diff --git a/mantle/kola/tests/ignition/qemufailure.go b/mantle/kola/tests/ignition/qemufailure.go
index 681f2295a2..7208101c63 100644
--- a/mantle/kola/tests/ignition/qemufailure.go
+++ b/mantle/kola/tests/ignition/qemufailure.go
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ package ignition
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -28,6 +31,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/coreos/coreos-assembler/mantle/platform/conf"
 )
 
+var console bool
+
 func init() {
 	register.RegisterTest(&register.Test{
 		Name:        "coreos.ignition.failure",
@@ -37,6 +42,13 @@ func init() {
 		Platforms:   []string{"qemu"},
 		Tags:        []string{"ignition"},
 	})
+	register.RegisterTest(&register.Test{
+		Name:        "coreos.unique.boot.failure",
+		ClusterSize: 0,
+		Description: "Verify boot fails if there are pre-existing boot filesystems.",
+		Platforms:   []string{"qemu"},
+		Run:         runBootfsFailure,
+	})
 }
 
 func runIgnitionFailure(c cluster.TestCluster) {
@@ -45,6 +57,12 @@ func runIgnitionFailure(c cluster.TestCluster) {
 	}
 }
 
+func runBootfsFailure(c cluster.TestCluster) {
+	if err := bootfsFailure(c); err != nil {
+		c.Fatal(err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
 func ignitionFailure(c cluster.TestCluster) error {
 	// We can't create files in / due to the immutable bit OSTree creates, so
 	// this is a convenient way to test Ignition failure.
@@ -101,3 +119,104 @@ func ignitionFailure(c cluster.TestCluster) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 }
+
+// Attach a block device which has a pre-existing boot filesystem on it
+func bootfsFailure(c cluster.TestCluster) error {
+	builder := platform.NewQemuBuilder()
+	// inserting log file for troubleshooting
+	// file located in coreos-assembler directory
+	builder.InheritConsole = console
+	if !console {
+		builder.ConsoleFile = "console.txt"
+		fmt.Println("Console log saved...")
+	}
+
+	failConfig, err := conf.EmptyIgnition().Render(conf.FailWarnings)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "creating empty config")
+	}
+	defer builder.Close()
+	builder.SetConfig(failConfig)
+
+	// get current path and create tmp dir
+	fakeBoot := "fakeboot"
+	tempPath, err := builder.TempFile(fakeBoot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	pathName := tempPath.Name()
+	fmt.Printf("Temp path: %v\n", pathName)
+	lastElement := path.Base(pathName)
+
+	createBoot, err := os.Create(lastElement)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("createBoot: %v\n", createBoot.Name())
+
+	// Truncate the file to 1 gigabyte
+	const oneGB = 1 << 30
+	err = createBoot.Truncate(oneGB)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	cmd := exec.Command("mkfs.ext4", "-L", "boot", createBoot.Name())
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		c.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// BackingFormat: "raw" casues timeout
+	err = builder.AddDisk(&platform.Disk{
+		BackingFile: kola.QEMUOptions.DiskImage,
+		// BackingFormat: "raw",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = builder.AddBootDisk(&platform.Disk{
+		BackingFile: kola.QEMUOptions.DiskImage,
+	})
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	builder.MemoryMiB = 1024
+	builder.Firmware = kola.QEMUOptions.Firmware
+	inst, err := builder.Exec()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer inst.Destroy()
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Minute)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	errchan := make(chan error)
+	go func() {
+		err := inst.WaitAll(ctx)
+		if err == nil {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("bootfs unexpectedly succeeded")
+		} else if err == platform.ErrInitramfsEmergency {
+			// The expected case
+			err = nil
+		} else {
+			err = errors.Wrapf(err, "expected initramfs emergency.target error")
+		}
+		errchan <- err
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		if err := inst.Kill(); err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to kill the vm instance")
+		}
+		return errors.Wrapf(ctx.Err(), "timed out waiting for initramfs error")
+	case err := <-errchan:
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+}