diff --git a/src/Makefile.housekeeping b/src/Makefile.housekeeping
index 2146d9cb..2ab842e6 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.housekeeping
+++ b/src/Makefile.housekeeping
@@ -286,10 +286,6 @@ CFLAGS		+= $(EXTRA_CFLAGS)
 ASFLAGS		+= $(EXTRA_ASFLAGS)
 LDFLAGS		+= $(EXTRA_LDFLAGS)
 
-# Embedded image(s), or default if not set
-#
-EMBEDDED_IMAGE	= image/default.gpxe
-
 # Inhibit -Werror if NO_WERROR is specified on make command line
 #
 ifneq ($(NO_WERROR),1)
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 8d360c42..bd2428f0 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -71,13 +71,17 @@ __asmcall int main ( void ) {
 		shell();
 	} else {
 		/* User doesn't want shell; load and execute the first
-		 * image.  If booting fails (i.e. if the image
-		 * returns, or fails to execute), offer a second
-		 * chance to enter the shell for diagnostics.
+		 * image, or autoboot() if we have no images.  If
+		 * booting fails for any reason, offer a second chance
+		 * to enter the shell for diagnostics.
 		 */
-		for_each_image ( image ) {
-			image_exec ( image );
-			break;
+		if ( have_images() ) {
+			for_each_image ( image ) {
+				image_exec ( image );
+				break;
+			}
+		} else {
+			autoboot();
 		}
 
 		if ( shell_banner() )
diff --git a/src/hci/commands/image_cmd.c b/src/hci/commands/image_cmd.c
index befa5a64..6d8b5908 100644
--- a/src/hci/commands/image_cmd.c
+++ b/src/hci/commands/image_cmd.c
@@ -222,13 +222,13 @@ static int kernel_exec ( int argc, char **argv ) {
 }
 
 /**
- * The "imgauto" command
+ * The "chain" command
  *
  * @v argc		Argument count
  * @v argv		Argument list
  * @ret rc		Exit code
  */
-static int imgauto_exec ( int argc, char **argv) {
+static int chain_exec ( int argc, char **argv) {
 	int rc;
 
 	if ( ( rc = imgfetch_core_exec ( NULL, IMG_EXEC, argc, argv ) ) != 0 )
@@ -563,8 +563,8 @@ struct command image_commands[] __command = {
 		.exec = kernel_exec,
 	},
 	{
-		.name = "imgauto",
-		.exec = imgauto_exec,
+		.name = "chain",
+		.exec = chain_exec,
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "imgload",
diff --git a/src/image/default.gpxe b/src/image/default.gpxe
deleted file mode 100644
index 0b080b58..00000000
--- a/src/image/default.gpxe
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-#!gpxe
-autoboot
diff --git a/src/image/embedded.c b/src/image/embedded.c
index f76ca11b..4f763578 100644
--- a/src/image/embedded.c
+++ b/src/image/embedded.c
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
  *
  * @v refcnt		Reference counter
  */
-static void embedded_image_free ( struct refcnt *refcnt __unused ) {
+static void __attribute__ (( unused ))
+embedded_image_free ( struct refcnt *refcnt __unused ) {
 	/* Do nothing */
 }
 
@@ -51,14 +52,18 @@ static struct image embedded_images[] = {
  * Register all embedded images
  */
 static void embedded_init ( void ) {
-	unsigned int i;
+	int i;
 	struct image *image;
 	void *data;
 	int rc;
 
+	/* Skip if we have no embedded images */
+	if ( ! sizeof ( embedded_images ) )
+		return;
+
 	/* Fix up data pointers and register images */
-	for ( i = 0 ; i < ( sizeof ( embedded_images ) /
-			    sizeof ( embedded_images[0] ) ) ; i++ ) {
+	for ( i = 0 ; i < ( int ) ( sizeof ( embedded_images ) /
+				    sizeof ( embedded_images[0] ) ) ; i++ ) {
 		image = &embedded_images[i];
 
 		/* virt_to_user() cannot be used in a static
diff --git a/src/include/gpxe/image.h b/src/include/gpxe/image.h
index f8b1482e..b953e150 100644
--- a/src/include/gpxe/image.h
+++ b/src/include/gpxe/image.h
@@ -133,6 +133,15 @@ extern struct list_head images;
 #define for_each_image( image ) \
 	list_for_each_entry ( (image), &images, list )
 
+/**
+ * Test for existence of images
+ *
+ * @ret existence	Some images exist
+ */
+static inline int have_images ( void ) {
+	return ( ! list_empty ( &images ) );
+}
+
 extern struct image * alloc_image ( void );
 extern int image_set_uri ( struct image *image, struct uri *uri );
 extern int image_set_cmdline ( struct image *image, const char *cmdline );