diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -2097,10 +2097,40 @@
 	${_+_}@cd ${.CURDIR}; \
 		${MAKE} DESTDIR=${WSTAGEDIR} -DNO_ROOT stageworld
 
+${KSTAGEDIR}:
+	@mkdir -p "${KSTAGEDIR}"
+
+# stage-packages-kernel: For each kernel defined in ${BUILDKERNELS} (which is
+# ultimately derived from ${KERNCONF}), install the kernel into ${KSTAGEDIR}
+# as "kernel.NAME".  This is adapted from the distributekernel target, with
+# some changes specific to the packaged kernel.  In particular, we never
+# install a kernel called "kernel" here.
 stage-packages-kernel: .PHONY
-	@mkdir -p ${KSTAGEDIR}
+
+.for _kernel in ${BUILDKERNELS}
+stage-packages-kernel: stage-packages-kernel-${_kernel}
+# Run this in a separate subshell to ensure -DNO_ROOT is in effect.
+stage-packages-kernel-${_kernel}: ${KSTAGEDIR} .PHONY
 	${_+_}@cd ${.CURDIR}; \
-		${MAKE} DESTDIR=${KSTAGEDIR} -DNO_ROOT stagekernel
+	    ${MAKE} -f Makefile.inc1 -DNO_ROOT \
+	    DESTDIR=${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel} \
+	    METALOG=${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}.premeta \
+	    STAGE_KERNEL=${_kernel} \
+	    real-stage-packages-kernel
+.endfor	# _kernel in ${BUILDKERNELS}
+
+real-stage-packages-kernel: .PHONY
+	rm -f ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${STAGE_KERNEL}.premeta
+	${_+_}cd ${KRNLOBJDIR}/${STAGE_KERNEL}; \
+	    ${IMAKEENV} ${IMAKE_INSTALL} ${IMAKE_MTREE} PATH=${TMPPATH:Q} \
+	    ${MAKE} \
+	    KERNEL=${INSTKERNNAME}.${STAGE_KERNEL} \
+	    DISTBASE=/kernel.${STAGE_KERNEL} \
+	    install
+	echo "#${MTREE_MAGIC}" > ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${STAGE_KERNEL}.meta
+	sed -e "s|^./kernel.${STAGE_KERNEL}|.|" \
+	    ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${STAGE_KERNEL}.premeta | \
+	    ${METALOG_SORT_CMD} >> ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${STAGE_KERNEL}.meta
 
 stage-packages-source: .PHONY
 	@mkdir -p ${SSTAGEDIR};
@@ -2259,14 +2289,11 @@
 			|| exit 1; \
 	done
 
-_default_flavor=	-default
-.if make(*package*) && exists(${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.meta)
-. if ${MK_DEBUG_FILES} != "no"
-_debug=-dbg
-. endif
-
+# Create DTBs for systems that use them, mainly ARM.  These are always
+# installed in /boot/dtb rather than a kernel-specific directory, so
+# we just take the files from the first kernel we built.
 create-dtb-package:	.PHONY
-	@if [ -f ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/dtb.plist ]; then \
+.if exists(${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${BUILDKERNELS:[1]}/dtb.plist)
 	${SRCDIR}/release/packages/generate-ucl.lua \
 		PKGNAME "dtb" \
 		PKGGENNAME "dtb" \
@@ -2276,102 +2303,91 @@
 		PKG_WWW "${PKG_WWW}" \
 		UCLFILES "${SRCDIR}/release/packages/ucl" \
 		${SRCDIR}/release/packages/template.ucl \
-		${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/dtb.ucl ; \
+		${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${BUILDKERNELS:[1]}/dtb.ucl
 	awk -F\" ' \
 		/name/ { printf("===> Creating %s-", $$2); next } \
 		/version/ {print $$2; next } ' \
-		${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/dtb.ucl ; \
+		${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${BUILDKERNELS:[1]}/dtb.ucl
 	${PKG_CMD} -o ABI=${PKG_ABI} -o ALLOW_BASE_SHLIBS=yes \
 		-o OSVERSION="${SRCRELDATE}" \
 		create -f ${PKG_FORMAT} ${PKG_CLEVEL} -T${PKG_CTHREADS} \
-		-M ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/dtb.ucl \
-		-p ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/dtb.plist \
-		-r ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR} \
-		-o ${REPODIR}/${PKG_ABI}/${PKG_OUTPUT_DIR} ; \
-	fi
+		-M ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${BUILDKERNELS:[1]}/dtb.ucl \
+		-p ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${BUILDKERNELS:[1]}/dtb.plist \
+		-r ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${BUILDKERNELS:[1]} \
+		-o ${REPODIR}/${PKG_ABI}/${PKG_OUTPUT_DIR}
+.endif	# exists(dtb.plist)
+
+create-kernel-packages:	.PHONY real-create-kernel-packages create-dtb-package
+real-create-kernel-packages: .PHONY
+.ORDER: real-create-kernel-packages create-dtb-package
+
+.for _kernel in ${BUILDKERNELS}
+# Generate the UCL plist for a kernel.  This produces UCL for both the
+# kernel package itself and its companion -dbg package.
+create-kernel-plist-${_kernel}: .PHONY
+	rm -f ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.plist
+	rm -f ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel-dbg.plist
+	cd ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel} && \
+	${METALOG_SORT_CMD} ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}.meta | \
+	awk -f ${SRCDIR}/release/scripts/mtree-to-plist.awk -v kernel=yes
 
-create-kernel-packages:	.PHONY create-kernel-flavored-packages create-dtb-package
-create-kernel-flavored-packages:	.PHONY
-.ORDER: create-kernel-flavored-packages create-dtb-package
-
-. for flavor in "" ${_debug}
-create-kernel-flavored-packages: create-kernel-packages-flavor${flavor:C,^""$,${_default_flavor},}
-create-kernel-packages-flavor${flavor:C,^""$,${_default_flavor},}: _pkgbootstrap .PHONY
-	@cd ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR} ; \
-	${METALOG_SORT_CMD} ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.meta | \
-	awk -f ${SRCDIR}/release/scripts/mtree-to-plist.awk \
-		-v kernel=yes -v _kernconf=${INSTALLKERNEL} ; \
+# Build a package for a single kernel, which has already been installed
+# into ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}.
+real-create-kernel-packages: real-create-kernel-packages-${_kernel}
+real-create-kernel-packages-${_kernel}: create-kernel-plist-${_kernel}
 	${SRCDIR}/release/packages/generate-ucl.lua \
-		PKGNAME "kernel-${INSTALLKERNEL:tl}${flavor}" \
+		PKGNAME "kernel-${_kernel:tl}" \
 		PKGGENNAME "kernel" \
 		VERSION "${PKG_VERSION}" \
-		KERNELDIR "kernel" \
-		KERNEL_NAME "${INSTALLKERNEL}" \
-		KERNEL_FLAVOR "${flavor}" \
+		KERNEL_NAME "${_kernel}" \
+		KERNELDIR "kernel.${_kernel}" \
 		PKG_NAME_PREFIX "${PKG_NAME_PREFIX}" \
 		PKG_MAINTAINER "${PKG_MAINTAINER}" \
 		PKG_WWW "${PKG_WWW}" \
 		UCLFILES "${SRCDIR}/release/packages/ucl" \
 		${SRCDIR}/release/packages/template.ucl \
-		 ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/kernel.${INSTALLKERNEL}${flavor}.ucl ; \
+		${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.ucl
 	awk -F\" ' \
-		/name/ { printf("===> Creating %s-", $$2); next } \
-		/version/ {print $$2; next } ' \
-		${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/kernel.${INSTALLKERNEL}${flavor}.ucl ; \
+		/^name/ { printf("===> Creating %s-", $$2); next } \
+		/^version/ {print $$2; next } ' \
+		${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.ucl
 	${PKG_CMD} -o ABI=${PKG_ABI} -o ALLOW_BASE_SHLIBS=yes \
 		-o OSVERSION="${SRCRELDATE}" \
 		create -f ${PKG_FORMAT} ${PKG_CLEVEL} -T${PKG_CTHREADS} \
-		-M ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/kernel.${INSTALLKERNEL}${flavor}.ucl \
-		-p ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR}/kernel.${INSTALLKERNEL}${flavor}.plist \
-		-r ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR} \
+		-M ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.ucl \
+		-p ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.plist \
+		-r ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel} \
 		-o ${REPODIR}/${PKG_ABI}/${PKG_OUTPUT_DIR}
-. endfor
-.else
-create-kernel-packages: .PHONY
 
-.endif
-.if ${BUILDKERNELS:[#]} > 1 && ${NO_INSTALLEXTRAKERNELS} != "yes"
-. for _kernel in ${BUILDKERNELS:[2..-1]}
-.  if exists(${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}.meta)
-.   if ${MK_DEBUG_FILES} != "no"
-_debug=-dbg
-.   endif
-.   for flavor in "" ${_debug}
-create-kernel-packages: create-kernel-packages-extra-flavor${flavor:C,^""$,${_default_flavor},}-${_kernel}
-create-kernel-packages-extra-flavor${flavor:C,^""$,${_default_flavor},}-${_kernel}: _pkgbootstrap .PHONY
-	@cd ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel} ; \
-	${METALOG_SORT_CMD} ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}.meta | \
-	awk -f ${SRCDIR}/release/scripts/mtree-to-plist.awk \
-		-v kernel=yes -v _kernconf=${_kernel} ; \
+.if ${MK_DEBUG_FILES} != "no"
+# Build the -dbg package which contains the debugging symbols for the kernel.
+real-create-kernel-packages: real-create-kernel-packages-${_kernel}-dbg
+real-create-kernel-packages-${_kernel}-dbg: create-kernel-plist-${_kernel}
 	${SRCDIR}/release/packages/generate-ucl.lua \
-		PKGNAME "kernel-${_kernel:tl}${flavor}" \
-		PKGGENNAME "kernel" \
-		FORCEINCLUDE "kernel${flavor}" \
+		PKGNAME "kernel-${_kernel:tl}-dbg" \
+		PKGGENNAME "kernel-dbg" \
 		VERSION "${PKG_VERSION}" \
-		KERNEL_NAME "${_kernel:tl}" \
-		KERNEL_FLAVOR "${flavor}" \
+		KERNEL_NAME "${_kernel}" \
 		KERNELDIR "kernel.${_kernel}" \
 		PKG_NAME_PREFIX "${PKG_NAME_PREFIX}" \
 		PKG_MAINTAINER "${PKG_MAINTAINER}" \
 		PKG_WWW "${PKG_WWW}" \
 		UCLFILES "${SRCDIR}/release/packages/ucl" \
 		${SRCDIR}/release/packages/template.ucl \
-		${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.${_kernel}${flavor}.ucl ; \
+		${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel-dbg.ucl; \
 	awk -F\" ' \
 		/name/ { printf("===> Creating %s-", $$2); next } \
 		/version/ {print $$2; next } ' \
-		${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.${_kernel}${flavor}.ucl ; \
+		${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel-dbg.ucl ; \
 	${PKG_CMD} -o ABI=${PKG_ABI} -o ALLOW_BASE_SHLIBS=yes \
 		-o OSVERSION="${SRCRELDATE}" \
 		create -f ${PKG_FORMAT} ${PKG_CLEVEL} -T${PKG_CTHREADS} \
-		-M ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.${_kernel}${flavor}.ucl \
-		-p ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel.${_kernel}${flavor}.plist \
+		-M ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel-dbg.ucl \
+		-p ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel}/kernel-dbg.plist \
 		-r ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.${_kernel} \
 		-o ${REPODIR}/${PKG_ABI}/${PKG_OUTPUT_DIR}
-.   endfor
-.  endif
-. endfor
-.endif
+.endif	# ${MK_DEBUG_FILES} != "no"
+.endfor	# _kernel in ${BUILDKERNELS}
 
 sign-packages:	.PHONY
 	${_+_}@cd ${.CURDIR}; \
diff --git a/UPDATING b/UPDATING
--- a/UPDATING
+++ b/UPDATING
@@ -27,6 +27,20 @@
 	world, or to merely disable the most expensive debugging functionality
 	at runtime, run "ln -s 'abort:false,junk:false' /etc/malloc.conf".)
 
+20251218:
+	Packaged kernels will now always be installed in /boot/kernel.NAME,
+	rather than the first built kernel (usually GENERIC) being installed
+	in /boot/kernel.  To avoid breaking existing bootloader configurations,
+	a symlink will be maintained at /boot/kernel pointing to an installed
+	kernel.  After updating, you may want to check that the symlink looks
+	correct, and/or update explicitly set "kernel" in /boot/loader.conf.
+
+	For powerpc64le users, the symlink will not be created since /boot
+	is a FAT filesystem.  Instead, you MUST edit /boot/etc/kboot.conf
+	to update the kernel filename.
+
+	This change only affects pkgbase users.
+
 20251212:
 	Timeouts for SCSI bus probing have been drastically reduced. They are
 	now tuneables that can be set in the boot loader should you have a
diff --git a/etc/mtree/BSD.usr.dist b/etc/mtree/BSD.usr.dist
--- a/etc/mtree/BSD.usr.dist
+++ b/etc/mtree/BSD.usr.dist
@@ -843,6 +843,10 @@
                 ..
             ..
         ..
+	pkg
+	    triggers
+	    ..
+	..
         security
         ..
         sendmail
diff --git a/release/packages/ucl/kernel-all.ucl b/release/packages/ucl/kernel-all.ucl
--- a/release/packages/ucl/kernel-all.ucl
+++ b/release/packages/ucl/kernel-all.ucl
@@ -1,9 +1,21 @@
-comment = "FreeBSD ${KERNEL_NAME} Kernel ${KERNEL_FLAVOR}"
+comment = "FreeBSD ${KERNEL_NAME} kernel"
 
 desc = <<EOD
-FreeBSD ${KERNEL_NAME} Kernel ${KERNEL_FLAVOR}
+This package contains the operating system kernel, which is required to boot
+the system on physical and virtualised hardware.  A kernel is not required
+in a jail(8) environment.
+
+This kernel was built from the configuration "${KERNEL_NAME}" and installs in
+/boot/${KERNELDIR}.
 EOD
 
+deps {
+	# Make sure the kernel package triggers are installed.
+	"kernel-support": {
+		version = "${VERSION}"
+	},
+}
+
 annotations {
 	set = kernels
 }
diff --git a/release/packages/ucl/kernel-dbg-all.ucl b/release/packages/ucl/kernel-dbg-all.ucl
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/packages/ucl/kernel-dbg-all.ucl
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+comment = "FreeBSD ${KERNEL_NAME} kernel (debugging symbols)"
+
+desc = <<EOD
+This package contains debugging symbols for the operating system kernel,
+installed in /usr/lib/debug.  This allows symbolic debugging of a kernel
+crash dump.
+EOD
+
+annotations {
+	set = kernels
+}
diff --git a/release/packages/ucl/kernel-support-all.ucl b/release/packages/ucl/kernel-support-all.ucl
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/packages/ucl/kernel-support-all.ucl
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: ISC
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Lexi Winter <ivy@FreeBSD.org>
+ *
+ * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
+ * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+ * copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
+ * WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+ * MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
+ * ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
+ * WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
+ * ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
+ * OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+comment = "Kernel packaging support"
+
+desc = <<EOD
+This package contains scripts to manage installed kernel packages.
+EOD
+
+annotations {
+	set = "base,base-jail"
+}
diff --git a/release/scripts/mtree-to-plist.awk b/release/scripts/mtree-to-plist.awk
--- a/release/scripts/mtree-to-plist.awk
+++ b/release/scripts/mtree-to-plist.awk
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@
 			tags="package=dtb"
 		} else {
 			tags="package=kernel"
-			if (_kernconf != "") {
-				tags=tags""_kernconf
-			}
 		}
 	}
 	if (length(tags) == 0)
@@ -68,9 +65,6 @@
 	}
 	if (kernel != "" && pkgname != "dtb") {
 		output="kernel"
-		if (_kernconf != "") {
-			output=output"."_kernconf
-		}
 		if ($1 ~ /^\/usr\/lib\/debug\/boot/) {
 			output=output"-dbg.plist"
 		} else {
diff --git a/share/Makefile b/share/Makefile
--- a/share/Makefile
+++ b/share/Makefile
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 	${_monetdef} \
 	${_msgdef} \
 	${_numericdef} \
+	pkg \
 	${_sendmail} \
 	skel \
 	${_snmp} \
diff --git a/share/man/man7/freebsd-base.7 b/share/man/man7/freebsd-base.7
--- a/share/man/man7/freebsd-base.7
+++ b/share/man/man7/freebsd-base.7
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 .\" ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
 .\" OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 .\"
-.Dd December 4, 2025
+.Dd December 25, 2025
 .Dt FREEBSD-BASE 7
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -182,6 +182,30 @@
 .It kernels
 All available system kernels.
 .El
+.Sh MANAGING PACKAGED KERNELS
+A packaged system kernel will be installed to a directory under
+.Pa /boot
+named after the kernel configuration.
+For example, the GENERIC kernel, which is the default kernel on most systems,
+will be installed to
+.Pa /boot/kernel.GENERIC .
+This behaviour differs from non-packaged kernels, and packaged kernels prior to
+.Fx 16.0 ,
+where the default kernel was typically installed in
+.Pa /boot/kernel .
+.Pp
+For compatibility with existing boot loader configurations, a symlink will be
+maintained at
+.Pa /boot/kernel
+which links to a currently installed kernel.
+If the symlink already exists and refers to a valid installed kernel, it will
+not be modified, so the administrator may change the symlink target if the
+automatically detected kernel is not correct.
+.Pp
+Alternatively, the default kernel may be changed by setting the
+.Sy kernel
+option in
+.Pa /boot/loader.conf .
 .Sh EXAMPLES
 Install the
 .Xr vi 1
@@ -218,6 +242,7 @@
 .Ed
 .Sh SEE ALSO
 .Xr build 7 ,
+.Xr loader.conf 5 ,
 .Xr pkg 8 ,
 .Xr src.conf 5
 .Sh HISTORY
diff --git a/share/pkg/Makefile b/share/pkg/Makefile
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/pkg/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+TRIGGERDIR=	/usr/share/pkg/triggers
+
+FILESGROUPS=	KERNSUP
+
+KERNSUP=	kernel-link.ucl
+KERNSUPPACKAGE=	kernel-support
+KERNSUPDIR=	${TRIGGERDIR}
+
+.include <bsd.prog.mk>
diff --git a/share/pkg/kernel-link.ucl b/share/pkg/kernel-link.ucl
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/pkg/kernel-link.ucl
@@ -0,0 +1,197 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: ISC
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Lexi Winter <ivy@FreeBSD.org>
+ *
+ * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
+ * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+ * copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
+ * WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+ * MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
+ * ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
+ * WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
+ * ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
+ * OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Kernel package handling.  We maintain /boot/kernel as a symlink to
+ * an installed kernel as follows:
+ *
+ * (1) If /boot/kernel is a non-empty directory, do nothing.  We assume
+ *     the user is managing the default kernel themselves.
+ *
+ * (2) If /boot/kernel is an empty directory, remove it.  This can happen
+ *     when switching from old-style kernel naming to the new kernel.NAME
+ *     style, and we need to handle this case to avoid breaking the system.
+ *
+ * If we are still running at this point, then /boot/kernel either does
+ * not exist, or is a symlink.
+ *
+ * (3) If it is a symlink, and the symlink target exists, do nothing.
+ *     This allows the user to manually change which kernel the symlink
+ *     points at.
+ *
+ * (4) If it doesn't exist, or it's a symlink and the symlink target
+ *     doesn't exist, create it as a symlink to an installed kernel.
+ */
+
+path_glob: [
+	"/boot/kernel.*",
+]
+
+trigger: {
+	type: lua
+	sandbox: false
+	script: <<EOD
+
+BOOT_DIR = "/boot"			-- Where kernels live.
+KERNEL_LINK = BOOT_DIR.."/kernel"	-- Where the symlink lives.
+
+-- Check if an installed kernel seems valid.
+local is_valid_kernel = function(name)
+	local path = BOOT_DIR.."/kernel."..name.."/kernel"
+	local f = io.open(path, "r")
+
+	if not f then
+		return false
+	end
+
+	io.close(f)
+	return true
+end
+
+-- Determine the default kernel we would use to update the symlink.
+-- This is a GENERIC kernel if we can find one, otherwise just pick
+-- the first one we find.
+local get_default_kernel = function()
+	local kernels = {}
+
+	ret = pkg.readdir(BOOT_DIR)
+	if ret == nil then
+		-- /boot doesn't exist or something strange happened,
+		-- signal an error.
+		return nil
+	end
+
+	for _,dir in ipairs(ret) do
+		local kname = dir:match("^kernel%.(.*)$")
+		if kname ~= nil and is_valid_kernel(kname) then
+			table.insert(kernels, kname)
+		end
+	end
+
+	-- Did we find any kernels?
+	if #kernels == 0 then
+		return nil
+	end
+
+	-- If we have one of the default GENERIC kernels we know
+	-- about, pick that as the default kernel.
+	local generic_kernels = {
+		["GENERIC"] = true,
+		["GENERIC64"] = true,
+		["GENERIC64LE"] = true,
+	}
+
+	for _,kernel in ipairs(kernels) do
+		if generic_kernels[kernel] then
+			return "kernel."..kernel
+		end
+	end
+
+	-- If not, just return the first kernel we found.
+	return kernels[1]
+end
+
+-- Determine if we should do anything with /boot/kernel.
+local should_update_kernel = function()
+	kstat = pkg.stat(KERNEL_LINK)
+
+	-- If /boot/kernel doesn't exist at all, we want to create it.
+	if kstat == nil then
+		return true
+	end
+
+	-- If it's a directory, we're dealing with one of two legacy
+	-- cases: if it's empty, we want to remove it and create the
+	-- symlink in its place; if not, it probably already contains
+	-- a kernel and we should do nothing.
+	if kstat.type == "dir" then
+		return (os.remove(KERNEL_LINK) ~= nil)
+	end
+
+	-- At this point, it should be a symlink.  If it's not, something
+	-- strange is going on, so just abort.
+	if kstat.type ~= "lnk" then
+		return false
+	end
+
+	-- Check if the target directory exists.
+	ret = pkg.readdir(KERNEL_LINK)
+
+	-- If we couldn't readdir(), then it's an invalid link and we
+	-- should update it.
+	if ret == nil then
+		return (os.remove(KERNEL_LINK) ~= nil)
+	end
+
+	-- If the symlink target exists but is an empty directory, we also
+	-- want to update it.
+	if #ret == 0 then
+		return (os.remove(KERNEL_LINK) ~= nil)
+	end
+
+	-- Otherwise, it's not empty, so do nothing.
+	return false
+end
+
+-- Perform the symlink update.
+do_update_kernel = function(kname)
+	if not os.remove(KERNEL_LINK) then
+		return false
+	end
+
+	ret = pkg.symlink(BOOT_DIR.."/"..kname, KERNEL_LINK)
+	if not ret then
+		return false
+	end
+
+	return true
+end
+
+local main = function()
+	if not should_update_kernel() then
+		return
+	end
+
+	-- Find a suitable default kernel.
+	local default_kernel = get_default_kernel()
+	if not default_kernel then
+		return
+	end
+
+	if not do_update_kernel(default_kernel) then
+		print("WARNING: Failed to update the /boot/kernel symlink.")
+		print("         The system may fail to reboot correctly.")
+		return
+	end
+
+	-- Make sure we very clearly inform the user of what we did, since
+	-- choosing the wrong kernel will render the system unbootable.
+	print("")
+	print("NOTE: The default kernel symlink at "..KERNEL_LINK.." has been updated to point at")
+	print("      "..BOOT_DIR.."/"..default_kernel..".")
+	print("")
+	print("      If this is not correct, either update the symlink to point at the correct")
+	print("      kernel, or manually set 'kernel' in "..BOOT_DIR.."/loader.conf.  For more details,")
+	print("      refer to freebsd-base(7).")
+	print("")
+end
+
+main()
+
+EOD
+}