diff --git a/cmd/mkuimage/main.go b/cmd/mkuimage/main.go
index 1782edb..7553fad 100644
--- a/cmd/mkuimage/main.go
+++ b/cmd/mkuimage/main.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/dustin/go-humanize"
 	"github.com/u-root/gobusybox/src/pkg/golang"
 	"github.com/u-root/mkuimage/uimage"
+	"github.com/u-root/mkuimage/uimage/templates"
 	"github.com/u-root/mkuimage/uimage/uflags"
 	"github.com/u-root/uio/llog"
 )
@@ -26,6 +27,11 @@ var (
 	errEmptyFilesArg = errors.New("empty argument to -files")
 )
 
+var (
+	config     = flag.String("config", "", "Config to pick from templates")
+	configFile = flag.String("config-file", "", "Config file to read from (default: finds .mkuimage.yaml in cwd or parents)")
+)
+
 // checkArgs checks for common mistakes that cause confusion.
 //  1. -files as the last argument
 //  2. -files followed by any switch, indicating a shell expansion problem
@@ -61,19 +67,12 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	var sh string
-	if golang.Default().GOOS != "plan9" {
-		sh = "gosh"
-	}
-
 	env := golang.Default(golang.DisableCGO())
 	f := &uflags.Flags{
 		Commands: uflags.CommandFlags{
 			Builder:   "bb",
 			BuildOpts: &golang.BuildOpts{},
 		},
-		Init:          "init",
-		Shell:         sh,
 		ArchiveFormat: "cpio",
 		OutputFile:    defaultFile(env),
 	}
@@ -83,15 +82,32 @@ func main() {
 	l.RegisterVerboseFlag(flag.CommandLine, "v", slog.LevelDebug)
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	var tpl *templates.Templates
+	var err error
+	if *configFile != "" {
+		tpl, err = templates.TemplateFromFile(*configFile)
+		if err != nil {
+			l.Errorf("Failed to read template: %v", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+	} else {
+		tpl, err = templates.Template()
+		// Only complain about not finding a template if user requested a templated config.
+		if err != nil && *config != "" {
+			l.Errorf("Could not find template file: %v", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+	}
+
 	l.Infof("Build environment: %s", env)
 	if env.GOOS != "linux" {
 		l.Warnf("GOOS is not linux. Did you mean to set GOOS=linux?")
 	}
 
 	// Main is in a separate functions so defers run on return.
-	if err := Main(l, env, f); err != nil {
+	if err := Main(l, env, tpl, f); err != nil {
 		l.Errorf("Build error: %v", err)
-		return
+		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	if stat, err := os.Stat(f.OutputFile); err == nil && f.ArchiveFormat == "cpio" {
@@ -123,7 +139,7 @@ func defaultFile(env *golang.Environ) string {
 
 // Main is a separate function so defers are run on return, which they wouldn't
 // on exit.
-func Main(l *llog.Logger, env *golang.Environ, f *uflags.Flags) error {
+func Main(l *llog.Logger, env *golang.Environ, tpl *templates.Templates, f *uflags.Flags) error {
 	v, err := env.Version()
 	if err != nil {
 		l.Infof("Could not get environment's Go version, using runtime's version: %v", err)
@@ -162,7 +178,21 @@ func Main(l *llog.Logger, env *golang.Environ, f *uflags.Flags) error {
 		uimage.WithBaseArchive(uimage.DefaultRamfs()),
 		uimage.WithCPIOOutput(defaultFile(env)),
 	}
-	more, err := f.Modifiers(flag.Args()...)
+	// Evaluate template first -- template settings may always be
+	// appended/overridden by further flag-based settings.
+	if *config != "" {
+		mods, err := tpl.Uimage(*config)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		m = append(m, mods...)
+	}
+	pkgs := flag.Args()
+	// Expand command templates.
+	if tpl != nil {
+		pkgs = tpl.CommandsFor(pkgs...)
+	}
+	more, err := f.Modifiers(pkgs...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/mkuimage/main_test.go b/cmd/mkuimage/main_test.go
index efd5b65..fdcf756 100644
--- a/cmd/mkuimage/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mkuimage/main_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"syscall"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/u-root/gobusybox/src/pkg/golang"
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ func TestUrootCmdline(t *testing.T) {
 		name       string
 		env        []string
 		args       []string
-		err        error
+		exitCode   int
 		validators []itest.ArchiveValidator
 	}
 
@@ -74,7 +75,6 @@ func TestUrootCmdline(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "include one extra file",
 			args: []string{"-nocmd", "-files=/bin/bash"},
 			env:  []string{"GO111MODULE=off"},
-			err:  nil,
 			validators: []itest.ArchiveValidator{
 				itest.HasFile{Path: "bin/bash"},
 			},
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ func TestUrootCmdline(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "fix usage of an absolute path",
 			args: []string{"-nocmd", fmt.Sprintf("-files=%s:/bin", sampledir)},
 			env:  []string{"GO111MODULE=off"},
-			err:  nil,
 			validators: []itest.ArchiveValidator{
 				itest.HasFile{Path: "/bin/foo"},
 				itest.HasFile{Path: "/bin/bar"},
@@ -122,7 +121,6 @@ func TestUrootCmdline(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "uinitcmd",
 			args: []string{"-uinitcmd=echo foobar fuzz", "-defaultsh=", "github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/init", "github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/echo"},
-			err:  nil,
 			validators: []itest.ArchiveValidator{
 				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bin/uinit", "../bbin/echo")},
 				itest.HasContent{
@@ -134,7 +132,6 @@ func TestUrootCmdline(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "binary build",
 			args: []string{"-build=binary", "-defaultsh=", "github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/init", "github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/echo"},
-			err:  nil,
 			validators: []itest.ArchiveValidator{
 				itest.HasFile{Path: "bin/init"},
 				itest.HasFile{Path: "bin/echo"},
@@ -181,6 +178,56 @@ func TestUrootCmdline(t *testing.T) {
 				"github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/echo",
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "template config",
+			args: []string{"-config-file=./testdata/test-config.yaml", "-v", "-config=coreconf"},
+			validators: []itest.ArchiveValidator{
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.CharDev("dev/tty", 0o666, 5, 0)},
+				itest.HasFile{Path: "bbin/bb"},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bbin/echo", "bb")},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bbin/ip", "bb")},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bbin/init", "bb")},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("init", "bbin/init")},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bin/sh", "../bbin/echo")},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bin/uinit", "../bbin/echo")},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bin/defaultsh", "../bbin/echo")},
+				itest.HasContent{
+					Path:    "etc/uinit.flags",
+					Content: "\"script.sh\"",
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "template command",
+			args: []string{"-config-file=./testdata/test-config.yaml", "-v", "core"},
+			validators: []itest.ArchiveValidator{
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.CharDev("dev/tty", 0o666, 5, 0)},
+				itest.HasFile{Path: "bbin/bb"},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bbin/echo", "bb")},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bbin/ip", "bb")},
+				itest.HasRecord{R: cpio.Symlink("bbin/init", "bb")},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "template config not found",
+			args:     []string{"-config-file=./testdata/test-config.yaml", "-v", "-config=foobar"},
+			exitCode: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "builder not found",
+			args:     []string{"-v", "build=source"},
+			exitCode: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "template file not found",
+			args:     []string{"-v", "-config-file=./testdata/doesnotexist"},
+			exitCode: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "config not found with no default template",
+			args:     []string{"-v", "-config=foo"},
+			exitCode: 1,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range append(noCmdTests, bareTests...) {
@@ -192,18 +239,24 @@ func TestUrootCmdline(t *testing.T) {
 
 			g.Go(func() error {
 				var err error
-				f1, sum1, err = buildIt(t, execPath, tt.args, tt.env, tt.err, gocoverdir)
+				f1, sum1, err = buildIt(t, execPath, tt.args, tt.env, gocoverdir)
 				return err
 			})
 
 			g.Go(func() error {
 				var err error
-				f2, sum2, err = buildIt(t, execPath, tt.args, tt.env, tt.err, gocoverdir)
+				f2, sum2, err = buildIt(t, execPath, tt.args, tt.env, gocoverdir)
 				return err
 			})
 
-			if err := g.Wait(); err != nil {
-				t.Fatal(err)
+			var exitErr *exec.ExitError
+			if err := g.Wait(); errors.As(err, &exitErr) {
+				if ec := exitErr.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus).ExitStatus(); ec != tt.exitCode {
+					t.Errorf("mkuimage exit code = %d, want %d", ec, tt.exitCode)
+				}
+				return
+			} else if err != nil {
+				return
 			}
 
 			a, err := itest.ReadArchive(f1.Name())
@@ -225,7 +278,7 @@ func TestUrootCmdline(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func buildIt(t *testing.T, execPath string, args, env []string, want error, gocoverdir string) (*os.File, []byte, error) {
+func buildIt(t *testing.T, execPath string, args, env []string, gocoverdir string) (*os.File, []byte, error) {
 	t.Helper()
 	initramfs, err := os.CreateTemp(t.TempDir(), "u-root-")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -241,10 +294,10 @@ func buildIt(t *testing.T, execPath string, args, env []string, want error, goco
 	c.Env = append(os.Environ(), env...)
 	c.Env = append(c.Env, golang.Default().Env()...)
 	c.Env = append(c.Env, "GOCOVERDIR="+gocoverdir)
-	if out, err := c.CombinedOutput(); err != want {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("Error: %v\nOutput:\n%s", err, out)
-	} else if err != nil {
-		return initramfs, nil, err
+	out, err := c.CombinedOutput()
+	t.Logf("output for %s:\n%s", t.Name(), out)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
 	h1 := sha256.New()
diff --git a/cmd/mkuimage/testdata/test-config.yaml b/cmd/mkuimage/testdata/test-config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c30b2ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/mkuimage/testdata/test-config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+commands:
+  core:
+    - github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/ip
+    - github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/init
+    - github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/echo
+
+  minimal:
+    - github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/ls
+    - github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/init
+
+  plan9:
+    - github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/ls
+    - github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/init
+    - github.com/u-root/u-root/cmds/core/cat
+
+configs:
+  plan9:
+    goarch: amd64
+    goos: plan9
+    build_tags: [grpcnotrace]
+    files:
+      - /bin/bash
+    init: init
+    uinit: cat script.sh
+    shell: cat
+    commands:
+      - builder: bb
+        commands: [plan9]
+
+  coreconf:
+    build_tags: [grpcnotrace]
+    init: init
+    uinit: echo script.sh
+    shell: echo
+    commands:
+      - builder: bb
+        commands: [core, minimal]
diff --git a/uimage/uimage.go b/uimage/uimage.go
index f6cd8c0..ac438e5 100644
--- a/uimage/uimage.go
+++ b/uimage/uimage.go
@@ -542,6 +542,9 @@ func WithUinitCommand(cmd string) Modifier {
 // and append arguments from both the kernel command-line
 // (uroot.uinitargs) as well as those specified in cmd.
 func WithUinit(arg0 string, args ...string) Modifier {
+	if arg0 == "" && len(args) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return func(opts *Opts) error {
 		opts.UinitCmd = arg0
 		opts.UinitArgs = args
@@ -554,6 +557,9 @@ func WithUinit(arg0 string, args ...string) Modifier {
 // This can be an absolute path or the name of a command included in
 // Commands.
 func WithInit(arg0 string) Modifier {
+	if arg0 == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return func(opts *Opts) error {
 		opts.InitCmd = arg0
 		return nil
@@ -566,6 +572,9 @@ func WithInit(arg0 string) Modifier {
 // This can be an absolute path or the name of a command included in
 // Commands.
 func WithShell(arg0 string) Modifier {
+	if arg0 == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return func(opts *Opts) error {
 		opts.DefaultShell = arg0
 		return nil