diff --git a/rc/bin/inst/mountdist b/rc/bin/inst/mountdist
index 60ebdf2f7..4c3fb1d3f 100755
--- a/rc/bin/inst/mountdist
+++ b/rc/bin/inst/mountdist
@@ -77,7 +77,10 @@ case go
 
 	mountstatus=x
 	while(! ~ $mountstatus ''){
-		prompt -w '' 'Distribution disk' $fat $x9660
+		default=()
+		if(! ~ $#cdboot 0 && ! ~ $#x9660 0)
+			default=(-d $x9660(1))
+		prompt $default 'Distribution disk' $fat $x9660
 		disk=$rd
 
 		srvmedia=()
diff --git a/sys/lib/dist/pc/plan9.ini.cd b/sys/lib/dist/pc/plan9.ini.cd
index 0b36ebbe8..aab8c4883 100644
--- a/sys/lib/dist/pc/plan9.ini.cd
+++ b/sys/lib/dist/pc/plan9.ini.cd
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # config for initial cd booting
 *nomp=1
+cdboot=yes
 mouseport=ask
 monitor=ask
 vgasize=ask