diff --git a/man/nm-initrd-generator.xml b/man/nm-initrd-generator.xml
index 503700fa80..f11be1f64b 100644
--- a/man/nm-initrd-generator.xml
+++ b/man/nm-initrd-generator.xml
@@ -74,6 +74,21 @@
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term>
+          <group choice='plain'>
+            <arg choice='plain'><option>-p</option></arg>
+            <arg choice='plain'><option>--persistent-connections-dir</option></arg>
+          </group>
+          <arg choice='plain'><replaceable>path</replaceable></arg>
+        </term>
+
+        <listitem>
+          <para>Persistent connection directory. If it exists, rd.neednet will not
+          cause a default connection to be generated in absence of other options.</para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
       <varlistentry>
         <term>
           <group choice='plain'>
diff --git a/src/nm-initrd-generator/nm-initrd-generator.c b/src/nm-initrd-generator/nm-initrd-generator.c
index 1705e8fcae..981cb14bdf 100644
--- a/src/nm-initrd-generator/nm-initrd-generator.c
+++ b/src/nm-initrd-generator/nm-initrd-generator.c
@@ -80,13 +80,14 @@ int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     GHashTable        *connections;
-    gs_free char      *connections_dir  = NULL;
-    gs_free char      *initrd_dir       = NULL;
-    gs_free char      *sysfs_dir        = NULL;
-    gs_free char      *run_config_dir   = NULL;
-    gboolean           dump_to_stdout   = FALSE;
-    gs_strfreev char **remaining        = NULL;
-    GOptionEntry       option_entries[] = {
+    gs_free char      *connections_dir     = NULL;
+    gs_free char      *etc_connections_dir = NULL;
+    gs_free char      *initrd_dir          = NULL;
+    gs_free char      *sysfs_dir           = NULL;
+    gs_free char      *run_config_dir      = NULL;
+    gboolean           dump_to_stdout      = FALSE;
+    gs_strfreev char **remaining           = NULL;
+    GOptionEntry       option_entries[]    = {
         {"connections-dir",
          'c',
          0,
@@ -94,6 +95,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
          &connections_dir,
          "Output connection directory",
          NM_KEYFILE_PATH_NAME_RUN},
+        {"persistent-connections-dir",
+         'p',
+         0,
+         G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME,
+         &etc_connections_dir,
+         "Persistent connection directory",
+         NM_KEYFILE_PATH_NAME_ETC_DEFAULT},
         {"initrd-data-dir",
          'i',
          0,
@@ -153,6 +161,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         return 0;
     }
 
+    if (!etc_connections_dir)
+        etc_connections_dir = g_strdup(NM_KEYFILE_PATH_NAME_ETC_DEFAULT);
     if (!connections_dir)
         connections_dir = g_strdup(NM_KEYFILE_PATH_NAME_RUN);
     if (!sysfs_dir)
@@ -162,7 +172,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if (!run_config_dir)
         run_config_dir = g_strdup(DEFAULT_RUN_CONFIG_DIR);
 
-    connections = nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(sysfs_dir,
+    connections = nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(etc_connections_dir,
+                                           sysfs_dir,
                                            (const char *const *) remaining,
                                            &hostname,
                                            &carrier_timeout_sec);
diff --git a/src/nm-initrd-generator/nm-initrd-generator.h b/src/nm-initrd-generator/nm-initrd-generator.h
index dabf3201c0..4f33ac653b 100644
--- a/src/nm-initrd-generator/nm-initrd-generator.h
+++ b/src/nm-initrd-generator/nm-initrd-generator.h
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ nmi_ibft_update_connection_from_nic(NMConnection *connection, GHashTable *nic, G
 
 NMConnection *nmi_dt_reader_parse(const char *sysfs_dir);
 
-GHashTable *nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(const char        *sysfs_dir,
+GHashTable *nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(const char        *etc_connections_dir,
+                                     const char        *sysfs_dir,
                                      const char *const *argv,
                                      char             **hostname,
                                      gint64            *carrier_timeout_sec);
diff --git a/src/nm-initrd-generator/nmi-cmdline-reader.c b/src/nm-initrd-generator/nmi-cmdline-reader.c
index 77b2cfba73..8a56039b7f 100644
--- a/src/nm-initrd-generator/nmi-cmdline-reader.c
+++ b/src/nm-initrd-generator/nmi-cmdline-reader.c
@@ -1316,7 +1316,8 @@ connection_set_needed_cb(gpointer key, gpointer value, gpointer user_data)
 }
 
 GHashTable *
-nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(const char        *sysfs_dir,
+nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(const char        *etc_connections_dir,
+                         const char        *sysfs_dir,
                          const char *const *argv,
                          char             **hostname,
                          gint64            *carrier_timeout_sec)
@@ -1512,7 +1513,8 @@ nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(const char        *sysfs_dir,
     }
 
     if (neednet) {
-        if (g_hash_table_size(reader->hash) == 0) {
+        if (!(etc_connections_dir && g_file_test(etc_connections_dir, G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR))
+            && g_hash_table_size(reader->hash) == 0) {
             /* Make sure there's some connection. */
             reader_get_default_connection(reader);
         }
diff --git a/src/nm-initrd-generator/tests/test-cmdline-reader.c b/src/nm-initrd-generator/tests/test-cmdline-reader.c
index 02d87eb8f8..009af54006 100644
--- a/src/nm-initrd-generator/tests/test-cmdline-reader.c
+++ b/src/nm-initrd-generator/tests/test-cmdline-reader.c
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@
         gint64 *const            _out_carrier_timeout_sec = (out_carrier_timeout_sec); \
         GHashTable              *_connections;                                         \
                                                                                        \
-        _connections = nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(TEST_INITRD_DIR "/sysfs",              \
+        _connections = nmi_cmdline_reader_parse(NULL,                                  \
+                                                TEST_INITRD_DIR "/sysfs",              \
                                                 _ARGV,                                 \
                                                 _out_hostname,                         \
                                                 _out_carrier_timeout_sec);             \