diff --git a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_boot_config.cpp b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_boot_config.cpp
index ae442cf..9decb27 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_boot_config.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_boot_config.cpp
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@
     }
 
     // lastly, check the device tree
-    static const std::string android_dt_dir("/proc/device-tree/firmware/android");
-    std::string file_name = android_dt_dir + "/compatible";
+    std::string file_name = kAndroidDtDir + "/compatible";
     std::string dt_value;
     if (android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &dt_value)) {
         if (dt_value != "android,firmware") {
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@
             return false;
         }
 
-        file_name = android_dt_dir + "/" + key;
+        file_name = kAndroidDtDir + "/" + key;
         // DT entries terminate with '\0' but so do the properties
         if (android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, out_val)) {
             return true;
diff --git a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_fstab.cpp b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_fstab.cpp
index 10e70d6..f989787 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_fstab.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_fstab.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <ctype.h>
+#include <dirent.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -22,6 +23,10 @@
 #include <sys/mount.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include <android-base/file.h>
+#include <android-base/stringprintf.h>
+#include <android-base/strings.h>
+
 #include "fs_mgr_priv.h"
 
 struct fs_mgr_flag_values {
@@ -290,6 +295,110 @@
     return f;
 }
 
+static bool is_dt_compatible() {
+    std::string file_name = kAndroidDtDir + "/compatible";
+    std::string dt_value;
+    if (android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &dt_value)) {
+        // trim the trailing '\0' out, otherwise the comparison
+        // will produce false-negatives.
+        dt_value.resize(dt_value.size() - 1);
+        if (dt_value == "android,firmware") {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+static bool is_dt_fstab_compatible() {
+    std::string dt_value;
+    std::string file_name = kAndroidDtDir + "/fstab/compatible";
+
+    if (android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &dt_value)) {
+        // trim the trailing '\0' out, otherwise the comparison
+        // will produce false-negatives.
+        dt_value.resize(dt_value.size() - 1);
+        if (dt_value == "android,fstab") {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+static std::string read_fstab_from_dt() {
+    std::string fstab;
+    if (!is_dt_compatible() || !is_dt_fstab_compatible()) {
+        return fstab;
+    }
+
+    std::string fstabdir_name = kAndroidDtDir + "/fstab";
+    std::unique_ptr<DIR, int (*)(DIR*)> fstabdir(opendir(fstabdir_name.c_str()), closedir);
+    if (!fstabdir) return fstab;
+
+    dirent* dp;
+    while ((dp = readdir(fstabdir.get())) != NULL) {
+        // skip over name and compatible
+        if (dp->d_type != DT_DIR) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        // skip if its not 'vendor', 'odm' or 'system'
+        if (strcmp(dp->d_name, "odm") && strcmp(dp->d_name, "system") &&
+            strcmp(dp->d_name, "vendor")) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        // create <dev> <mnt_point>  <type>  <mnt_flags>  <fsmgr_flags>\n
+        std::vector<std::string> fstab_entry;
+        std::string file_name;
+        std::string value;
+        file_name = android::base::StringPrintf("%s/%s/dev", fstabdir_name.c_str(), dp->d_name);
+        if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &value)) {
+            LERROR << "dt_fstab: Failed to find device for partition " << dp->d_name;
+            fstab.clear();
+            break;
+        }
+        // trim the terminating '\0' out
+        value.resize(value.size() - 1);
+        fstab_entry.push_back(value);
+        fstab_entry.push_back(android::base::StringPrintf("/%s", dp->d_name));
+
+        file_name = android::base::StringPrintf("%s/%s/type", fstabdir_name.c_str(), dp->d_name);
+        if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &value)) {
+            LERROR << "dt_fstab: Failed to find type for partition " << dp->d_name;
+            fstab.clear();
+            break;
+        }
+        value.resize(value.size() - 1);
+        fstab_entry.push_back(value);
+
+        file_name = android::base::StringPrintf("%s/%s/mnt_flags", fstabdir_name.c_str(), dp->d_name);
+        if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &value)) {
+            LERROR << "dt_fstab: Failed to find type for partition " << dp->d_name;
+            fstab.clear();
+            break;
+        }
+        value.resize(value.size() - 1);
+        fstab_entry.push_back(value);
+
+        file_name = android::base::StringPrintf("%s/%s/fsmgr_flags", fstabdir_name.c_str(), dp->d_name);
+        if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &value)) {
+            LERROR << "dt_fstab: Failed to find type for partition " << dp->d_name;
+            fstab.clear();
+            break;
+        }
+        value.resize(value.size() - 1);
+        fstab_entry.push_back(value);
+
+        fstab += android::base::Join(fstab_entry, " ");
+        fstab += '\n';
+    }
+
+    return fstab;
+}
+
+
 struct fstab *fs_mgr_read_fstab_file(FILE *fstab_file)
 {
     int cnt, entries;
@@ -444,6 +553,84 @@
     return fstab;
 }
 
+/* Returns fstab entries parsed from the device tree if they
+ * exist
+ */
+struct fstab *fs_mgr_read_fstab_dt()
+{
+    std::string fstab_buf = read_fstab_from_dt();
+    if (fstab_buf.empty()) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    std::unique_ptr<FILE, decltype(&fclose)> fstab_file(
+        fmemopen(static_cast<void*>(const_cast<char*>(fstab_buf.c_str())),
+                 fstab_buf.length(), "r"), fclose);
+    if (!fstab_file) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    struct fstab *fstab = fs_mgr_read_fstab_file(fstab_file.get());
+    if (!fstab) {
+        LERROR << "failed to load fstab from kernel:" << std::endl << fstab_buf;
+    }
+
+    return fstab;
+}
+
+/* combines fstab entries passed in from device tree with
+ * the ones found in /fstab.<hardware>
+ */
+struct fstab *fs_mgr_read_fstab_default()
+{
+    struct fstab *fstab = fs_mgr_read_fstab_dt();
+    std::string hw;
+    if (!fs_mgr_get_boot_config("hardware", &hw)) {
+        // if we fail to find this, return whatever was found in device tree
+        LWARNING << "failed to find device hardware name";
+        return fstab;
+    }
+
+    std::string default_fstab = FSTAB_PREFIX + hw;
+    struct fstab *f = fs_mgr_read_fstab(default_fstab.c_str());
+    if (!f) {
+        // return what we have
+        LWARNING << "failed to read fstab entries from '" << default_fstab << "'";
+        return fstab;
+    }
+
+    // return the fstab read from file if device tree doesn't
+    // have one, other wise merge the two
+    if (!fstab) {
+        fstab = f;
+    } else {
+        int total_entries = fstab->num_entries + f->num_entries;
+        fstab->recs = static_cast<struct fstab_rec *>(realloc(
+                        fstab->recs, total_entries * (sizeof(struct fstab_rec))));
+        if (!fstab->recs) {
+            LERROR << "failed to allocate fstab recs";
+            fstab->num_entries = 0;
+            fs_mgr_free_fstab(fstab);
+            return NULL;
+        }
+
+        for (int i = fstab->num_entries, j = 0; i < total_entries; i++, j++) {
+            // copy everything and *not* strdup
+            fstab->recs[i] = f->recs[j];
+        }
+
+        // free up fstab entries read from file, but don't cleanup
+        // the strings within f->recs[X] to make sure they are accessible
+        // through fstab->recs[X].
+        free(f->fstab_filename);
+        free(f);
+
+        fstab->num_entries = total_entries;
+    }
+
+    return fstab;
+}
+
 void fs_mgr_free_fstab(struct fstab *fstab)
 {
     int i;
diff --git a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_priv.h b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_priv.h
index 478c145..95295d8 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_priv.h
+++ b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_priv.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
 #define PWARNING PLOG(WARNING) << FS_MGR_TAG
 #define PERROR   PLOG(ERROR) << FS_MGR_TAG
 
+const std::string FSTAB_PREFIX("/fstab.");
+
 __BEGIN_DECLS
 
 #define CRYPTO_TMPFS_OPTIONS "size=256m,mode=0771,uid=1000,gid=1000"
diff --git a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_priv_boot_config.h b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_priv_boot_config.h
index 74bb5eb..8773d33 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_priv_boot_config.h
+++ b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_priv_boot_config.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 #include <string>
 
+const std::string kAndroidDtDir("/proc/device-tree/firmware/android");
+
 bool fs_mgr_get_boot_config(const std::string& key, std::string* out_val);
 
 #endif /* __CORE_FS_MGR_PRIV_BOOTCONFIG_H */
diff --git a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_verity.cpp b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_verity.cpp
index 2c9b0a9..5b81a54 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_verity.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/fs_mgr_verity.cpp
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@
 #include "fs_mgr_priv.h"
 #include "fs_mgr_priv_dm_ioctl.h"
 
-#define FSTAB_PREFIX "/fstab."
-
 #define VERITY_TABLE_RSA_KEY "/verity_key"
 #define VERITY_TABLE_HASH_IDX 8
 #define VERITY_TABLE_SALT_IDX 9
@@ -694,8 +692,6 @@
 
 int fs_mgr_load_verity_state(int *mode)
 {
-    char fstab_filename[PROPERTY_VALUE_MAX + sizeof(FSTAB_PREFIX)];
-    char propbuf[PROPERTY_VALUE_MAX];
     int rc = -1;
     int i;
     int current;
@@ -705,13 +701,9 @@
      * logging mode, in which case return that */
     *mode = VERITY_MODE_DEFAULT;
 
-    property_get("ro.hardware", propbuf, "");
-    snprintf(fstab_filename, sizeof(fstab_filename), FSTAB_PREFIX"%s", propbuf);
-
-    fstab = fs_mgr_read_fstab(fstab_filename);
-
+    fstab = fs_mgr_read_fstab_default();
     if (!fstab) {
-        LERROR << "Failed to read " << fstab_filename;
+        LERROR << "Failed to read default fstab";
         goto out;
     }
 
@@ -745,7 +737,6 @@
 {
     alignas(dm_ioctl) char buffer[DM_BUF_SIZE];
     bool system_root = false;
-    char fstab_filename[PROPERTY_VALUE_MAX + sizeof(FSTAB_PREFIX)];
     std::string mount_point;
     char propbuf[PROPERTY_VALUE_MAX];
     const char *status;
@@ -765,22 +756,16 @@
     }
 
     fd = TEMP_FAILURE_RETRY(open("/dev/device-mapper", O_RDWR | O_CLOEXEC));
-
     if (fd == -1) {
         PERROR << "Error opening device mapper";
         goto out;
     }
 
-    property_get("ro.hardware", propbuf, "");
-    snprintf(fstab_filename, sizeof(fstab_filename), FSTAB_PREFIX"%s", propbuf);
-
     property_get("ro.build.system_root_image", propbuf, "");
     system_root = !strcmp(propbuf, "true");
-
-    fstab = fs_mgr_read_fstab(fstab_filename);
-
+    fstab = fs_mgr_read_fstab_default();
     if (!fstab) {
-        LERROR << "Failed to read " << fstab_filename;
+        LERROR << "Failed to read default fstab";
         goto out;
     }
 
diff --git a/fs_mgr/include/fs_mgr.h b/fs_mgr/include/fs_mgr.h
index 0402b55..52f27ab 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/include/fs_mgr.h
+++ b/fs_mgr/include/fs_mgr.h
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@
 typedef void (*fs_mgr_verity_state_callback)(struct fstab_rec *fstab,
         const char *mount_point, int mode, int status);
 
+struct fstab *fs_mgr_read_fstab_default();
+struct fstab *fs_mgr_read_fstab_dt();
 struct fstab *fs_mgr_read_fstab_file(FILE *fstab_file);
 struct fstab *fs_mgr_read_fstab(const char *fstab_path);
 void fs_mgr_free_fstab(struct fstab *fstab);
diff --git a/init/init.cpp b/init/init.cpp
index 05f2cfd..3cb1276 100644
--- a/init/init.cpp
+++ b/init/init.cpp
@@ -502,26 +502,30 @@
     std::string dt_value;
     std::string file_name = StringPrintf("%s/compatible", android_dt_dir);
 
-    android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &dt_value);
-    if (!dt_value.compare("android,firmware")) {
-        LOG(ERROR) << "firmware/android is not compatible with 'android,firmware'";
-        return false;
+    if (android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &dt_value)) {
+        // trim the trailing '\0' out, otherwise the comparison
+        // will produce false-negatives.
+        dt_value.resize(dt_value.size() - 1);
+        if (dt_value == "android,firmware") {
+            return true;
+        }
     }
 
-    return true;
+    return false;
 }
 
 static bool is_dt_fstab_compatible() {
     std::string dt_value;
     std::string file_name = StringPrintf("%s/%s/compatible", android_dt_dir, "fstab");
 
-    android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &dt_value);
-    if (!dt_value.compare("android,fstab")) {
-        LOG(ERROR) << "firmware/android/fstab is not compatible with 'android,fstab'";
-        return false;
+    if (android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &dt_value)) {
+        dt_value.resize(dt_value.size() - 1);
+        if (dt_value == "android,fstab") {
+            return true;
+        }
     }
 
-    return true;
+    return false;
 }
 
 static void process_kernel_dt() {
@@ -664,78 +668,6 @@
     }
 }
 
-static std::string import_dt_fstab() {
-    std::string fstab;
-    if (!is_dt_compatible() || !is_dt_fstab_compatible()) {
-        return fstab;
-    }
-
-    std::string fstabdir_name = StringPrintf("%s/fstab", android_dt_dir);
-    std::unique_ptr<DIR, int (*)(DIR*)> fstabdir(opendir(fstabdir_name.c_str()), closedir);
-    if (!fstabdir) return fstab;
-
-    dirent* dp;
-    while ((dp = readdir(fstabdir.get())) != NULL) {
-        // skip over name and compatible
-        if (dp->d_type != DT_DIR) {
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        // skip if its not 'vendor', 'odm' or 'system'
-        if (strcmp(dp->d_name, "odm") && strcmp(dp->d_name, "system") &&
-            strcmp(dp->d_name, "vendor")) {
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        // create <dev> <mnt_point>  <type>  <mnt_flags>  <fsmgr_flags>\n
-        std::vector<std::string> fstab_entry;
-        std::string file_name;
-        std::string value;
-        file_name = StringPrintf("%s/%s/dev", fstabdir_name.c_str(), dp->d_name);
-        if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &value)) {
-            LOG(ERROR) << "dt_fstab: Failed to find device for partition " << dp->d_name;
-            fstab.clear();
-            break;
-        }
-        // trim the terminating '\0' out
-        value.resize(value.size() - 1);
-        fstab_entry.push_back(value);
-        fstab_entry.push_back(StringPrintf("/%s", dp->d_name));
-
-        file_name = StringPrintf("%s/%s/type", fstabdir_name.c_str(), dp->d_name);
-        if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &value)) {
-            LOG(ERROR) << "dt_fstab: Failed to find type for partition " << dp->d_name;
-            fstab.clear();
-            break;
-        }
-        value.resize(value.size() - 1);
-        fstab_entry.push_back(value);
-
-        file_name = StringPrintf("%s/%s/mnt_flags", fstabdir_name.c_str(), dp->d_name);
-        if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &value)) {
-            LOG(ERROR) << "dt_fstab: Failed to find type for partition " << dp->d_name;
-            fstab.clear();
-            break;
-        }
-        value.resize(value.size() - 1);
-        fstab_entry.push_back(value);
-
-        file_name = StringPrintf("%s/%s/fsmgr_flags", fstabdir_name.c_str(), dp->d_name);
-        if (!android::base::ReadFileToString(file_name, &value)) {
-            LOG(ERROR) << "dt_fstab: Failed to find type for partition " << dp->d_name;
-            fstab.clear();
-            break;
-        }
-        value.resize(value.size() - 1);
-        fstab_entry.push_back(value);
-
-        fstab += android::base::Join(fstab_entry, " ");
-        fstab += '\n';
-    }
-
-    return fstab;
-}
-
 static bool early_mount_one(struct fstab_rec* rec) {
     if (rec && fs_mgr_is_verified(rec)) {
         // setup verity and create the dm-XX block device
@@ -770,23 +702,16 @@
 
 /* Early mount vendor and ODM partitions. The fstab is read from device-tree. */
 static bool early_mount() {
-    std::string fstab = import_dt_fstab();
-    if (fstab.empty()) {
-        LOG(INFO) << "Early mount skipped (missing fstab in device tree)";
+    // first check if device tree fstab entries are compatible
+    if (!is_dt_fstab_compatible()) {
+        LOG(INFO) << "Early mount skipped (missing/incompatible fstab in device tree)";
         return true;
     }
 
-    std::unique_ptr<FILE, decltype(&fclose)> fstab_file(
-        fmemopen(static_cast<void*>(const_cast<char*>(fstab.c_str())), fstab.length(), "r"), fclose);
-    if (!fstab_file) {
-        PLOG(ERROR) << "Early mount failed to open fstab file in memory";
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    std::unique_ptr<struct fstab, decltype(&fs_mgr_free_fstab)> tab(
-        fs_mgr_read_fstab_file(fstab_file.get()), fs_mgr_free_fstab);
+    std::unique_ptr<fstab, decltype(&fs_mgr_free_fstab)> tab(
+        fs_mgr_read_fstab_dt(), fs_mgr_free_fstab);
     if (!tab) {
-        LOG(ERROR) << "Early mount fsmgr failed to load fstab from kernel:" << std::endl << fstab;
+        LOG(ERROR) << "Early mount failed to read fstab from device tree";
         return false;
     }