diff --git a/contrib/initramfs/README.md b/contrib/initramfs/README.md
index 34e9bab3c7..68647fa9fc 100644
--- a/contrib/initramfs/README.md
+++ b/contrib/initramfs/README.md
@@ -78,7 +78,30 @@ To use this feature:
 1. Install the `dropbear-initramfs` package.  You may wish to uninstall the
    `cryptsetup-initramfs` package to avoid warnings.
 2. Add your SSH key(s) to `/etc/dropbear-initramfs/authorized_keys`.  Note
-   that Dropbear does not support ed25519 keys before version 2020.79; 
+   that Dropbear does not support ed25519 keys before version 2020.79;
    in that case, use RSA (2048-bit or more) instead.
 3. Rebuild the initramfs with your keys: `update-initramfs -u`
 4. During the system boot, login via SSH and run: `zfsunlock`
+
+### Unlocking a ZFS encrypted root via alternate means
+
+If present, a shell program at `/etc/zfs/initramfs-tools-load-key`
+and files matching `/etc/zfs/initramfs-tools-load-key.d/*`
+will be copied to the initramfs during generation
+and sourced to load the key, if required.
+
+The `$ENCRYPTIONROOT` to load the key for and `$KEYLOCATION` variables are set,
+and all initramfs-tools functions are available;
+use unquoted `$ZPOOL` and `$ZFS` to run `zpool` and `zfs`.
+
+A successful return (and loaded key) stops the search.
+A failure return is non-fatal,
+and loading keys proceeds as normal if no hook succeeds.
+
+A trivial example of a key-loading drop-in that uses the BLAKE2 checksum
+of the file at the `keylocation` as the key follows.
+
+```sh
+key="$(b2sum "${KEYLOCATION#file://}")" || return
+printf '%s\n' "${key%% *}" | $ZFS load-key -L prompt "$ENCRYPTIONROOT"
+```
diff --git a/contrib/initramfs/hooks/zfs.in b/contrib/initramfs/hooks/zfs.in
index 28dd252eea..6cd7e6f1ea 100755
--- a/contrib/initramfs/hooks/zfs.in
+++ b/contrib/initramfs/hooks/zfs.in
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ copy_file cache  "@sysconfdir@/zfs/zpool.cache"
 copy_file config "@initconfdir@/zfs"
 copy_file config "@sysconfdir@/zfs/zfs-functions"
 copy_file config "@sysconfdir@/zfs/vdev_id.conf"
+for f in "@sysconfdir@/zfs/initramfs-tools-load-key" "@sysconfdir@/zfs/initramfs-tools-load-key.d/"*; do
+	copy_file config "$f"
+done
 copy_file rule   "@udevruledir@/60-zvol.rules"
 copy_file rule   "@udevruledir@/69-vdev.rules"
 
diff --git a/contrib/initramfs/scripts/zfs b/contrib/initramfs/scripts/zfs
index 23aa95efc8..7f977a30f7 100644
--- a/contrib/initramfs/scripts/zfs
+++ b/contrib/initramfs/scripts/zfs
@@ -420,6 +420,16 @@ decrypt_fs()
 			# Continue only if the key needs to be loaded
 			[ "$KEYSTATUS" = "unavailable" ] || return 0
 
+			# Try extensions first
+			for f in "/etc/zfs/initramfs-tools-load-key" "/etc/zfs/initramfs-tools-load-key.d/"*; do
+				[ -r "$f" ] || continue
+				(. "$f") && {
+					# Successful return and actually-loaded key: we're done
+					KEYSTATUS="$(get_fs_value "${ENCRYPTIONROOT}" keystatus)"
+					[ "$KEYSTATUS" = "unavailable" ] || return 0
+				}
+			done
+
 			# Do not prompt if key is stored noninteractively,
 			if ! [ "${KEYLOCATION}" = "prompt" ]; then
 				$ZFS load-key "${ENCRYPTIONROOT}"