diff --git a/gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm b/gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm
index e72d050e96..e66d9fe17a 100644
--- a/gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm
@@ -184,8 +184,10 @@ loaded at boot time in the order in which they appear."
 
   (define linux-modules
     ;; Modules added to the initrd and loaded from the initrd.
-    `("ahci"                                   ;for SATA controllers
-      "pata_acpi" "pata_atiixp"                ;for ATA controllers
+    `("ahci"                                  ;for SATA controllers
+      "pata_acpi" "pata_atiixp"               ;for ATA controllers
+      "usb-storage" "uas"                     ;for the installation image etc.
+      "usbkbd" "usbhid"                       ;USB keyboards, for debugging
       ,@(if (or virtio? qemu-networking?)
             virtio-modules
             '())
diff --git a/gnu/system/vm.scm b/gnu/system/vm.scm
index 4374256530..c93e26d65f 100644
--- a/gnu/system/vm.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/vm.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2013, 2014 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2013, 2014, 2015 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -278,12 +278,11 @@ to USB sticks meant to be read-only."
 
   (let ((os (operating-system (inherit os)
               ;; Since this is meant to be used on real hardware, don't
-              ;; install QEMU networking or anything like that, but make sure
-              ;; USB mass storage devices are available.
+              ;; install QEMU networking or anything like that.  Assume USB
+              ;; mass storage devices (usb-storage.ko) are available.
               (initrd (lambda (file-systems . rest)
                         (apply base-initrd file-systems
                                #:volatile-root? #t
-                               #:extra-modules '("usb-storage.ko")
                                rest)))
 
               ;; Force our own root file system.