diff --git a/abootimg.c b/abootimg.c
index a55c5c8..2ee75ea 100644
--- a/abootimg.c
+++ b/abootimg.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ void print_usage(void)
  "\n"
  "      bootimg has to be valid Android Boot Image, or the update will abort.\n"
  "\n"
- " abootimg --create <bootimg> [-c \"param=value\"] [-f <bootimg.cfg>] -k <kernel> -r <ramdisk> [-s <secondstage>]\n"
+ " abootimg --create <bootimg> [-c \"param=value\"] [-f <bootimg.cfg>] -k <kernel> [-r <ramdisk>] [-s <secondstage>]\n"
  "\n"
  "      create a new image from scratch.\n"
  "      if the boot image file is a block device, sanity check will be performed to avoid overwriting a existing\n"
@@ -291,7 +291,11 @@ int check_boot_img_header(t_abootimg* img)
 
   if (!(img->header.ramdisk_size)) {
     fprintf(stderr, "%s: ramdisk size is null\n", img->fname);
-    return 1;
+    /*
+     * On newer AOSP devices, system can be used as rootfs,
+     * resulting in no initrd being used. Thus this case should
+     * not be fatal.
+     */
   }
 
   unsigned page_size = img->header.page_size;
@@ -569,16 +573,18 @@ void update_images(t_abootimg *img)
   else if (img->kernel) {
     // if kernel is updated, copy the ramdisk from original image
     char* r = malloc(rsize);
-    if (!r)
-      abort_perror("");
-    if (fseek(img->stream, roffset, SEEK_SET))
-      abort_perror(img->fname);
-    size_t rb = fread(r, rsize, 1, img->stream);
-    if ((rb!=1) || ferror(img->stream))
-      abort_perror(img->fname);
-    else if (feof(img->stream))
-      abort_printf("%s: cannot read ramdisk\n", img->fname);
-    img->ramdisk = r;
+    if (rsize != 0) {
+      if (!r)
+        abort_perror("");
+      if (fseek(img->stream, roffset, SEEK_SET))
+        abort_perror(img->fname);
+      size_t rb = fread(r, rsize, 1, img->stream);
+      if ((rb!=1) || ferror(img->stream))
+        abort_perror(img->fname);
+      else if (feof(img->stream))
+        abort_printf("%s: cannot read ramdisk\n", img->fname);
+      img->ramdisk = r;
+    }
   }
 
   if (img->second_fname) {
@@ -932,7 +938,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
       break;
 
     case create:
-      if (!bootimg->kernel_fname || !bootimg->ramdisk_fname) {
+      if (!bootimg->kernel_fname) {
         print_usage();
         break;
       }