diff --git a/meta/classes/kernel.bbclass b/meta/classes/kernel.bbclass
index deccc0e58c..a687e5259d 100644
--- a/meta/classes/kernel.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/kernel.bbclass
@@ -43,9 +43,17 @@ KERNEL_VERSION_PKG_NAME = "${@legitimize_package_name(d.getVar('KERNEL_VERSION')
 KERNEL_VERSION_PKG_NAME[vardepvalue] = "${LINUX_VERSION}"
 
 python __anonymous () {
+    import re
     pn = d.getVar("PN")
     kpn = d.getVar("KERNEL_PACKAGE_NAME")
 
+    # KERNEL_VERSION cannot be used here as it would cause
+    # "basehash value changed" issues.
+    kver =  d.getVar("PV")
+    kverp = re.compile('[\.-]')
+    kvparts = kverp.split(kver)
+    kverstr = str(kvparts[0])+str(kvparts[1]).zfill(2)+str(kvparts[2]).zfill(3)
+
     # XXX Remove this after bug 11905 is resolved
     #  FILES:${KERNEL_PACKAGE_NAME}-dev doesn't expand correctly
     if kpn == pn:
@@ -117,6 +125,9 @@ python __anonymous () {
         d.setVar('PKG:%s-image-%s' % (kname,typelower), '%s-image-%s-${KERNEL_VERSION_PKG_NAME}' % (kname, typelower))
         d.setVar('ALLOW_EMPTY:%s-image-%s' % (kname, typelower), '1')
         d.setVar('pkg_postinst:%s-image-%s' % (kname,typelower), """set +e
+if [ "${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST_USE_UPDATE_ALTERNATIVES}" != "0" ]; then
+    update-alternatives --install ${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST}/%s %s %s-${KERNEL_VERSION_NAME} %s
+else
 if [ -n "$D" ]; then
     ln -sf %s-${KERNEL_VERSION} $D/${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST}/%s > /dev/null 2>&1
 else
@@ -126,14 +137,19 @@ else
         install -m 0644 ${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST}/%s-${KERNEL_VERSION} ${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST}/%s
     fi
 fi
+fi
 set -e
-""" % (type, type, type, type, type, type, type))
+""" % (type, type, type, kverstr, type, type, type, type, type, type, type))
         d.setVar('pkg_postrm:%s-image-%s' % (kname,typelower), """set +e
+if [ "${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST_USE_UPDATE_ALTERNATIVES}" != "0" ]; then
+    update-alternatives --remove %s %s-${KERNEL_VERSION_NAME}
+else
 if [ -f "${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST}/%s" -o -L "${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST}/%s" ]; then
     rm -f ${KERNEL_IMAGEDEST}/%s  > /dev/null 2>&1
 fi
+fi
 set -e
-""" % (type, type, type))
+""" % (type, type, type, type, type))
 
 
     image = d.getVar('INITRAMFS_IMAGE')
@@ -214,6 +230,7 @@ KERNEL_RELEASE ?= "${KERNEL_VERSION}"
 # The directory where built kernel lies in the kernel tree
 KERNEL_OUTPUT_DIR ?= "arch/${ARCH}/boot"
 KERNEL_IMAGEDEST ?= "boot"
+KERNEL_IMAGEDEST_USE_UPDATE_ALTERNATIVES ?= "0"
 
 #
 # configuration