tree at boot
+    // and hands the kernel an in-RAM initial_ramdisk of it (system/initial-ramdisk.zig).
     const vfs_exe = addUserBinary(b, kernel_target, runtime_module, mmio_module, xkeyboard_config_module, acpi_ids_module, "vfs", "system/services/vfs/vfs.zig");
     const vfstest_exe = addUserBinary(b, kernel_target, runtime_module, mmio_module, xkeyboard_config_module, acpi_ids_module, "vfs-test", "system/services/vfs/vfs-test.zig");
     const ps2_bus_exe = addUserBinary(b, kernel_target, runtime_module, mmio_module, xkeyboard_config_module, acpi_ids_module, "ps2-bus", "system/drivers/ps2-bus/ps2-bus.zig");
@@ -584,94 +586,51 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     // (docs/threading.md). Built threaded so its shared-memory poll is real.
     const thread_test_exe = addThreadedUserBinary(b, kernel_target, runtime_module, mmio_module, xkeyboard_config_module, acpi_ids_module, "thread-test", "system/services/thread-test/thread-test.zig");
 
-    // Pack the user binaries into the initial_ramdisk image with the host-side Python tool
-    // (the container format is trivial, and Python sidesteps std API churn). Args:
-    // make-initial-ramdisk.py <out> [<name> <file>]... — one name/file pair per binary.
-    const mk_run = b.addSystemCommand(&.{"python3"});
-    mk_run.addFileArg(b.path("tools/make-initial-ramdisk.py"));
-    const initial_ramdisk_img = mk_run.addOutputFileArg("initial-ramdisk.img");
-    mk_run.addArg("vfs");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(vfs_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("vfs-test");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(vfstest_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("ps2-bus");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(ps2_bus_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("ps2-keyboard");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(ps2_keyboard_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("ps2-mouse");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(ps2_mouse_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("usb-xhci-bus");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(usb_xhci_bus_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("usb-hid-keyboard");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(usb_hid_keyboard_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("usb-hid-mouse");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(usb_hid_mouse_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("usb-storage");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(usb_storage_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("fat");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(fat_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("fat-test");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(fat_test_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("display");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(display_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("display-demo");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(display_demo_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("virtio-gpu");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(virtio_gpu_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("shm-server");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(shm_server_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("shm-client");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(shm_client_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("pci-bus");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(pci_bus_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("crash-test");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(crash_test_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("thread-test");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(thread_test_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("device-list");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(device_list_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("discovery");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(discovery_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("device-manager");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(device_manager_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("input");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(input_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("input-source");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(input_source_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("input-test");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(input_test_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("args-echo");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(args_echo_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("process-test");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(process_test_exe.getEmittedBin());
-    mk_run.addArg("log-flush");
-    mk_run.addFileArg(log_flush_exe.getEmittedBin());
+    // Every user binary and its FHS home on the boot volume. There is no packed
+    // ramdisk artifact any more: make-fat-image.py lays each binary out at this
+    // path on the image, and the EFI loader walks /system at boot and builds the
+    // in-RAM initial_ramdisk table from the tree — the volume's file structure is
+    // the single source of truth. Entry names (and hence argv[0] and task names)
+    // are these paths with a leading slash.
+    const bundled = [_]BundledBinary{
+        .{ .path = "system/services/init", .binary = init_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/services/vfs", .binary = vfs_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/services/fat", .binary = fat_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/services/display", .binary = display_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/services/display-demo", .binary = display_demo_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/services/device-manager", .binary = device_manager_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/services/input", .binary = input_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/services/discovery", .binary = discovery_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/services/log-flush", .binary = log_flush_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/ps2-bus", .binary = ps2_bus_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/ps2-keyboard", .binary = ps2_keyboard_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/ps2-mouse", .binary = ps2_mouse_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/usb-xhci-bus", .binary = usb_xhci_bus_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/usb-hid-keyboard", .binary = usb_hid_keyboard_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/usb-hid-mouse", .binary = usb_hid_mouse_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/usb-storage", .binary = usb_storage_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/virtio-gpu", .binary = virtio_gpu_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/drivers/pci-bus", .binary = pci_bus_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/vfs-test", .binary = vfstest_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/fat-test", .binary = fat_test_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/shm-server", .binary = shm_server_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/shm-client", .binary = shm_client_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/crash-test", .binary = crash_test_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/device-list", .binary = device_list_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/input-source", .binary = input_source_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/input-test", .binary = input_test_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/args-echo", .binary = args_echo_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/process-test", .binary = process_test_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+        .{ .path = "system/tests/thread-test", .binary = thread_test_exe.getEmittedBin() },
+    };
 
-    // Also install the packed binaries to their FHS homes, so zig-out is a true image
-    // of the filesystem — even though at boot they arrive inside the initial-ramdisk.
-    for ([_]struct { *std.Build.Step.Compile, []const u8 }{
-        .{ vfs_exe, "system/services" },
-        .{ device_manager_exe, "system/services" },
-        .{ input_exe, "system/services" },
-        .{ ps2_bus_exe, "system/drivers" },
-        .{ ps2_keyboard_exe, "system/drivers" },
-        .{ ps2_mouse_exe, "system/drivers" },
-        .{ usb_xhci_bus_exe, "system/drivers" },
-        .{ usb_hid_keyboard_exe, "system/drivers" },
-        .{ usb_hid_mouse_exe, "system/drivers" },
-        .{ usb_storage_exe, "system/drivers" },
-        .{ fat_exe, "system/services" },
-        .{ display_exe, "system/services" },
-        .{ log_flush_exe, "system/services" },
-    }) |entry| {
-        const step = b.addInstallArtifact(entry[0], .{ .dest_dir = .{ .override = .{ .custom = entry[1] } } });
-        b.getInstallStep().dependOn(&step.step);
+    // Install every bundled binary to its FHS home, so zig-out is a true image of
+    // the filesystem — the same tree make-fat-image.py lays out on the boot volume.
+    for (bundled) |item| {
+        const install = b.addInstallFileWithDir(item.binary, .prefix, item.path);
+        b.getInstallStep().dependOn(&install.step);
     }
 
-    // The initial-ramdisk itself installs to /boot (with the loaders).
-    const initial_ramdisk_install = b.addInstallFile(initial_ramdisk_img, "boot/initial-ramdisk.img");
-    b.getInstallStep().dependOn(&initial_ramdisk_install.step);
-
     // Boot methods live in boot/, one per way of getting the kernel running.
     // Each is its own binary/entry (a loader is built for its own target); today
     // that's UEFI for x86-64, with room for e.g. a device-tree path for the Pis.
@@ -692,8 +651,10 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
             }),
             .optimize = optimize,
             .imports = &.{
-                // The bootloader speaks only the handoff contract — never the user ABI.
+                // The bootloader speaks the handoff contract and the ramdisk
+                // container it packs the /system tree into — never the user ABI.
                 .{ .name = "boot-handoff", .module = boot_handoff_module },
+                .{ .name = "initial-ramdisk", .module = initial_ramdisk_module },
                 .{ .name = "build_options", .module = loader_options_module },
             },
         }),
@@ -706,11 +667,11 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
 
     // --- danos-usb.img: the bootable FAT32 USB image ---
     // Format a real FAT32 image (the in-repo Python builder, no external tools)
-    // holding exactly what the firmware and bootloader need off the ESP: the EFI
-    // stub, the kernel, init, and the initial-ramdisk. QEMU presents this image as
-    // a USB mass-storage device the guest boots from (see run-x86-64 and the test
-    // harness), and the danos fat driver mounts the same image at /mnt/usb.
-    const fat_image = addBootImage(b, exe.getEmittedBin(), efiexe.getEmittedBin(), init_exe.getEmittedBin(), initial_ramdisk_img);
+    // holding the EFI stub, the kernel, and the whole /system tree of user
+    // binaries at their FHS paths. QEMU presents this image as a USB mass-storage
+    // device the guest boots from (see run-x86-64 and the test harness), and the
+    // danos fat driver mounts the same image at /mnt/usb.
+    const fat_image = addBootImage(b, exe.getEmittedBin(), efiexe.getEmittedBin(), &bundled);
     const fat_image_install = b.addInstallFile(fat_image, "danos-usb.img");
     b.getInstallStep().dependOn(&fat_image_install.step);
 
@@ -719,7 +680,7 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     // log captured to serial0 — without baking serial into the image users flash.
     // Built lazily (only when `run-x86-64` is requested), and never installed.
     const exe_serial = addKernel(b, kernel_target, optimize, kernel_modules, test_case, true);
-    const fat_image_serial = addBootImage(b, exe_serial.getEmittedBin(), efiexe.getEmittedBin(), init_exe.getEmittedBin(), initial_ramdisk_img);
+    const fat_image_serial = addBootImage(b, exe_serial.getEmittedBin(), efiexe.getEmittedBin(), &bundled);
 
     // `zig build check-fat-image` — validate the produced image is a real FAT32
     // with the EFI stub present (the builder's own --verify, no external tools).
diff --git a/system/boot-handoff.zig b/system/boot-handoff.zig
index 2c10024..5480b79 100644
--- a/system/boot-handoff.zig
+++ b/system/boot-handoff.zig
@@ -147,15 +147,11 @@ pub const BootInformation = extern struct {
     /// A device-tree boot path leaves this 0 and (later) fills a `device_tree_blob`
     /// field instead, so the kernel discovers devices without knowing what booted it.
     acpi_rsdp: u64 = 0,
-    /// The raw `/system/services/init` ELF image, read off the boot volume by the loader
-    /// into memory that survives the handoff (classified reserved, so the kernel
-    /// identity-maps it and never allocates over it). 0/0 = no init found — the
-    /// kernel boots without user space. Grows into a full initial_ramdisk handoff later.
-    init_base: u64 = 0,
-    init_len: u64 = 0,
-    /// The initial_ramdisk image (a bundle of extra user binaries — the VFS server and
-    /// device drivers), read off the boot volume into memory that survives the
-    /// handoff, same as `init` above. 0/0 = no initial_ramdisk. See system/initial-ramdisk.zig.
+    /// The initial_ramdisk image: every user binary from the boot volume's /system
+    /// tree (init included), packed by the loader into memory that survives the
+    /// handoff (classified reserved, so the kernel identity-maps it and never
+    /// allocates over it). Entries are named by full FHS path. 0/0 = no binaries
+    /// found — the kernel boots without user space. See system/initial-ramdisk.zig.
     initial_ramdisk_base: u64 = 0,
     initial_ramdisk_len: u64 = 0,
 };
diff --git a/system/initial-ramdisk.zig b/system/initial-ramdisk.zig
index 487c280..e74f208 100644
--- a/system/initial-ramdisk.zig
+++ b/system/initial-ramdisk.zig
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
-//! The initial_ramdisk (initial ramdisk) container format — shared by the build-time
-//! packer (tools/make-initial-ramdisk.py) and the kernel that unpacks it. Deliberately
-//! trivial: a header, a table of fixed-size entries, then the concatenated file
-//! blobs. We own both producer and consumer, so it need be no fancier.
+//! The initial_ramdisk (initial ramdisk) container format — built in RAM by the
+//! bootloader (boot/efi.zig walks the boot volume's /system tree) and unpacked by
+//! the kernel. Deliberately trivial: a header, a table of fixed-size entries, then
+//! the concatenated file blobs. We own both producer and consumer, so it need be
+//! no fancier.
+//!
+//! v2: entry names are full FHS paths ("/system/services/init"), 64 bytes — the
+//! same limit as a task name (abi.maximum_process_name), so a path-named task is
+//! never truncated. The boot volume's file tree is the single source of truth;
+//! this image is only the loader→kernel handoff snapshot of it.
 //!
 //! Layout:
 //!   Header                       (magic, count)
@@ -10,8 +16,14 @@
 
 const std = @import("std");
 
-/// "DNRD" — identifies a danos initial_ramdisk image.
-pub const magic: u32 = 0x444E5244;
+/// "DNR2" — identifies a danos initial_ramdisk image, format v2 (path names).
+/// The v1 magic ("DNRD", basename entries) is rejected: a stale image should
+/// fail loudly at Reader.init, not misparse names.
+pub const magic: u32 = 0x32524E44;
+
+/// Entry name capacity. Matches abi.maximum_process_name so a spawned task can
+/// always carry its full binary path as its name.
+pub const maximum_name = 64;
 
 pub const Header = extern struct {
     magic: u32,
@@ -19,11 +31,17 @@ pub const Header = extern struct {
 };
 
 pub const Entry = extern struct {
-    name: [32]u8, // NUL-padded file name (basename)
+    name: [maximum_name]u8, // NUL-padded FHS path, e.g. "/system/services/init"
     offset: u64, // byte offset of the blob within the image
     len: u64, // blob length in bytes
 };
 
+/// The basename of a path: the final component after the last '/'.
+pub fn basename(path: []const u8) []const u8 {
+    const i = std.mem.lastIndexOfScalar(u8, path, '/') orelse return path;
+    return path[i + 1 ..];
+}
+
 /// A validated view over an initial_ramdisk image. `init` checks the magic and that the
 /// entry table fits; `entry` bounds-checks each blob against the image.
 pub const Reader = struct {
@@ -48,11 +66,74 @@ pub const Reader = struct {
         if (e.offset > self.image.len or e.len > self.image.len - e.offset) return null;
         // The name is stored in the entry's fixed field; return a stable slice
         // into the image (not the value copy) up to the NUL terminator.
-        const name_field = self.image[off .. off + 32];
+        const name_field = self.image[off .. off + maximum_name];
         const nlen = std.mem.indexOfScalar(u8, name_field, 0) orelse name_field.len;
         return .{
             .name = name_field[0..nlen],
             .blob = self.image[@intCast(e.offset)..][0..@intCast(e.len)],
         };
     }
+
+    /// Look a binary up by name: an exact path match wins; otherwise a unique
+    /// basename match ("fat" finds "/system/services/fat") keeps pre-path callers
+    /// working. The returned Item's name is always the stored full path.
+    pub fn find(self: Reader, name: []const u8) ?Item {
+        var i: u32 = 0;
+        while (i < self.count) : (i += 1) {
+            const item = self.entry(i) orelse continue;
+            if (std.mem.eql(u8, item.name, name)) return item;
+        }
+        i = 0;
+        while (i < self.count) : (i += 1) {
+            const item = self.entry(i) orelse continue;
+            if (std.mem.eql(u8, basename(item.name), name)) return item;
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
 };
+
+// --- tests (host) -----------------------------------------------------------
+
+fn testImage(buffer: []u8, entries: []const struct { name: []const u8, blob: []const u8 }) []const u8 {
+    const table_end = @sizeOf(Header) + entries.len * @sizeOf(Entry);
+    var offset: usize = table_end;
+    std.mem.bytesAsValue(Header, buffer[0..@sizeOf(Header)]).* = .{ .magic = magic, .count = @intCast(entries.len) };
+    for (entries, 0..) |e, i| {
+        var record = Entry{ .name = @splat(0), .offset = offset, .len = e.blob.len };
+        @memcpy(record.name[0..e.name.len], e.name);
+        std.mem.bytesAsValue(Entry, buffer[@sizeOf(Header) + i * @sizeOf(Entry) ..][0..@sizeOf(Entry)]).* = record;
+        @memcpy(buffer[offset..][0..e.blob.len], e.blob);
+        offset += e.blob.len;
+    }
+    return buffer[0..offset];
+}
+
+test "find matches exact path, then unique basename; name is the stored path" {
+    var buffer: [1024]u8 = undefined;
+    const image = testImage(&buffer, &.{
+        .{ .name = "/system/services/init", .blob = "INIT" },
+        .{ .name = "/system/drivers/ps2-bus", .blob = "PS2" },
+    });
+    const rd = Reader.init(image).?;
+
+    const by_path = rd.find("/system/services/init").?;
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("/system/services/init", by_path.name);
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("INIT", by_path.blob);
+
+    const by_base = rd.find("ps2-bus").?;
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("/system/drivers/ps2-bus", by_base.name);
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("PS2", by_base.blob);
+
+    try std.testing.expect(rd.find("no-such-binary") == null);
+}
+
+test "v1 magic is rejected" {
+    var buffer: [64]u8 = @splat(0);
+    std.mem.bytesAsValue(Header, buffer[0..@sizeOf(Header)]).* = .{ .magic = 0x444E5244, .count = 0 };
+    try std.testing.expect(Reader.init(&buffer) == null);
+}
+
+test "basename" {
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("fat", basename("/system/services/fat"));
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("fat", basename("fat"));
+}
diff --git a/system/kernel/kernel.zig b/system/kernel/kernel.zig
index fcc7aec..09b9179 100644
--- a/system/kernel/kernel.zig
+++ b/system/kernel/kernel.zig
@@ -329,20 +329,16 @@ fn kmain(boot_information: *const BootInformation) noreturn {
     // service supervisor and the device manager spawns the drivers it discovers.
     publishInitialRamdisk(boot_information);
 
-    // Hand over to user space: load /system/services/init (read off the boot volume by
-    // the loader) and spawn it as a real ring-3 process, PID 1. As the supervisor it
-    // brings up the system services (the VFS server, the device manager); the device
-    // manager then discovers the hardware and spawns each driver. init runs on its own
-    // address space, preemptively — this boot context becomes the BSP's idle loop.
-    if (boot_information.init_len != 0) {
-        status("/system/kernel: starting /system/services/init...\n");
-        const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
-        process.spawnProcess(image, 4, &.{"/system/services/init"}) catch |err| {
-            statusPrint("/system/kernel: /system/services/init failed to load: {s}\n", .{@errorName(err)});
-        };
-    } else {
-        status("no /system/services/init on the boot volume.\n");
-    }
+    // Hand over to user space: spawn /system/services/init out of the ramdisk as a
+    // real ring-3 process, PID 1 — it rides the same table as every other binary.
+    // As the supervisor it brings up the system services (the VFS server, the device
+    // manager); the device manager then discovers the hardware and spawns each
+    // driver. init runs on its own address space, preemptively — this boot context
+    // becomes the BSP's idle loop.
+    status("/system/kernel: starting /system/services/init...\n");
+    process.spawnBundled("/system/services/init") catch |err| {
+        statusPrint("/system/kernel: /system/services/init failed to start: {s}\n", .{@errorName(err)});
+    };
 
     // Become the idle task: drop below every real task and halt until an
     // interrupt. The timer keeps preempting into init and any other work.
diff --git a/system/kernel/process.zig b/system/kernel/process.zig
index 6b17970..9696667 100644
--- a/system/kernel/process.zig
+++ b/system/kernel/process.zig
@@ -140,6 +140,16 @@ pub fn setInitialRamdisk(image: []const u8) void {
     ramdisk_image = image;
 }
 
+/// Spawn a bundled binary from the kernel by path. Used exactly once, to start
+/// /system/services/init (PID 1) — every other spawn goes through the
+/// `system_spawn` syscall.
+pub fn spawnBundled(name: []const u8) !void {
+    const image = ramdisk_image orelse return error.NoInitialRamdisk;
+    const rd = initial_ramdisk.Reader.init(image) orelse return error.BadInitialRamdisk;
+    const item = rd.find(name) orelse return error.NotBundled;
+    try spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{item.name});
+}
+
 /// The system_call surface, dispatched on the saved system_call number (`abi.SystemCall`).
 /// This is the microkernel-minimal set — memory + scheduling only; file/device
 /// I/O will arrive as IPC to user-space servers (docs/syscall.md). The result is
@@ -656,8 +666,11 @@ fn systemSpawn(state: *architecture.CpuState) void {
     const rd = initial_ramdisk.Reader.init(image) orelse return fail(state);
 
     const name = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(ptr))[0..len];
+    // Exact path first, basename fallback second; either way argv[0] (and hence
+    // the task name, and the log ring's attribution) is the stored full path.
+    const item = rd.find(name) orelse return fail(state); // no bundled binary by that name
     var argv: [maximum_arguments][]const u8 = undefined;
-    argv[0] = name;
+    argv[0] = item.name;
     var argc: usize = 1;
     if (arguments_len != 0) {
         const blob = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(arguments_ptr))[0..arguments_len];
@@ -669,15 +682,8 @@ fn systemSpawn(state: *architecture.CpuState) void {
         }
     }
 
-    var i: u32 = 0;
-    while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
-        const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!std.mem.eql(u8, item.name, name)) continue;
-        const child = spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, argv[0..argc], t.id, exit_endpoint) catch return fail(state);
-        architecture.setSystemCallResult(state, child);
-        return;
-    }
-    fail(state); // no bundled binary by that name
+    const child = spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, argv[0..argc], t.id, exit_endpoint) catch return fail(state);
+    architecture.setSystemCallResult(state, child);
 }
 
 /// thread_spawn(entry, stack_top, arg) -> tid: start a task that shares the **caller's**
diff --git a/system/kernel/tests.zig b/system/kernel/tests.zig
index c27f154..519e0c8 100644
--- a/system/kernel/tests.zig
+++ b/system/kernel/tests.zig
@@ -1327,12 +1327,12 @@ fn procWorker() void {
 /// strongest cheap proof of address-space isolation.
 fn processTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     log("DANOS-TEST-BEGIN: process\n", .{});
-    check("bootloader handed over /system/services/init", boot_information.init_len != 0);
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0) {
+    const image = bundledInit(boot_information) orelse {
+        check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", false);
         result();
         return;
-    }
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
+    };
+    check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", true);
 
     process.write_count = 0;
     process.write_from_user = false;
@@ -1414,12 +1414,12 @@ fn spawnFaultingProcess() ?u32 {
 /// time the harness out.
 fn faultRecoveryTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     log("DANOS-TEST-BEGIN: fault-recovery\n", .{});
-    check("bootloader handed over /system/services/init", boot_information.init_len != 0);
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0) {
+    const image = bundledInit(boot_information) orelse {
+        check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", false);
         result();
         return;
-    }
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
+    };
+    check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", true);
 
     process.write_count = 0;
     process.fault_kill_count = 0;
@@ -1550,7 +1550,7 @@ fn threadJoinTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "thread-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "thread-test")) continue;
         started = if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ "thread-test", "join" })) true else |_| false;
         break;
     }
@@ -1594,7 +1594,7 @@ fn threadFutexTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "thread-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "thread-test")) continue;
         started = if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ "thread-test", "futex" })) true else |_| false;
         break;
     }
@@ -1642,7 +1642,7 @@ fn threadMutexTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "thread-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "thread-test")) continue;
         started = if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ "thread-test", "mutex" })) true else |_| false;
         break;
     }
@@ -1683,7 +1683,7 @@ fn threadIdTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "thread-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "thread-test")) continue;
         started = if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ "thread-test", "id" })) true else |_| false;
         break;
     }
@@ -1726,7 +1726,7 @@ fn threadAllocTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "thread-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "thread-test")) continue;
         started = if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ "thread-test", "alloc" })) true else |_| false;
         break;
     }
@@ -1769,7 +1769,7 @@ fn threadTlsTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "thread-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "thread-test")) continue;
         started = if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ "thread-test", "tls" })) true else |_| false;
         break;
     }
@@ -1811,7 +1811,7 @@ fn threadRwlockTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "thread-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "thread-test")) continue;
         started = if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ "thread-test", "rwlock" })) true else |_| false;
         break;
     }
@@ -1876,12 +1876,12 @@ fn taskReapTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
 /// (write + sleep), and stays alive rather than exiting.
 fn initTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     log("DANOS-TEST-BEGIN: init\n", .{});
-    check("bootloader handed over /system/services/init", boot_information.init_len != 0);
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0) {
+    const image = bundledInit(boot_information) orelse {
+        check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", false);
         result();
         return;
-    }
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
+    };
+    check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", true);
     process.write_count = 0;
     const spawned = if (process.spawnProcess(image, 4, &.{"/system/services/init"})) true else |err| blk: {
         log("DANOS-INIT-ERR: {s}\n", .{@errorName(err)});
@@ -1912,12 +1912,12 @@ fn initTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
 /// learns how big a buffer to bring).
 fn processListTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     log("DANOS-TEST-BEGIN: process-list\n", .{});
-    check("bootloader handed over /system/services/init", boot_information.init_len != 0);
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0) {
+    const image = bundledInit(boot_information) orelse {
+        check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", false);
         result();
         return;
-    }
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
+    };
+    check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", true);
 
     var spawned: u32 = 0;
     if (process.spawnProcess(image, 4, &.{"/system/services/init"})) spawned += 1 else |_| {}
@@ -1963,13 +1963,12 @@ fn processListTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
 /// harness out rather than passing vacuously.
 fn processKillTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     log("DANOS-TEST-BEGIN: process-kill\n", .{});
-    check("bootloader handed over /system/services/init", boot_information.init_len != 0);
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0 or boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len == 0) {
-        check("bootloader handed over an initial_ramdisk", boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len != 0);
+    const image = bundledInit(boot_information) orelse {
+        check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", false);
         result();
         return;
-    }
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
+    };
+    check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", true);
     const ramdisk = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.initial_ramdisk_base)))[0..boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len];
     const rd = initial_ramdisk.Reader.init(ramdisk) orelse {
         check("initial_ramdisk image is valid", false);
@@ -2024,7 +2023,7 @@ fn processKillTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "process-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "process-test")) continue;
         spinner = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "process-test", "spinner" }, me, endpoint) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2041,7 +2040,7 @@ fn processKillTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     i = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "args-echo")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "args-echo")) continue;
         clean = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "args-echo", "clean-exit" }, me, endpoint) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2089,12 +2088,12 @@ fn claimReleaseTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     check("cleanup released owner 222", devices_broker.ownerOf(1) == null);
 
     // The death-path wiring: a real process dies holding a claim.
-    check("bootloader handed over /system/services/init", boot_information.init_len != 0);
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0) {
+    const image = bundledInit(boot_information) orelse {
+        check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", false);
         result();
         return;
-    }
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
+    };
+    check("initial_ramdisk carries /system/services/init", true);
     const me = scheduler.currentId();
     const endpoint = ipcsync.createIpcEndpoint() orelse {
         check("exit endpoint allocated", false);
@@ -2148,7 +2147,7 @@ fn vfsClientDeathTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "vfs-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "vfs-test")) continue;
         client = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "vfs-test", "park" }, me, endpoint) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2209,7 +2208,7 @@ fn signalsTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "process-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "process-test")) continue;
         runner = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "process-test", "signal-run" }, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2257,7 +2256,7 @@ fn driverRestartTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "device-manager")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "device-manager")) continue;
         manager = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "device-manager", "test-restart" }, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2295,7 +2294,7 @@ fn usbReportTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "device-manager")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "device-manager")) continue;
         manager = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "device-manager", "test-usb-restart" }, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2327,7 +2326,7 @@ fn deviceListTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "device-manager")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "device-manager")) continue;
         manager = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "device-manager", "test-usb-restart" }, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2368,7 +2367,7 @@ fn pciScanTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "device-manager")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "device-manager")) continue;
         manager = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "device-manager", "test-pci-restart" }, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2452,8 +2451,8 @@ fn usbStorageTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
 /// the fat mount and the client's success.
 fn fatMountTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     log("DANOS-TEST-BEGIN: fat-mount\n", .{});
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0 or boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len == 0) {
-        check("bootloader handed over init and the initial_ramdisk", false);
+    if (boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len == 0) {
+        check("bootloader handed over the initial_ramdisk", false);
         result();
         return;
     }
@@ -2464,8 +2463,7 @@ fn fatMountTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
         return;
     };
     process.setInitialRamdisk(ramdisk);
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
-    const init_ok = if (process.spawnProcess(image, 4, &.{"/system/services/init"})) true else |_| false;
+    const init_ok = if (process.spawnBundled("/system/services/init")) true else |_| false;
     check("init spawned (boots the tree, incl. the fat server)", init_ok);
     check("fat-test client spawned", spawnNamed(rd, "fat-test"));
     result();
@@ -2473,30 +2471,28 @@ fn fatMountTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
 
 fn bootServiceTreeTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation, comptime label: []const u8) void {
     log("DANOS-TEST-BEGIN: " ++ label ++ "\n", .{});
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0 or boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len == 0) {
-        check("bootloader handed over init and the initial_ramdisk", false);
+    if (boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len == 0) {
+        check("bootloader handed over the initial_ramdisk", false);
         result();
         return;
     }
     const ramdisk = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.initial_ramdisk_base)))[0..boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len];
     process.setInitialRamdisk(ramdisk);
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
-    const spawned = if (process.spawnProcess(image, 4, &.{"/system/services/init"})) true else |_| false;
+    const spawned = if (process.spawnBundled("/system/services/init")) true else |_| false;
     check("init spawned (boots vfs, input, device-manager, and the USB chain)", spawned);
     result();
 }
 
 fn orderlyShutdownTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     log("DANOS-TEST-BEGIN: orderly-shutdown\n", .{});
-    if (boot_information.init_len == 0 or boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len == 0) {
-        check("bootloader handed over init and the initial_ramdisk", false);
+    if (boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len == 0) {
+        check("bootloader handed over the initial_ramdisk", false);
         result();
         return;
     }
     const ramdisk = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.initial_ramdisk_base)))[0..boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len];
     process.setInitialRamdisk(ramdisk);
-    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.init_base)))[0..boot_information.init_len];
-    const spawned = if (process.spawnProcess(image, 4, &.{"/system/services/init"})) true else |_| false;
+    const spawned = if (process.spawnBundled("/system/services/init")) true else |_| false;
     check("init spawned as PID root of user space", spawned);
     result();
 }
@@ -2524,7 +2520,7 @@ fn acpiReportTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "device-manager")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "device-manager")) continue;
         _ = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{"device-manager"}, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         spawned = true;
         break;
@@ -2562,7 +2558,7 @@ fn acpiParseTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "discovery")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "discovery")) continue;
         _ = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "discovery", "1" }, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         spawned = true;
         break;
@@ -2597,7 +2593,7 @@ fn supervisionTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "process-test")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "process-test")) continue;
         started = if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ "process-test", "run" })) true else |_| false;
         break;
     }
@@ -2921,7 +2917,7 @@ fn virtioGpuTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "device-manager")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "device-manager")) continue;
         manager = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{"device-manager"}, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -2962,7 +2958,7 @@ fn displayNativeTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "device-manager")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "device-manager")) continue;
         manager = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{"device-manager"}, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -3006,7 +3002,7 @@ fn displayReattachTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (!eql(item.name, "device-manager")) continue;
+        if (!eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), "device-manager")) continue;
         manager = process.spawnProcessSupervised(item.blob, 4, &.{ "device-manager", "test-scanout-restart" }, scheduler.currentId(), null) catch 0;
         break;
     }
@@ -3055,7 +3051,7 @@ fn argsTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
     while (process.write_count < 1 and architecture.millis() < deadline) scheduler.yield();
     scheduler.setPriority(4);
 
-    const expected = "args: args-echo alpha beta-42\n";
+    const expected = "args: /system/tests/args-echo alpha beta-42\n";
     const echoed = process.write_len == expected.len and eql(process.write_buffer[0..process.write_len], expected);
     if (!echoed and process.write_len > 0) log("DANOS-ARGS: got \"{s}\"\n", .{process.write_buffer[0..process.write_len]});
     check("argv arrived intact (argv[0] = name, argv[1..] = spawn arguments)", echoed);
@@ -3065,11 +3061,21 @@ fn argsTest(boot_information: *const BootInformation) void {
 
 /// Spawn the initial_ramdisk binary named `name` as a ring-3 process. Returns false if it
 /// isn't in the image or fails to load.
+/// The init ELF image out of the initial_ramdisk — init rides the table like
+/// every other binary since the loader packs the whole /system tree.
+fn bundledInit(boot_information: *const BootInformation) ?[]const u8 {
+    if (boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len == 0) return null;
+    const image = @as([*]const u8, @ptrFromInt(boot_handoff.physicalToVirtual(boot_information.initial_ramdisk_base)))[0..boot_information.initial_ramdisk_len];
+    const rd = initial_ramdisk.Reader.init(image) orelse return null;
+    const item = rd.find("/system/services/init") orelse return null;
+    return item.blob;
+}
+
 fn spawnNamed(rd: initial_ramdisk.Reader, name: []const u8) bool {
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (eql(item.name, name)) {
+        if (eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), name)) {
             return if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{item.name})) true else |_| false;
         }
     }
@@ -3082,7 +3088,7 @@ fn spawnNamedWithArg(rd: initial_ramdisk.Reader, name: []const u8, arg: []const
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < rd.count) : (i += 1) {
         const item = rd.entry(i) orelse continue;
-        if (eql(item.name, name)) {
+        if (eql(initial_ramdisk.basename(item.name), name)) {
             return if (process.spawnProcess(item.blob, 4, &.{ item.name, arg })) true else |_| false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/system/services/device-manager/device-manager.zig b/system/services/device-manager/device-manager.zig
index b2bae5b..f138ddd 100644
--- a/system/services/device-manager/device-manager.zig
+++ b/system/services/device-manager/device-manager.zig
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ const virtio_gpu_pci_class: u64 = pci_class.ClassCode.pack(.{
 /// its registered id as argv[1].
 fn pciDriverForIdentity(identity: u64) ?[]const u8 {
     return switch (identity) {
-        xhci_pci_class => "usb-xhci-bus",
-        virtio_gpu_pci_class => "virtio-gpu",
+        xhci_pci_class => "/system/drivers/usb-xhci-bus",
+        virtio_gpu_pci_class => "/system/drivers/virtio-gpu",
         else => null,
     };
 }
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ fn pciDriverForIdentity(identity: u64) ?[]const u8 {
 /// nodes the kernel used to build). ps2-bus is a singleton that finds both its
 /// devices by hid once spawned, so keyboard and mouse map to the same name.
 fn hidDriverFor(hid: []const u8) ?[]const u8 {
-    if (std.mem.eql(u8, hid, "PNP0303")) return "ps2-bus"; // PS/2 keyboard
-    if (std.mem.eql(u8, hid, "PNP0F13")) return "ps2-bus"; // PS/2 mouse
+    if (std.mem.eql(u8, hid, "PNP0303")) return "/system/drivers/ps2-bus"; // PS/2 keyboard
+    if (std.mem.eql(u8, hid, "PNP0F13")) return "/system/drivers/ps2-bus"; // PS/2 mouse
     return null;
 }
 
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ fn usbDriverForIdentity(identity: u64) ?[]const u8 {
         @intFromEnum(usb_ids.mass_storage.Protocol.bulk_only),
     );
     return switch (identity) {
-        keyboard => "usb-hid-keyboard",
-        mouse => "usb-hid-mouse",
-        storage => "usb-storage",
+        keyboard => "/system/drivers/usb-hid-keyboard",
+        mouse => "/system/drivers/usb-hid-mouse",
+        storage => "/system/drivers/usb-storage",
         else => null,
     };
 }
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ fn onMessage(message: []const u8, reply: []u8, sender: u32, capability: ?runtime
         writeLine("/system/services/device-manager: hello from {s} (device {d})\n", .{ driver.name(), hello.device_id });
         // Resilience drill (V6): once, kill the virtio-gpu driver a moment after it hellos, so
         // the normal restart policy respawns it — the compositor must survive and re-attach.
-        if (test_scanout_restart_mode and !test_scanout_killed and std.mem.eql(u8, driver.name(), "virtio-gpu")) {
+        if (test_scanout_restart_mode and !test_scanout_killed and std.mem.eql(u8, driver.name(), "/system/drivers/virtio-gpu")) {
             test_scanout_killed = true;
             test_kill_pid = sender;
             test_kill_due_ns = system.clock() + 1_500_000_000;
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ fn onChildAdded(message: []const u8, reply: []u8, sender: u32) usize {
         // Only the xHCI reporter is the drill's victim — pci-bus also reports
         // now, and whichever finishes second must not trigger the kill.
         if (driverByProcess(sender)) |driver| {
-            if (std.mem.eql(u8, driver.name(), "usb-xhci-bus")) {
+            if (std.mem.eql(u8, driver.name(), "/system/drivers/usb-xhci-bus")) {
                 // Delayed, not immediate: the device-list scenario's subscriber
                 // needs a window to enumerate and subscribe before the events.
                 test_usb_killed = true;
diff --git a/system/services/init/init.zig b/system/services/init/init.zig
index 5bad503..51d9d98 100644
--- a/system/services/init/init.zig
+++ b/system/services/init/init.zig
@@ -27,11 +27,19 @@ const build_options = @import("build_options");
 /// the log-flush one-shot writes it once at boot.
 const log_path = "/mnt/usb/DANOS.LOG";
 
-/// The system services init brings up at boot, in order. This is init's policy — the
-/// microkernel keeps such choices in user space, not the kernel. Drivers are absent
-/// on purpose: the device manager owns those. (A future init reads this from a
-/// manifest under /system/services instead of a hardcoded list.)
-const boot_services = [_][]const u8{ "vfs", "input", "device-manager", "fat", "display", "display-demo" };
+/// The system services init brings up at boot, in order, by binary path. This is
+/// init's policy — the microkernel keeps such choices in user space, not the
+/// kernel. Drivers are absent on purpose: the device manager owns those. (A
+/// future init reads this from a manifest under /system/services instead of a
+/// hardcoded list.)
+const boot_services = [_][]const u8{
+    "/system/services/vfs",
+    "/system/services/input",
+    "/system/services/device-manager",
+    "/system/services/fat",
+    "/system/services/display",
+    "/system/services/display-demo",
+};
 
 /// The live process id of each boot service (0 = not running), indexed by its position
 /// in `boot_services`, plus how many times init has restarted it. init supervises these:
@@ -84,7 +92,7 @@ pub fn main() void {
     // and forget: it polls for the mount itself, and is deliberately NOT one of
     // init's supervised children (a transient one-shot must not be stopped-and-
     // waited-for during shutdown).
-    _ = runtime.system.spawn("log-flush");
+    _ = runtime.system.spawn("/system/services/log-flush");
 
     // Subscribe to power events (retry: the power service registers well after
     // init starts). Best-effort — without it, a `terminate` signal still
diff --git a/system/services/process-test/process-test.zig b/system/services/process-test/process-test.zig
index 6dd0ce8..3b1a80e 100644
--- a/system/services/process-test/process-test.zig
+++ b/system/services/process-test/process-test.zig
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ pub fn main(init: runtime.process.Init) void {
     const spinner = runtime.system.spawnSupervised("process-test", &.{"spinner"}, endpoint) orelse fail("spawn spinner");
 
     runtime.system.sleep(100); // let the sleeper block and the spinner get a core
-    if (!listed(sleeper, "process-test")) fail("sleeper not in process_enumerate");
-    if (!listed(spinner, "process-test")) fail("spinner not in process_enumerate");
+    if (!listed(sleeper, "/system/tests/process-test")) fail("sleeper not in process_enumerate");
+    if (!listed(spinner, "/system/tests/process-test")) fail("spinner not in process_enumerate");
 
     // Kills that must be refused: a kernel task (id 0), and an id that was never
     // issued — both -ESRCH. (-EPERM needs a second supervisor; the kernel-level
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ pub fn main(init: runtime.process.Init) void {
     if (!runtime.system.kill(spinner)) fail("kill spinner");
     if (awaitChildExit(endpoint) != spinner) fail("spinner exit notification");
 
-    if (listed(sleeper, "process-test")) fail("sleeper still listed after kill");
-    if (listed(spinner, "process-test")) fail("spinner still listed after kill");
+    if (listed(sleeper, "/system/tests/process-test")) fail("sleeper still listed after kill");
+    if (listed(spinner, "/system/tests/process-test")) fail("spinner still listed after kill");
 
     // M17.2: both children were killed by us, and the reason says so — the whole
     // restart-policy input, read through the runtime like a real supervisor would.
diff --git a/tools/make-initial-ramdisk.py b/tools/make-initial-ramdisk.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 88a0194..0000000
--- a/tools/make-initial-ramdisk.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
-"""Build-time initial_ramdisk packer. Concatenates user binaries into one image the
-bootloader ferries to the kernel.
-
-Usage: make-initial-ramdisk.py <out.img> [<name> <file>]...
-
-Image layout (little-endian), mirroring src/user/proto/initial-ramdisk.zig:
-    Header   : magic u32 ("DNRD"=0x444E5244), count u32
-    Entry*N  : name [32]u8 (NUL-padded), offset u64, len u64
-    blobs    : each entry's file bytes at its offset
-"""
-import struct
-import sys
-
-MAGIC = 0x444E5244
-HEADER = struct.Struct("<II")     # magic, count
-ENTRY = struct.Struct("<32sQQ")   # name[32], offset, len
-
-
-def main() -> int:
-    out_path = sys.argv[1]
-    rest = sys.argv[2:]
-    if len(rest) % 2 != 0:
-        sys.stderr.write("usage: make-initial-ramdisk.py <out.img> [<name> <file>]...\n")
-        return 2
-    items = [(rest[i], rest[i + 1]) for i in range(0, len(rest), 2)]
-
-    table_end = HEADER.size + len(items) * ENTRY.size
-    entries = b""
-    blobs = []
-    off = table_end
-    for name, path in items:
-        with open(path, "rb") as f:
-            data = f.read()
-        entries += ENTRY.pack(name.encode()[:31], off, len(data))
-        blobs.append(data)
-        off += len(data)
-
-    with open(out_path, "wb") as f:
-        f.write(HEADER.pack(MAGIC, len(items)))
-        f.write(entries)
-        for b in blobs:
-            f.write(b)
-    return 0
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    sys.exit(main())