diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index faa35060ef..9fd45ea209 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -15490,6 +15490,16 @@ operating-system Reference
 The list of Linux kernel modules that need to be available in the
 initial RAM disk.  @xref{Initial RAM Disk}.
 
+@item @code{initrd-extra-module-paths} (default: @code{'()})
+@cindex initrd
+@cindex initial RAM disk
+A list of paths outside of the Linux kernel tree to search for Linux
+kernel modules.
+
+The items in this may be either file-like objects (usually packages), or
+a list where the first element is a package and the second is an
+output--e.g. @code{(list (list zfs "module"))}.
+
 @item @code{initrd} (default: @code{base-initrd})
 A procedure that returns an initial RAM disk for the Linux
 kernel.  This field is provided to support low-level customization and
@@ -35816,6 +35826,19 @@ Initial RAM Disk
   (initrd-modules (cons "megaraid_sas" %base-initrd-modules)))
 @end lisp
 
+If a module listed in @code{initrd-modules} is not included in the
+Linux-libre kernel, then the location to it must be added to the
+@code{initrd-extra-module-paths} list.  For example, if your root file
+system exists on a ZFS pool, then your configuration might look like the
+following:
+
+@lisp
+(operating-system
+  ;; @dots{}
+  (initrd-modules (cons "zfs" %base-initrd-modules))
+  (initrd-extra-module-paths (list (list zfs "module"))))
+@end lisp
+
 @defvr {Scheme Variable} %base-initrd-modules
 This is the list of kernel modules included in the initrd by default.
 @end defvr
@@ -35929,13 +35952,15 @@ Initial RAM Disk
 @cindex initrd
 @cindex initial RAM disk
 @deffn {Scheme Procedure} raw-initrd @var{file-systems} @
-       [#:linux-modules '()] [#:mapped-devices '()] @
-       [#:keyboard-layout #f] @
+       [#:linux-modules '()] [#:linux-extra-module-paths '()] @
+       [#:mapped-devices '()] [#:keyboard-layout #f] @
        [#:helper-packages '()] [#:qemu-networking? #f] [#:volatile-root? #f]
 Return a derivation that builds a raw initrd.  @var{file-systems} is
 a list of file systems to be mounted by the initrd, possibly in addition to
 the root file system specified on the kernel command line via @option{root}.
 @var{linux-modules} is a list of kernel modules to be loaded at boot time.
+@var{linux-extra-module-paths} is a list of file-like objects to be searched
+for kernel modules.
 @var{mapped-devices} is a list of device mappings to realize before
 @var{file-systems} are mounted (@pxref{Mapped Devices}).
 @var{helper-packages} is a list of packages to be copied in the initrd.
@@ -35960,12 +35985,13 @@ Initial RAM Disk
 @deffn {Scheme Procedure} base-initrd @var{file-systems} @
        [#:mapped-devices '()] [#:keyboard-layout #f] @
        [#:qemu-networking? #f] [#:volatile-root? #f] @
-       [#:linux-modules '()]
-Return as a file-like object a generic initrd, with kernel
-modules taken from @var{linux}.  @var{file-systems} is a list of file-systems to be
-mounted by the initrd, possibly in addition to the root file system specified
-on the kernel command line via @option{root}.  @var{mapped-devices} is a list of device
-mappings to realize before @var{file-systems} are mounted.
+       [#:linux-modules '()] [#:linux-extra-module-paths '()]
+Return as a file-like object a generic initrd, with kernel modules taken
+from @var{linux} and @var{linux-extra-module-paths}.  @var{file-systems}
+is a list of file-systems to be mounted by the initrd, possibly in
+addition to the root file system specified on the kernel command line
+via @option{root}.  @var{mapped-devices} is a list of device mappings to
+realize before @var{file-systems} are mounted.
 
 When true, @var{keyboard-layout} is a @code{<keyboard-layout>} record denoting
 the desired console keyboard layout.  This is done before @var{mapped-devices}
diff --git a/gnu/build/linux-modules.scm b/gnu/build/linux-modules.scm
index 053720574b..97b7e429ea 100644
--- a/gnu/build/linux-modules.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/linux-modules.scm
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ (define (file-name->module-name file)
 '.ko[.gz|.xz]' and normalizing it."
   (normalize-module-name (strip-extension (basename file))))
 
-(define (find-module-file directory module)
-  "Lookup module NAME under DIRECTORY, and return its absolute file name.
+(define (find-module-file directories module)
+  "Lookup module NAME under DIRECTORIES, and return its absolute file name.
 NAME can be a file name with or without '.ko', or it can be a module name.
 Raise an error if it could not be found.
 
@@ -247,16 +247,19 @@ (define (find-module-file directory module)
                            (else chr)))
                        module))))
 
-  (match (find-files directory
-                     (lambda (file stat)
-                       (member (strip-extension
-                                (basename file)) names)))
+  (match (append-map (lambda (directory)
+                       (find-files directory
+                                   (lambda (file _stat)
+                                     (member (strip-extension
+                                              (basename file))
+                                             names))))
+                       directories)
     ((file)
      file)
     (()
-     (error "kernel module not found" module directory))
+     (error "kernel module not found" module directories))
     ((_ ...)
-     (error "several modules by that name" module directory))))
+     (error "several modules by that name" module directories))))
 
 (define* (recursive-module-dependencies files
                                         #:key (lookup-module dot-ko))
diff --git a/gnu/system.scm b/gnu/system.scm
index ba3a1865d7..6c712e5cea 100644
--- a/gnu/system.scm
+++ b/gnu/system.scm
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ (define-module (gnu system)
             operating-system-label
             operating-system-default-label
             operating-system-initrd-modules
+            operating-system-initrd-extra-module-paths
             operating-system-initrd
             operating-system-users
             operating-system-groups
@@ -236,6 +237,8 @@ (define-record-type* <operating-system> operating-system
   (initrd-modules operating-system-initrd-modules ; list of strings
                   (thunked)                       ; it's system-dependent
                   (default %base-initrd-modules))
+  (initrd-extra-module-paths operating-system-initrd-extra-module-paths ; list of file-likes
+                             (default '()))
 
   (firmware operating-system-firmware             ; list of packages
             (default %base-firmware))
@@ -1312,6 +1315,8 @@ (define (operating-system-initrd-file os)
                #:linux (operating-system-kernel os)
                #:linux-modules
                (operating-system-initrd-modules os)
+               #:linux-extra-module-paths
+               (operating-system-initrd-extra-module-paths os)
                #:mapped-devices mapped-devices
                #:keyboard-layout (operating-system-keyboard-layout os)))
 
diff --git a/gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm b/gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm
index 4c4c78e444..50a182d7d5 100644
--- a/gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm
@@ -119,13 +119,23 @@ (define* (expression->initrd exp
                               `(#:references-graphs (("closure" ,init))))
                "/initrd.cpio.gz"))
 
-(define (flat-linux-module-directory linux modules)
+(define (flat-linux-module-directory packages modules)
   "Return a flat directory containing the Linux kernel modules listed in
-MODULES and taken from LINUX."
+MODULES and taken from PACKAGES."
   (define imported-modules
     (source-module-closure '((gnu build linux-modules)
                              (guix build utils))))
 
+  (define (package+out->input package out)
+    (gexp-input package out))
+
+  (define package-inputs
+    (map (lambda (p)
+           (match p
+             ((p o) (package+out->input p o))
+             (p     (package+out->input p "out"))))
+         packages))
+
   (define build-exp
     (with-imported-modules imported-modules
       (with-extensions (list guile-zlib)
@@ -135,11 +145,12 @@ (define (flat-linux-module-directory linux modules)
                          (srfi srfi-1)
                          (srfi srfi-26))
 
-            (define module-dir
-              (string-append #$linux "/lib/modules"))
+            (define module-dirs
+              (map (cut string-append <> "/lib/modules")
+                   '#$package-inputs))
 
             (define modules
-              (let* ((lookup  (cut find-module-file module-dir <>))
+              (let* ((lookup  (cut find-module-file module-dirs <>))
                      (modules (map lookup '#$modules)))
                 (append modules
                         (recursive-module-dependencies
@@ -172,20 +183,23 @@ (define* (raw-initrd file-systems
                       #:key
                       (linux linux-libre)
                       (linux-modules '())
+                      (linux-extra-module-paths '())
                       (mapped-devices '())
                       (keyboard-layout #f)
                       (helper-packages '())
                       qemu-networking?
                       volatile-root?
                       (on-error 'debug))
-  "Return as a file-like object a raw initrd, with kernel
-modules taken from LINUX.  FILE-SYSTEMS is a list of file-systems to be
-mounted by the initrd, possibly in addition to the root file system specified
-on the kernel command line via 'root'.  LINUX-MODULES is a list of kernel
-modules to be loaded at boot time. MAPPED-DEVICES is a list of device
-mappings to realize before FILE-SYSTEMS are mounted.
-HELPER-PACKAGES is a list of packages to be copied in the initrd. It may include
-e2fsck/static or other packages needed by the initrd to check root partition.
+  "Return as a file-like object a raw initrd, with kernel modules taken from
+LINUX.  FILE-SYSTEMS is a list of file-systems to be mounted by the initrd,
+possibly in addition to the root file system specified on the kernel command
+line via 'root'.  LINUX-MODULES is a list of kernel modules to be loaded at
+boot time. LINUX-EXTRA-MODULE-PATHS is a list of file-like objects which will
+be searched for modules in addition to the linux kernel. MAPPED-DEVICES is a
+list of device mappings to realize before FILE-SYSTEMS are mounted.
+HELPER-PACKAGES is a list of packages to be copied in the initrd. It may
+include e2fsck/static or other packages needed by the initrd to check root
+partition.
 
 When true, KEYBOARD-LAYOUT is a <keyboard-layout> record denoting the desired
 console keyboard layout.  This is done before MAPPED-DEVICES are set up and
@@ -221,7 +235,8 @@ (define* (raw-initrd file-systems
           #~())))
 
   (define kodir
-    (flat-linux-module-directory linux linux-modules))
+    (flat-linux-module-directory (cons linux linux-extra-module-paths)
+                                 linux-modules))
 
   (expression->initrd
    (with-imported-modules (source-module-closure
@@ -366,6 +381,7 @@ (define* (base-initrd file-systems
                       #:key
                       (linux linux-libre)
                       (linux-modules '())
+                      (linux-extra-module-paths '())
                       (mapped-devices '())
                       (keyboard-layout #f)
                       qemu-networking?
@@ -386,9 +402,10 @@ (define* (base-initrd file-systems
 QEMU-NETWORKING? and VOLATILE-ROOT? behaves as in raw-initrd.
 
 The initrd is automatically populated with all the kernel modules necessary
-for FILE-SYSTEMS and for the given options.  Additional kernel
-modules can be listed in LINUX-MODULES.  They will be added to the initrd, and
-loaded at boot time in the order in which they appear."
+for FILE-SYSTEMS and for the given options.  Additional kernel modules can be
+listed in LINUX-MODULES.  Additional search paths for modules can be listed in
+LINUX-EXTRA-MODULE-PATHS.  They will be added to the initrd, and loaded at
+boot time in the order in which they appear."
   (define linux-modules*
     ;; Modules added to the initrd and loaded from the initrd.
     `(,@linux-modules
@@ -408,6 +425,7 @@ (define* (base-initrd file-systems
   (raw-initrd file-systems
               #:linux linux
               #:linux-modules linux-modules*
+              #:linux-extra-module-paths linux-extra-module-paths
               #:mapped-devices mapped-devices
               #:helper-packages helper-packages
               #:keyboard-layout keyboard-layout
