diff --git a/package/base/rockinitrd/init b/package/base/rockinitrd/init
index 541c8aa2c..4ced518cb 100644
--- a/package/base/rockinitrd/init
+++ b/package/base/rockinitrd/init
@@ -58,10 +58,12 @@ echo "" > /proc/sys/kernel/hotplug
 if [ -n "${real_root}" ] ; then
 	rootfs=${real_root}
 else
-	while read dev mntpoint fstype options fsck1 fsck2 ; do
-		[ "${mntpoint}" == "/" ] && rootfs=${dev}
-		[ -n "${rootfs}" ] && break
-	done < /etc/fstab
+	if [ -f /etc/fstab ] ; then
+		while read dev mntpoint fstype options fsck1 fsck2 ; do
+			[ "${mntpoint}" == "/" ] && rootfs=${dev}
+			[ -n "${rootfs}" ] && break
+		done < /etc/fstab
+	fi
 fi
 
 echo "loading kernel modules"
diff --git a/target/bootdisk/build_stage1.sh b/target/bootdisk/build_stage1.sh
index 265a03185..f90876b52 100644
--- a/target/bootdisk/build_stage1.sh
+++ b/target/bootdisk/build_stage1.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ rm -rf $disksdir/initrd
 mkdir -p $disksdir/initrd/{dev,proc,sys,tmp,scsi,net,bin,etc,lib}
 cd $disksdir/initrd; ln -s bin sbin; ln -s . usr
 
+# make mount not complain
+touch etc/fstab
+
 rock_targetdir="$base/target/$target/"
 rock_target="$target"
 
diff --git a/target/bootdisk/linuxrc.sh b/target/bootdisk/linuxrc.sh
index 96bde8d78..6535d5503 100644
--- a/target/bootdisk/linuxrc.sh
+++ b/target/bootdisk/linuxrc.sh
@@ -258,11 +258,13 @@ getcdromdevice () { # {{{
 load_ramdisk_file() { # {{{
 	devicetype=${1}
 	autoboot=${2}
+	mountopts=""
 
 	echo -en "Select a device for loading the 2nd stage system from: \n\n"
 
 	if [ "${devicetype}" == "cdroms" ] ; then
 		getcdromdevice 1 1 ${autoboot} || return
+		mountopts="-o ro"
 	else 
 		getdevice || return
 	fi
@@ -300,7 +302,7 @@ EOF
 		exit_linuxrc=0
 	fi
 
-	if ! mount ${devicefile} "/mnt_source" ; then
+	if ! mount ${mountopts} ${devicefile} "/mnt_source" ; then
 		echo "Can't mount /mnt_source"
 		exit_linuxrc=0
 	fi