diff --git a/src/arch/x86/core/runtime.c b/src/arch/x86/core/runtime.c
index 4de3bfafe..02072b5bf 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/core/runtime.c
+++ b/src/arch/x86/core/runtime.c
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ static int cmdline_init ( void ) {
  */
 static int initrd_init ( void ) {
 	struct image *image;
-	int rc;
 
 	/* Do nothing if no initrd was specified */
 	if ( ! initrd_phys ) {
@@ -193,51 +192,18 @@ static int initrd_init ( void ) {
 	DBGC ( colour, "RUNTIME found initrd at [%x,%x)\n",
 	       initrd_phys, ( initrd_phys + initrd_len ) );
 
-	/* Allocate image */
-	image = alloc_image ( NULL );
+	/* Create initrd image */
+	image = image_memory ( "<INITRD>", phys_to_user ( initrd_phys ),
+			       initrd_len );
 	if ( ! image ) {
-		DBGC ( colour, "RUNTIME could not allocate image for "
-		       "initrd\n" );
-		rc = -ENOMEM;
-		goto err_alloc_image;
-	}
-
-	/* Set image name */
-	if ( ( rc = image_set_name ( image, "<INITRD>" ) ) != 0 ) {
-		DBGC ( colour, "RUNTIME could not set image name: %s\n",
-		       strerror ( rc ) );
-		goto err_set_name;
-	}
-
-	/* Set image content */
-	if ( ( rc = image_set_data ( image, phys_to_user ( initrd_phys ),
-				     initrd_len ) ) != 0 ) {
-		DBGC ( colour, "RUNTIME could not set image data: %s\n",
-		       strerror ( rc ) );
-		goto err_set_data;
+		DBGC ( colour, "RUNTIME could not create initrd image\n" );
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
 	/* Mark initrd as consumed */
 	initrd_phys = 0;
 
-	/* Register image */
-	if ( ( rc = register_image ( image ) ) != 0 ) {
-		DBGC ( colour, "RUNTIME could not register initrd: %s\n",
-		       strerror ( rc ) );
-		goto err_register_image;
-	}
-
-	/* Drop our reference to the image */
-	image_put ( image );
-
 	return 0;
-
- err_register_image:
- err_set_data:
- err_set_name:
-	image_put ( image );
- err_alloc_image:
-	return rc;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/core/image.c b/src/core/image.c
index 54b998025..9fe77c54c 100644
--- a/src/core/image.c
+++ b/src/core/image.c
@@ -505,3 +505,47 @@ int image_set_trust ( int require_trusted, int permanent ) {
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Create registered image from block of memory
+ *
+ * @v name		Name
+ * @v data		Image data
+ * @v len		Length
+ * @ret image		Image, or NULL on error
+ */
+struct image * image_memory ( const char *name, userptr_t data, size_t len ) {
+	struct image *image;
+	int rc;
+
+	/* Allocate image */
+	image = alloc_image ( NULL );
+	if ( ! image ) {
+		rc = -ENOMEM;
+		goto err_alloc_image;
+	}
+
+	/* Set name */
+	if ( ( rc = image_set_name ( image, name ) ) != 0 )
+		goto err_set_name;
+
+	/* Set data */
+	if ( ( rc = image_set_data ( image, data, len ) ) != 0 )
+		goto err_set_data;
+
+	/* Register image */
+	if ( ( rc = register_image ( image ) ) != 0 )
+		goto err_register;
+
+	/* Drop local reference to image */
+	image_put ( image );
+
+	return image;
+
+ err_register:
+ err_set_data:
+ err_set_name:
+	image_put ( image );
+ err_alloc_image:
+	return NULL;
+}
diff --git a/src/hci/commands/image_mem_cmd.c b/src/hci/commands/image_mem_cmd.c
index 61d50534d..c8bfab1ad 100644
--- a/src/hci/commands/image_mem_cmd.c
+++ b/src/hci/commands/image_mem_cmd.c
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ static struct command_descriptor imgmem_cmd =
  */
 static int imgmem_exec ( int argc, char **argv ) {
 	struct imgmem_options opts;
-	struct image *image;
 	unsigned int data;
 	unsigned int len;
 	int rc;
@@ -82,8 +81,7 @@ static int imgmem_exec ( int argc, char **argv ) {
 		return rc;
 
 	/* Create image */
-	if ( ( rc = imgmem ( phys_to_user ( data ), len, opts.name,
-			     &image ) ) != 0 )
+	if ( ( rc = imgmem ( opts.name, phys_to_user ( data ), len ) ) != 0 )
 		return rc;
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/src/include/ipxe/image.h b/src/include/ipxe/image.h
index 4c3877607..4fd270081 100644
--- a/src/include/ipxe/image.h
+++ b/src/include/ipxe/image.h
@@ -184,6 +184,8 @@ extern int image_replace ( struct image *replacement );
 extern int image_select ( struct image *image );
 extern struct image * image_find_selected ( void );
 extern int image_set_trust ( int require_trusted, int permanent );
+extern struct image * image_memory ( const char *name, userptr_t data,
+				     size_t len );
 extern int image_pixbuf ( struct image *image, struct pixel_buffer **pixbuf );
 extern int image_asn1 ( struct image *image, size_t offset,
 			struct asn1_cursor **cursor );
diff --git a/src/include/usr/imgmgmt.h b/src/include/usr/imgmgmt.h
index c59cf1a0b..14fb7cbc6 100644
--- a/src/include/usr/imgmgmt.h
+++ b/src/include/usr/imgmgmt.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ extern int imgdownload_string ( const char *uri_string, unsigned long timeout,
 extern int imgacquire ( const char *name, unsigned long timeout,
 			struct image **image );
 extern void imgstat ( struct image *image );
-extern int imgmem ( userptr_t data, size_t len, const char *name,
-		    struct image **image );
+extern int imgmem ( const char *name, userptr_t data, size_t len );
 
 #endif /* _USR_IMGMGMT_H */
diff --git a/src/usr/imgmgmt.c b/src/usr/imgmgmt.c
index bf4c745ea..f8d149153 100644
--- a/src/usr/imgmgmt.c
+++ b/src/usr/imgmgmt.c
@@ -173,43 +173,20 @@ void imgstat ( struct image *image ) {
 /**
  * Create image from block of memory
  *
+ * @v name		Name
  * @v data		Image data
  * @v len		Length
- * @v name		Name
- * @v image		Image to fill in
  * @ret rc		Return status code
  */
-int imgmem ( userptr_t data, size_t len, const char *name,
-	     struct image **image ) {
-	int rc;
+int imgmem ( const char *name, userptr_t data, size_t len ) {
+	struct image *image;
 
-	/* Allocate image */
-	*image = alloc_image ( NULL );
-	if ( ! *image ) {
-		rc = -ENOMEM;
-		goto err_alloc_image;
+	/* Create image */
+	image = image_memory ( name, data, len );
+	if ( ! image ) {
+		printf ( "Could not create image\n" );
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
-	/* Set name */
-	if ( ( rc = image_set_name ( *image, name ) ) != 0 )
-		goto err_set_name;
-
-	/* Set data */
-	if ( ( rc = image_set_data ( *image, data, len ) ) != 0 ) {
-		printf ( "Could not set image data: %s\n", strerror ( rc ) );
-		goto err_set_data;
-	}
-
-	/* Register image */
-	if ( ( rc = register_image ( *image ) ) != 0 ) {
-		printf ( "Could not register image: %s\n", strerror ( rc ) );
-		goto err_register_image;
-	}
-
- err_register_image:
- err_set_data:
- err_set_name:
-	image_put ( *image );
- err_alloc_image:
-	return rc;
+	return 0;
 }