diff --git a/support/scripts/br2-external b/support/scripts/br2-external
index 01804e1220..56dc6f53ca 100755
--- a/support/scripts/br2-external
+++ b/support/scripts/br2-external
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ do_kconfig() {
         jpeg
         openssl
         skeleton
+        init
     )
 
     for br2 in "${items[@]}"; do
@@ -233,6 +234,14 @@ do_kconfig() {
         else
             printf '# No skeleton from: %s\n\n' "${br2_desc}"
         fi >>"${outputdir}/.br2-external.in.skeleton"
+
+        if [ -f "${br2_ext}/provides/init.in" ]; then
+            printf 'comment "init from: %s"\n' "${br2_desc}"
+            printf 'source "%s/provides/init.in"\n' "${br2_ext}"
+            printf '\n'
+        else
+            printf '# No init from: %s\n\n' "${br2_desc}"
+        fi >>"${outputdir}/.br2-external.in.init"
     done
 
     printf 'endmenu\n' >>"${outputdir}/.br2-external.in.menus"
diff --git a/system/Config.in b/system/Config.in
index a7a05c9af2..b3abeddd68 100644
--- a/system/Config.in
+++ b/system/Config.in
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ config BR2_INIT_NONE
 	  have to provide your own, either with a new package
 	  or with a rootfs-overlay.
 
+# Init systems from br2-external trees, if any
+source "$BR2_BASE_DIR/.br2-external.in.init"
+
 endchoice
 
 choice