diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6b14d43a..8f0f4751 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 
 - Return an error during `wwctl container import` if archive filename includes a colon. #1371
 - Correctly extract smbios asset key during Grub boot. #1291
+- Refactor of `wwinit/init` to more properly address rootfs options. #1098
 
 ## v4.5.7, 2024-09-11
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTORS.md b/CONTRIBUTORS.md
index b804d818..86c40763 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTORS.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTORS.md
@@ -38,3 +38,4 @@
 * Tobias Poschwatta <poschwatta@zib.de>
 * Josh Burks <jeburks2@asu.edu>
 * Elmar Pruesse <pruessee@njhealth.org> @epruesse
+* Adam Michel <elfurbe@furbism.com> [@elfurbe](https://github.com/elfurbe)
diff --git a/overlays/wwinit/rootfs/init b/overlays/wwinit/rootfs/init
index fadc0a91..d9970af8 100755
--- a/overlays/wwinit/rootfs/init
+++ b/overlays/wwinit/rootfs/init
@@ -5,52 +5,49 @@
 #
 # Edit at your own risk! DANGER DANGER.
 
-
-if test -f "/warewulf/config"; then
-    . /warewulf/config
-else
-    echo "ERROR: Warewulf configuration file not found... rebooting in 1 minute"
-    sleep 60
-    echo b > /proc/sysrq-trigger || /sbin/reboot
-fi
-
-echo "Warewulf v4 is now booting: $WWHOSTNAME"
+echo -n "Mounting kernel file systems:"
+mkdir /proc /dev /sys /run 2>/dev/null
+mount -t proc proc /proc && echo -n " /proc"
+mount -t devtmpfs devtmpfs /dev && echo -n " /dev"
+mount -t sysfs sysfs /sys && echo -n " /sys"
+mount -t tmpfs tmpfs /run && echo -n " /run"
 echo
 
-echo "Mounting up kernel file systems"
-mkdir /proc /dev /sys /run 2>/dev/null
-mount -t proc proc /proc
-mount -t devtmpfs devtmpfs /dev
-mount -t sysfs sysfs /sys
-mount -t tmpfs tmpfs /run
+if [ -f "/warewulf/config" ]; then
+    . /warewulf/config
+else
+    echo "ERROR: Warewulf configuration file not found."
+    echo "Rebooting in 1 minute..."
+    sleep 60
+    echo b > /proc/sysrq-trigger || /sbin/reboot -f
+fi
+
+echo
+echo "Warewulf v4 is now booting: ${WWHOSTNAME}"
+echo
 
 chmod 755 /warewulf/wwinit
 
-echo "Checking Rootfs type"
-ROOTFSTYPE=`stat -f -c "%T" /`
-
-if test "$WWROOT" = "initramfs"; then
-    echo "Provisioned to default initramfs file system: $ROOTFSTYPE"
-    echo "Calling WW Init"
+if [ -z "${WWROOT}" -o "${WWROOT}" == "initramfs" ]; then
+    echo "Retaining initramfs and invoking /warewulf/wwinit..."
     exec /warewulf/wwinit
-elif test "$WWROOT" = "tmpfs"; then
-    if test "$ROOTFSTYPE" = "tmpfs"; then
-        echo "ERROR: Switching the root file system requires the kernel argument: 'rootfstype=ramfs'"
-    else
-        echo "Setting up tmpfs root file system"
-        mkdir /newroot
-        mount wwroot /newroot -t tmpfs -o mpol=interleave
-        echo "Moving RAMFS to TMPFS"
-        tar -cf - --exclude ./proc --exclude ./sys --exclude ./dev --exclude ./newroot . | tar -xf - -C /newroot
-        mkdir /newroot/proc /newroot/dev /newroot/sys /newroot/run 2>/dev/null
-        echo "Calling switch_root and invoking WW Init"
-        exec /sbin/switch_root /newroot /warewulf/wwinit
-    fi
+elif [ "${WWROOT}" == "ramfs" -o "${WWROOT}" == "tmpfs" ]; then
+    echo "Setting up new ${WWROOT} rootfs..."
+    mkdir /newroot
+    mount wwroot /newroot -t ${WWROOT} -o mpol=interleave # mpol ignored for ramfs
+    tar -cf - --exclude ./proc --exclude ./sys --exclude ./dev --exclude ./run --exclude ./newroot . | tar -xf - -C /newroot
+    mkdir /newroot/proc /newroot/dev /newroot/sys /newroot/run 2>/dev/null
+    echo "Switching to new rootfs and invoking /warewulf/wwinit..."
+    exec /sbin/switch_root /newroot /warewulf/wwinit
 else
-    echo "ERROR: Unknown Warewulf Root file system: $WWROOT"
+    echo "ERROR: Unrecognized rootfs type requested: ${WWROOT}"
+    echo "Rebooting in 1 minute..."
+    sleep 60
+    echo b > /proc/sysrq-trigger || /sbin/reboot -f
 fi
 
 echo
-echo "There was a problem with the provisioning process, rebooting in 1 minute..."
+echo "ERROR: There was a problem with the initial provisioning process.
+echo "Rebooting in 1 minute..."
 sleep 60
-echo b > /proc/sysrq-trigger || /sbin/reboot
+echo b > /proc/sysrq-trigger || /sbin/reboot -f