diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5b941e22..c8a27a55 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ The configuration file is a JSON file with the following structure:
     "iPkgMngApi": "https://packages.vanillaos.org/api/pkg/{packageName}",
     "iPkgMngStatus": 0,
 
+    "updateInitramfsCmd": "lpkg --unlock && /usr/sbin/update-initramfs -u && lpkg --lock",
+    "updateGrubCmd": "/usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig -o '%s'",
+
     "differURL": "https://differ.vanillaos.org",
 
     "partLabelVar": "vos-var",
@@ -100,6 +103,8 @@ The following table describes each of the configuration options:
 | `iPkgMngRm` | The command to run when removing a package. It can be a command or a script. |
 | `iPkgMngApi` | The API endpoint to use when querying for package information. If not set, ABRoot will not check if a package exists before installing it. This could lead to errors. Take a look at our [Eratosthenes API](https://github.com/Vanilla-OS/Eratosthenes/blob/388e6f724dcda94ee60964e7b12a78ad79fb8a40/eratosthenes.py#L52) for an example. |
 | `iPkgMngStatus` | The status of the package manager feature. The value '0' means that the feature is disabled, the value '1' means enabled and the value '2' means that it will require user agreement the first time it is used. If the feature is disabled, it will not appear in the commands list. |
+| `updateInitramfsCmd` | Command that should be run to update the initramfs in /boot. |
+| `updateGrubCmd` | Command that should be run to update the grub config. %s needs to be included as a placeholder for the generated config file. |
 | `differURL` | The URL of the [Differ API](https://github.com/Vanilla-OS/Differ) service to use when comparing two OCI images. |
 | `partLabelVar` | The label of the partition dedicated to the system's `/var` directory. |
 | `partLabelA` | The label of the partition dedicated to the system's `A` root. |
diff --git a/config/abroot.json b/config/abroot.json
index ba8c44b0..eea93c76 100644
--- a/config/abroot.json
+++ b/config/abroot.json
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
     "iPkgMngApi": "https://packages.vanillaos.org/api/pkg/{packageName}",
     "iPkgMngStatus": 1,
 
+    "updateInitramfsCmd": "lpkg --unlock && /usr/sbin/update-initramfs -u && lpkg --lock",
+    "updateGrubCmd": "/usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig -o '%s'",
+
     "differURL": "https://differ.vanillaos.org",
 
     "partLabelVar": "vos-var",
diff --git a/core/chroot.go b/core/chroot.go
index 9d7688d4..59b0e7b1 100644
--- a/core/chroot.go
+++ b/core/chroot.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func NewChroot(root string, rootUuid string, rootDevice string, mountUserEtc boo
 
 	// workaround for grub-mkconfig, not able to find the device
 	// inside a chroot environment
-	err := chroot.Execute("mount", []string{"--bind", "/", "/"})
+	err := chroot.Execute("mount --bind / /")
 	if err != nil {
 		PrintVerboseErr("NewChroot", 1, err)
 		return nil, err
@@ -126,10 +126,9 @@ func (c *Chroot) Close() error {
 // Execute runs a command in the chroot environment, the command is
 // a string and the arguments are a list of strings. If an error occurs
 // it is returned.
-func (c *Chroot) Execute(cmd string, args []string) error {
+func (c *Chroot) Execute(cmd string) error {
 	PrintVerboseInfo("Chroot.Execute", "running...")
 
-	cmd = strings.Join(append([]string{cmd}, args...), " ")
 	PrintVerboseInfo("Chroot.Execute", "running command:", cmd)
 	e := exec.Command("chroot", c.root, "/bin/sh", "-c", cmd)
 	e.Stdout = os.Stdout
@@ -151,7 +150,7 @@ func (c *Chroot) ExecuteCmds(cmds []string) error {
 	PrintVerboseInfo("Chroot.ExecuteCmds", "running...")
 
 	for _, cmd := range cmds {
-		err := c.Execute(cmd, []string{})
+		err := c.Execute(cmd)
 		if err != nil {
 			PrintVerboseErr("Chroot.ExecuteCmds", 0, err)
 			return err
diff --git a/core/system.go b/core/system.go
index 158efe3e..d6ae6cf2 100644
--- a/core/system.go
+++ b/core/system.go
@@ -504,28 +504,14 @@ func (s *ABSystem) RunOperation(operation ABSystemOperation) error {
 
 	generatedGrubConfigPath := "/boot/grub/grub.cfg"
 
-	err = chroot.ExecuteCmds(
-		[]string{
-			"grub-mkconfig -o " + generatedGrubConfigPath,
-		},
-	)
+	grubCommand := fmt.Sprintf(settings.Cnf.UpdateGrubCmd, generatedGrubConfigPath)
+	err = chroot.Execute(grubCommand)
 	if err != nil {
 		PrintVerboseErr("ABSystem.RunOperation", 7.1, err)
 		return err
 	}
 
-	preExec := settings.Cnf.IPkgMngPre
-	postExec := settings.Cnf.IPkgMngPost
-	initramfsArgs := []string{}
-	if preExec != "" {
-		initramfsArgs = append(initramfsArgs, preExec)
-	}
-	initramfsArgs = append(initramfsArgs, "update-initramfs -u")
-	if postExec != "" {
-		initramfsArgs = append(initramfsArgs, postExec)
-	}
-	initramfsArgs = append(initramfsArgs, "exit")
-	err = chroot.ExecuteCmds(initramfsArgs) // ensure initramfs is updated
+	err = chroot.Execute(settings.Cnf.UpdateInitramfsCmd) // ensure initramfs is updated
 	if err != nil {
 		PrintVerboseErr("ABSystem.RunOperation", 7.2, err)
 		return err
diff --git a/settings/config.go b/settings/config.go
index 641adfe1..461fe778 100644
--- a/settings/config.go
+++ b/settings/config.go
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ type Config struct {
 	IPkgMngApi    string `json:"iPkgMngApi"`
 	IPkgMngStatus int    `json:"iPkgMngStatus"`
 
+	// Boot configuration commands
+	UpdateInitramfsCmd string `json:"updateInitramfsCmd"`
+	UpdateGrubCmd      string `json:"updateGrubCmd"`
+
 	// Package diff API (Differ)
 	DifferURL string `json:"differURL"`
 
@@ -82,6 +86,10 @@ func init() {
 	viper.SetConfigName("abroot")
 	viper.SetConfigType("json")
 
+	// VanillaOS specific defaults for backwards compatibility
+	viper.SetDefault("updateInitramfsCmd", "lpkg --unlock && /usr/sbin/update-initramfs -u && lpkg --lock")
+	viper.SetDefault("updateGrubCmd", "/usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig -o '%s'")
+
 	err := viper.ReadInConfig()
 	if err != nil {
 		return
@@ -109,6 +117,10 @@ func init() {
 		IPkgMngApi:    viper.GetString("iPkgMngApi"),
 		IPkgMngStatus: viper.GetInt("iPkgMngStatus"),
 
+		// Boot configuration commands
+		UpdateInitramfsCmd: viper.GetString("updateInitramfsCmd"),
+		UpdateGrubCmd:      viper.GetString("updateGrubCmd"),
+
 		// Package diff API (Differ)
 		DifferURL: viper.GetString("differURL"),
 
diff --git a/tests/chroot_test.go b/tests/chroot_test.go
index db25d607..2f37d65c 100644
--- a/tests/chroot_test.go
+++ b/tests/chroot_test.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func TestChroot(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// chroot test
-	err = chroot.Execute("touch", []string{"/test"})
+	err = chroot.Execute("touch /test")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}