diff --git a/live-build/auto/config b/live-build/auto/config
index ef279cb5..38013537 100755
--- a/live-build/auto/config
+++ b/live-build/auto/config
@@ -1065,16 +1065,12 @@ case $PROJECT in
 						exit 1
 					fi
 
-					add_pass ubuntu-server-minimal.ubuntu-server.installer.$flavor
 					if [ "$first_kernel" = "y" ]; then
 						# Put the first kernel offered into the base layer
-						kernel_layer=ubuntu-server-minimal
 						first_kernel=n
-					else
-						# and subsequent ones into their own layer
-						kernel_layer=ubuntu-server-minimal.ubuntu-server.installer.$flavor
+						add_package ubuntu-server-minimal $kernel_metapkg
 					fi
-					add_package $kernel_layer $kernel_metapkg
+					add_package ubuntu-server-minimal.ubuntu-server.installer.$flavor $kernel_metapkg
 
 					LIVE_PASSES="${LIVE_PASSES:+$LIVE_PASSES }ubuntu-server-minimal.ubuntu-server.installer.$flavor"
 				done
diff --git a/live-build/ubuntu-server/hooks/02-hwe-kernel.chroot_early b/live-build/ubuntu-server/hooks/02-hwe-kernel.chroot_early
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..69394637
--- /dev/null
+++ b/live-build/ubuntu-server/hooks/02-hwe-kernel.chroot_early
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/bash -eux
+# vi: ts=4 noexpandtab
+
+case $PASS in
+    ubuntu-server-minimal.ubuntu-server.installer.*.*)
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+    ubuntu-server-minimal.ubuntu-server.installer.*)
+        ;;
+    *)
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+esac
+
+# remove excess kernels.  auto/config arranges for the correct one to be
+# installed.
+
+apt-get --yes remove --purge 'linux-image*'