diff --git a/tools/libfsimage/common/fsimage_plugin.c b/tools/libfsimage/common/fsimage_plugin.c
index de1412b423..d0cb9e96a6 100644
--- a/tools/libfsimage/common/fsimage_plugin.c
+++ b/tools/libfsimage/common/fsimage_plugin.c
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ fail:
 	return (-1);
 }
 
-static int load_plugins(void)
+int fsi_init(void)
 {
 	const char *fsdir = getenv("XEN_FSIMAGE_FSDIR");
 	struct dirent *dp = NULL;
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ int find_plugin(fsi_t *fsi, const char *path, const char *options)
 	fsi_plugin_t *fp;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (plugins == NULL && (ret = load_plugins()) != 0)
+	if (plugins == NULL && (ret = fsi_init()) != 0)
 		goto out;
 
 	for (fp = plugins; fp != NULL; fp = fp->fp_next) {
diff --git a/tools/libfsimage/common/mapfile-GNU b/tools/libfsimage/common/mapfile-GNU
index 26d4d7a69e..2d54d527d7 100644
--- a/tools/libfsimage/common/mapfile-GNU
+++ b/tools/libfsimage/common/mapfile-GNU
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 VERSION {
 	libfsimage.so.1.0 {
 		global:
+			fsi_init;
 			fsi_open_fsimage;
 			fsi_close_fsimage;
 			fsi_file_exists;
diff --git a/tools/libfsimage/common/mapfile-SunOS b/tools/libfsimage/common/mapfile-SunOS
index e99b90b650..48deedb425 100644
--- a/tools/libfsimage/common/mapfile-SunOS
+++ b/tools/libfsimage/common/mapfile-SunOS
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 libfsimage.so.1.0 {
 	global:
+		fsi_init;
 		fsi_open_fsimage;
 		fsi_close_fsimage;
 		fsi_file_exists;
diff --git a/tools/libfsimage/common/xenfsimage.h b/tools/libfsimage/common/xenfsimage.h
index 201abd54f2..341883b2d7 100644
--- a/tools/libfsimage/common/xenfsimage.h
+++ b/tools/libfsimage/common/xenfsimage.h
@@ -35,6 +35,14 @@ extern C {
 typedef struct fsi fsi_t;
 typedef struct fsi_file fsi_file_t;
 
+/*
+ * Optional initialization function. If invoked it loads the associated
+ * dynamic libraries for the backends ahead of time. This is required if
+ * the library is to run as part of a highly deprivileged executable, as
+ * the libraries may not be reachable after depriv.
+ */
+int fsi_init(void);
+
 fsi_t *fsi_open_fsimage(const char *, uint64_t, const char *);
 void fsi_close_fsimage(fsi_t *);
 
diff --git a/tools/pygrub/src/fsimage/fsimage.c b/tools/pygrub/src/fsimage/fsimage.c
index 2ebbbe35df..92fbf2851f 100644
--- a/tools/pygrub/src/fsimage/fsimage.c
+++ b/tools/pygrub/src/fsimage/fsimage.c
@@ -286,6 +286,15 @@ fsimage_getbootstring(PyObject *o, PyObject *args)
 	return Py_BuildValue("s", bootstring);
 }
 
+static PyObject *
+fsimage_init(PyObject *o, PyObject *args)
+{
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ""))
+		return (NULL);
+
+	return Py_BuildValue("i", fsi_init());
+}
+
 PyDoc_STRVAR(fsimage_open__doc__,
     "open(name, [offset=off]) - Open the given file as a filesystem image.\n"
     "\n"
@@ -297,7 +306,13 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(fsimage_getbootstring__doc__,
     "getbootstring(fs) - Return the boot string needed for this file system "
     "or NULL if none is needed.\n");
 
+PyDoc_STRVAR(fsimage_init__doc__,
+    "init() - Loads every dynamic library contained in xenfsimage "
+    "into memory so that it can be used in chrooted environments.\n");
+
 static struct PyMethodDef fsimage_module_methods[] = {
+	{ "init", (PyCFunction)fsimage_init,
+	    METH_VARARGS, fsimage_init__doc__ },
 	{ "open", (PyCFunction)fsimage_open,
 	    METH_VARARGS|METH_KEYWORDS, fsimage_open__doc__ },
 	{ "getbootstring", (PyCFunction)fsimage_getbootstring,