diff --git a/man/kernel-command-line.xml b/man/kernel-command-line.xml
index 0545f9d84b..43b3a3667e 100644
--- a/man/kernel-command-line.xml
+++ b/man/kernel-command-line.xml
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
         <term><varname>systemd.unit=</varname></term>
         <term><varname>rd.systemd.unit=</varname></term>
         <term><varname>systemd.dump_core</varname></term>
+        <term><varname>systemd.early_core_pattern=</varname></term>
         <term><varname>systemd.crash_chvt</varname></term>
         <term><varname>systemd.crash_shell</varname></term>
         <term><varname>systemd.crash_reboot</varname></term>
@@ -90,6 +91,16 @@
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term><varname>systemd.early_core_pattern=</varname></term>
+        <listitem>
+          <para>During early boot, the generation of core dump files is disabled until a core dump handler (if any)
+          takes over. This parameter allows to specifies an absolute path where core dump files should be stored until
+          a handler is installed. The path should be absolute and may contain specifiers, see
+          <citerefentry><refentrytitle>core</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry> for details.</para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
       <varlistentry>
         <term><varname>systemd.restore_state=</varname></term>
         <listitem>
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 078decb432..ce45f2ded2 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ static usec_t arg_default_start_limit_interval = DEFAULT_START_LIMIT_INTERVAL;
 static unsigned arg_default_start_limit_burst = DEFAULT_START_LIMIT_BURST;
 static usec_t arg_runtime_watchdog = 0;
 static usec_t arg_shutdown_watchdog = 10 * USEC_PER_MINUTE;
+static char *arg_early_core_pattern = NULL;
 static char *arg_watchdog_device = NULL;
 static char **arg_default_environment = NULL;
 static struct rlimit *arg_default_rlimit[_RLIMIT_MAX] = {};
@@ -351,6 +352,16 @@ static int parse_proc_cmdline_item(const char *key, const char *value, void *dat
                 else
                         arg_dump_core = r;
 
+        } else if (proc_cmdline_key_streq(key, "systemd.early_core_pattern")) {
+
+                if (proc_cmdline_value_missing(key, value))
+                        return 0;
+
+                if (path_is_absolute(value))
+                        (void) parse_path_argument_and_warn(value, false, &arg_early_core_pattern);
+                else
+                        log_warning("Specified core pattern '%s' is not an absolute path, ignoring.", value);
+
         } else if (proc_cmdline_key_streq(key, "systemd.crash_chvt")) {
 
                 if (!value)
@@ -466,7 +477,7 @@ static int parse_proc_cmdline_item(const char *key, const char *value, void *dat
                 if (proc_cmdline_value_missing(key, value))
                         return 0;
 
-                parse_path_argument_and_warn(value, false, &arg_watchdog_device);
+                (void) parse_path_argument_and_warn(value, false, &arg_watchdog_device);
 
         } else if (streq(key, "quiet") && !value) {
 
@@ -1482,13 +1493,29 @@ static void initialize_coredump(bool skip_setup) {
         if (setrlimit(RLIMIT_CORE, &RLIMIT_MAKE_CONST(RLIM_INFINITY)) < 0)
                 log_warning_errno(errno, "Failed to set RLIMIT_CORE: %m");
 
-        /* But at the same time, turn off the core_pattern logic by default, so that no coredumps are stored
-         * until the systemd-coredump tool is enabled via sysctl. */
+        /* But at the same time, turn off the core_pattern logic by default, so that no
+         * coredumps are stored until the systemd-coredump tool is enabled via
+         * sysctl. However it can be changed via the kernel command line later so core
+         * dumps can still be generated during early startup and in initramfs. */
         if (!skip_setup)
                 disable_coredumps();
 #endif
 }
 
+static void initialize_core_pattern(bool skip_setup) {
+        int r;
+
+        if (skip_setup || !arg_early_core_pattern)
+                return;
+
+        if (getpid_cached() != 1)
+                return;
+
+        r = write_string_file("/proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern", arg_early_core_pattern, 0);
+        if (r < 0)
+                log_warning_errno(r, "Failed to write '%s' to /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern, ignoring: %m", arg_early_core_pattern);
+}
+
 static void do_reexecute(
                 int argc,
                 char *argv[],
@@ -2345,6 +2372,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
         if (arg_action == ACTION_RUN) {
 
+                /* A core pattern might have been specified via the cmdline.  */
+                initialize_core_pattern(skip_setup);
+
                 /* Close logging fds, in order not to confuse collecting passed fds and terminal logic below */
                 log_close();