diff --git a/boot/boot-stage-1-init.sh b/boot/boot-stage-1-init.sh
index cd5311beeca8..391c24e7b3f3 100644
--- a/boot/boot-stage-1-init.sh
+++ b/boot/boot-stage-1-init.sh
@@ -45,9 +45,15 @@ for o in $(cat /proc/cmdline); do
             # Show each command.
             set -x
             ;;
-        debug1)
+        debug1) # stop right away
             fail
             ;;
+        debug1devices) # stop after loading modules and creating device nodes
+            debug1devices=1
+            ;;
+        debug1mounts) # stop after mounting file systems
+            debug1mounts=1
+            ;;
     esac
 done
 
@@ -67,6 +73,8 @@ udevd --daemon
 udevtrigger
 udevsettle
 
+if test -n "$debug1devices"; then fail; fi
+
 
 # Function for mounting a file system.
 mountFS() {
@@ -189,6 +197,8 @@ else
     
 fi
 
+if test -n "$debug1mounts"; then fail; fi
+
 
 # Start stage 2.
 # !!! Note: we can't use pivot_root here (the kernel gods have