diff --git a/hw/riscv/boot.c b/hw/riscv/boot.c
index 5606ea6f43..d18262c302 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/boot.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/boot.c
@@ -171,12 +171,13 @@ target_ulong riscv_load_firmware(const char *firmware_filename,
     exit(1);
 }
 
-target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
-                               target_ulong kernel_start_addr,
-                               symbol_fn_t sym_cb)
+target_ulong riscv_load_kernel_and_initrd(MachineState *machine,
+                                          target_ulong kernel_start_addr,
+                                          symbol_fn_t sym_cb)
 {
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     uint64_t kernel_load_base, kernel_entry;
+    void *fdt = machine->fdt;
 
     g_assert(kernel_filename != NULL);
 
@@ -190,21 +191,35 @@ target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
     if (load_elf_ram_sym(kernel_filename, NULL, NULL, NULL,
                          NULL, &kernel_load_base, NULL, NULL, 0,
                          EM_RISCV, 1, 0, NULL, true, sym_cb) > 0) {
-        return kernel_load_base;
+        kernel_entry = kernel_load_base;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     if (load_uimage_as(kernel_filename, &kernel_entry, NULL, NULL,
                        NULL, NULL, NULL) > 0) {
-        return kernel_entry;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     if (load_image_targphys_as(kernel_filename, kernel_start_addr,
                                current_machine->ram_size, NULL) > 0) {
-        return kernel_start_addr;
+        kernel_entry = kernel_start_addr;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     error_report("could not load kernel '%s'", kernel_filename);
     exit(1);
+
+out:
+    if (machine->initrd_filename) {
+        riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
+    }
+
+    if (fdt && machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
+        qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs",
+                                machine->kernel_cmdline);
+    }
+
+    return kernel_entry;
 }
 
 void riscv_load_initrd(MachineState *machine, uint64_t kernel_entry)
diff --git a/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c b/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
index 82ae5e7023..b64631f166 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
@@ -629,16 +629,8 @@ static void microchip_icicle_kit_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_start_addr = riscv_calc_kernel_start_addr(&s->soc.u_cpus,
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
-        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, kernel_start_addr, NULL);
-
-        if (machine->initrd_filename) {
-            riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
-        }
-
-        if (machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
-            qemu_fdt_setprop_string(machine->fdt, "/chosen",
-                                    "bootargs", machine->kernel_cmdline);
-        }
+        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel_and_initrd(machine, kernel_start_addr,
+                                                    NULL);
 
         /* Compute the fdt load address in dram */
         fdt_load_addr = riscv_load_fdt(memmap[MICROCHIP_PFSOC_DRAM_LO].base,
diff --git a/hw/riscv/opentitan.c b/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
index 64d5d435b9..0818d9610c 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ static void opentitan_board_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     if (machine->kernel_filename) {
-        riscv_load_kernel(machine, memmap[IBEX_DEV_RAM].base, NULL);
+        riscv_load_kernel_and_initrd(machine, memmap[IBEX_DEV_RAM].base, NULL);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c b/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
index 3e3f4b0088..e22628b623 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ static void sifive_e_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
                           memmap[SIFIVE_E_DEV_MROM].base, &address_space_memory);
 
     if (machine->kernel_filename) {
-        riscv_load_kernel(machine, memmap[SIFIVE_E_DEV_DTIM].base, NULL);
+        riscv_load_kernel_and_initrd(machine, memmap[SIFIVE_E_DEV_DTIM].base,
+                                     NULL);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c b/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
index bac394c959..b6fb715a9f 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
@@ -598,16 +598,8 @@ static void sifive_u_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_start_addr = riscv_calc_kernel_start_addr(&s->soc.u_cpus,
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
-        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, kernel_start_addr, NULL);
-
-        if (machine->initrd_filename) {
-            riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
-        }
-
-        if (machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
-            qemu_fdt_setprop_string(machine->fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs",
-                                    machine->kernel_cmdline);
-        }
+        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel_and_initrd(machine, kernel_start_addr,
+                                                    NULL);
     } else {
        /*
         * If dynamic firmware is used, it doesn't know where is the next mode
diff --git a/hw/riscv/spike.c b/hw/riscv/spike.c
index bff9475686..cccfeb4fce 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/spike.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/spike.c
@@ -307,17 +307,9 @@ static void spike_board_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_start_addr = riscv_calc_kernel_start_addr(&s->soc[0],
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
-        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, kernel_start_addr,
-                                         htif_symbol_callback);
-
-        if (machine->initrd_filename) {
-            riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
-        }
-
-        if (machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
-            qemu_fdt_setprop_string(machine->fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs",
-                                    machine->kernel_cmdline);
-        }
+        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel_and_initrd(machine,
+                                                    kernel_start_addr,
+                                                    htif_symbol_callback);
     } else {
        /*
         * If dynamic firmware is used, it doesn't know where is the next mode
diff --git a/hw/riscv/virt.c b/hw/riscv/virt.c
index c8e35f861e..eadf057940 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/virt.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/virt.c
@@ -1281,16 +1281,8 @@ static void virt_machine_done(Notifier *notifier, void *data)
         kernel_start_addr = riscv_calc_kernel_start_addr(&s->soc[0],
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
-        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, kernel_start_addr, NULL);
-
-        if (machine->initrd_filename) {
-            riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
-        }
-
-        if (machine->kernel_cmdline && *machine->kernel_cmdline) {
-            qemu_fdt_setprop_string(machine->fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs",
-                                    machine->kernel_cmdline);
-        }
+        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel_and_initrd(machine, kernel_start_addr,
+                                                    NULL);
     } else {
        /*
         * If dynamic firmware is used, it doesn't know where is the next mode
diff --git a/include/hw/riscv/boot.h b/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
index f94653a09b..16b86450d3 100644
--- a/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
+++ b/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ char *riscv_find_firmware(const char *firmware_filename,
 target_ulong riscv_load_firmware(const char *firmware_filename,
                                  hwaddr firmware_load_addr,
                                  symbol_fn_t sym_cb);
-target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
-                               target_ulong firmware_end_addr,
-                               symbol_fn_t sym_cb);
+target_ulong riscv_load_kernel_and_initrd(MachineState *machine,
+                                          target_ulong firmware_end_addr,
+                                          symbol_fn_t sym_cb);
 void riscv_load_initrd(MachineState *machine, uint64_t kernel_entry);
 uint64_t riscv_load_fdt(hwaddr dram_start, uint64_t dram_size, void *fdt);
 void riscv_setup_rom_reset_vec(MachineState *machine, RISCVHartArrayState *harts,
