diff --git a/seed/script-generator.c b/seed/script-generator.c
index e54cd539..9150daf3 100644
--- a/seed/script-generator.c
+++ b/seed/script-generator.c
@@ -541,6 +541,36 @@ void output_resume_network_init(FILE *out) {
 	fputs("fi\n", out);
 }
 
+void output_init_failure_shell(FILE *out) {
+	fputs("status=$?\n", out);
+	fputs("echo \"bootstrap script failed with status ${status}; dropping to rescue shell\" >&2\n", out);
+	fputs("PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:${PREFIX}/bin:${PATH}\n", out);
+	fputs("while true; do\n", out);
+	fputs("if command -v bash >/dev/null 2>&1; then\n", out);
+	fputs("env PS1=\"[FAIL ${status}] \\\\w # \" bash -i\n", out);
+	fputs("elif command -v sh >/dev/null 2>&1; then\n", out);
+	fputs("env PS1=\"[FAIL ${status}] \\\\w # \" sh -i\n", out);
+	fputs("else\n", out);
+	fputs("echo \"No interactive shell available; sleeping.\" >&2\n", out);
+	fputs("sleep 60\n", out);
+	fputs("fi\n", out);
+	fputs("done\n", out);
+}
+
+void output_init_call_script(FILE *out, char *name, int bash_build) {
+	if (bash_build) {
+		fputs("if ! bash ", out);
+		write_steps_prefix(out);
+		fputs(name, out);
+		fputs(".sh\n", out);
+		fputs("then\n", out);
+		output_init_failure_shell(out);
+		fputs("fi\n", out);
+	} else {
+		output_call_script(out, "", name, bash_build, 0);
+	}
+}
+
 void output_build(FILE *out, Directive *directive, int pass_no, int bash_build) {
 	if (bash_build) {
 		fputs("build ", out);
@@ -670,7 +700,7 @@ void generate(Directive *directives) {
 				}
 				fputs("set -ex\n", out);
 			}
-			output_call_script(out, "", int2str(counter, 10, 0), bash_build, 0);
+			output_init_call_script(out, int2str(counter, 10, 0), bash_build);
 			fclose(out);
 			out = start_script(counter, bash_build);
 			counter += 1;