diff --git a/conf/initramfs.conf b/conf/initramfs.conf
index bc9060b..abc231b 100644
--- a/conf/initramfs.conf
+++ b/conf/initramfs.conf
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ BUSYBOX=y
 KEYMAP=n
 
 #
-# COMPRESS: [ gzip | bzip2 | lzma | lzop ]
+# COMPRESS: [ gzip | bzip2 | lzma | lzop | xz ]
 #
 
 COMPRESS=gzip
diff --git a/mkinitramfs b/mkinitramfs
index b461d5a..7e0c207 100755
--- a/mkinitramfs
+++ b/mkinitramfs
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ if ! `grep -q -i ^config_rd_${COMPRESS%p} /boot/config-${version}` ; then
 fi
 
 [ "${compress}" = lzop ] && compress="lzop -9"
+[ "${compress}" = xz ] && compress="xz -9"
 
 if [ -d "${outfile}" ]; then
 	echo "${outfile} is a directory" >&2