diff --git a/usr/gen_init_cpio.c b/usr/gen_init_cpio.c
index ea4b9b5fed01..aa73afd3756c 100644
--- a/usr/gen_init_cpio.c
+++ b/usr/gen_init_cpio.c
@@ -354,6 +354,7 @@ static int cpio_mkfile(const char *name, const char *location,
 	int namesize;
 	unsigned int i;
 	uint32_t csum = 0;
+	ssize_t this_read;
 
 	mode |= S_IFREG;
 
@@ -429,9 +430,19 @@ static int cpio_mkfile(const char *name, const char *location,
 		    push_pad(padlen(offset, 4)) < 0)
 			goto error;
 
+		if (size) {
+			this_read = copy_file_range(file, NULL, outfd, NULL, size, 0);
+			if (this_read > 0) {
+				if (this_read > size)
+					goto error;
+				offset += this_read;
+				size -= this_read;
+			}
+			/* short or failed copy falls back to read/write... */
+		}
+
 		while (size) {
 			unsigned char filebuf[65536];
-			ssize_t this_read;
 			size_t this_size = MIN(size, sizeof(filebuf));
 
 			this_read = read(file, filebuf, this_size);