diff --git a/ntoskrnl/config/cmdata.c b/ntoskrnl/config/cmdata.c
index 80c91534b44..693c9ac7b26 100644
--- a/ntoskrnl/config/cmdata.c
+++ b/ntoskrnl/config/cmdata.c
@@ -54,11 +54,14 @@ UNICODE_STRING CmSymbolicLinkValueName =
 
 UNICODE_STRING CmpLoadOptions;
 
+/* TRUE if the system hives must be loaded in shared mode */
 BOOLEAN CmpShareSystemHives;
+/* TRUE when the registry is in PE mode */
+BOOLEAN CmpMiniNTBoot;
+
+ULONG CmpBootType;
 BOOLEAN CmSelfHeal = TRUE;
 BOOLEAN CmpSelfHeal = TRUE;
-BOOLEAN CmpMiniNTBoot;
-ULONG CmpBootType;
 
 USHORT CmpUnknownBusCount;
 ULONG CmpTypeCount[MaximumType + 1];
diff --git a/ntoskrnl/config/cmlazy.c b/ntoskrnl/config/cmlazy.c
index 6c128cb3954..ebac8a20532 100644
--- a/ntoskrnl/config/cmlazy.c
+++ b/ntoskrnl/config/cmlazy.c
@@ -261,9 +261,14 @@ CmpCmdInit(IN BOOLEAN SetupBoot)
     /* Testing: Force Lazy Flushing */
     CmpHoldLazyFlush = FALSE;
 
-    /* Setup the hive list if this is not a Setup boot */
+    /* Setup the system hives list if this is not a Setup boot */
     if (!SetupBoot)
         CmpInitializeHiveList();
+
+    /* Now that the system hives are loaded, if we are in PE mode,
+     * all other hives will be loaded with full access */
+    if (CmpMiniNTBoot)
+        CmpShareSystemHives = FALSE;
 }
 
 NTSTATUS
diff --git a/ntoskrnl/config/cmsysini.c b/ntoskrnl/config/cmsysini.c
index 50283132745..d401c726e1b 100644
--- a/ntoskrnl/config/cmsysini.c
+++ b/ntoskrnl/config/cmsysini.c
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ CmpInitHiveFromFile(IN PCUNICODE_STRING HiveName,
         *New = FALSE;
     }
 
-    /* Check if we're sharing hives */
+    /* Check if the system hives are opened in shared mode */
     if (CmpShareSystemHives)
     {
         /* Then force using the primary hive */
@@ -928,11 +928,9 @@ CmpInitializeSystemHive(IN PLOADER_PARAMETER_BLOCK LoaderBlock)
     if (!RtlCreateUnicodeString(&SystemHive->FileFullPath, L"\\SystemRoot\\System32\\Config\\SYSTEM"))
         return FALSE;
 
-    /* Manually set the hive as volatile, if in Live CD mode */
+    /* Load the system hive as volatile, if opened in shared mode */
     if (HiveBase && CmpShareSystemHives)
-    {
         SystemHive->Hive.HiveFlags = HIVE_VOLATILE;
-    }
 
     /* Save the boot type */
     CmpBootType = SystemHive->Hive.BaseBlock->BootType;
@@ -1508,7 +1506,7 @@ CmpInitializeHiveList(VOID)
         /* Make sure the list is set up */
         ASSERT(CmpMachineHiveList[i].Name != NULL);
 
-        /* Load the hive as volatile, if in LiveCD mode */
+        /* Load this root hive as volatile, if opened in shared mode */
         if (CmpShareSystemHives)
             CmpMachineHiveList[i].HHiveFlags |= HIVE_VOLATILE;
 
@@ -1630,7 +1628,7 @@ CmInitSystem1(VOID)
     /* Check if this is PE-boot */
     if (InitIsWinPEMode)
     {
-        /* Set registry to PE mode */
+        /* Set the registry in PE mode and load the system hives in shared mode */
         CmpMiniNTBoot = TRUE;
         CmpShareSystemHives = TRUE;
     }
diff --git a/sdk/lib/cmlib/hivewrt.c b/sdk/lib/cmlib/hivewrt.c
index eff699ac876..c4fe4d4059d 100644
--- a/sdk/lib/cmlib/hivewrt.c
+++ b/sdk/lib/cmlib/hivewrt.c
@@ -21,11 +21,7 @@ IoSetThreadHardErrorMode(
     _In_ BOOLEAN HardErrorEnabled);
 #endif
 
-/* GLOBALS *****************************************************************/
-
-#if !defined(CMLIB_HOST) && !defined(_BLDR_)
-extern BOOLEAN CmpMiniNTBoot;
-#endif
+/* GLOBALS ******************************************************************/
 
 /* PRIVATE FUNCTIONS ********************************************************/
 
@@ -477,6 +473,13 @@ HvSyncHive(
     ASSERT(!RegistryHive->ReadOnly);
     ASSERT(RegistryHive->Signature == HV_HHIVE_SIGNATURE);
 
+    /* Avoid any write operations on volatile hives */
+    if (RegistryHive->HiveFlags & HIVE_VOLATILE)
+    {
+        DPRINT("Hive 0x%p is volatile\n", RegistryHive);
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
     /*
      * Check if there's any dirty data in the vector.
      * A space with clean blocks would be pointless for
@@ -490,26 +493,6 @@ HvSyncHive(
         return TRUE;
     }
 
-    /*
-     * We are either in Live CD or we are sharing hives.
-     * In either of the cases, hives can only be read
-     * so don't do any writing operations on them.
-     */
-#if !defined(CMLIB_HOST) && !defined(_BLDR_)
-    if (CmpMiniNTBoot)
-    {
-        DPRINT("We are sharing hives or in Live CD mode, abort syncing\n");
-        return TRUE;
-    }
-#endif
-
-    /* Avoid any writing operations on volatile hives */
-    if (RegistryHive->HiveFlags & HIVE_VOLATILE)
-    {
-        DPRINT("The hive is volatile (hive 0x%p)\n", RegistryHive);
-        return TRUE;
-    }
-
 #if !defined(CMLIB_HOST) && !defined(_BLDR_)
     /* Disable hard errors before syncing the hive */
     HardErrors = IoSetThreadHardErrorMode(FALSE);