diff --git a/build_image b/build_image
index 12e57a0843..1d3d3c9195 100755
--- a/build_image
+++ b/build_image
@@ -587,13 +587,6 @@ create_base_image() {
 
   # Create and format the root file system.
 
-  # Check for loop device before creating image.
-  LOOP_DEV=$(sudo losetup -f)
-  if [ -z "${LOOP_DEV}" ] ; then
-    echo "No free loop device.  Free up a loop device or reboot.  exiting. "
-    exit 1
-  fi
-
   # Create root file system disk image.
   ROOT_SIZE_BYTES=$((1024 * 1024 * ${FLAGS_rootfs_size}))
 
@@ -603,7 +596,13 @@ create_base_image() {
 
   dd if=/dev/zero of="${ROOT_FS_IMG}" bs=1 count=1 \
      seek=$((ROOT_SIZE_BYTES + ROOT_HASH_PAD - 1))
-  sudo losetup "${LOOP_DEV}" "${ROOT_FS_IMG}"
+
+  LOOP_DEV=$(sudo losetup --show -f "${ROOT_FS_IMG}")
+  if [ -z "${LOOP_DEV}" ] ; then
+    echo "No free loop device.  Free up a loop device or reboot.  exiting. "
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
   # Specify a block size and block count to avoid using the hash pad.
   sudo mkfs.ext2 -b 4096 "${LOOP_DEV}" "$((ROOT_SIZE_BYTES / 4096))"
 
@@ -624,11 +623,6 @@ create_base_image() {
   sudo mount -t ext2 "${LOOP_DEV}" "${ROOT_FS_DIR}"
 
   # Create stateful partition of the same size as the rootfs.
-  STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV=$(sudo losetup -f)
-  if [ -z "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}" ] ; then
-    echo "No free loop device.  Free up a loop device or reboot.  exiting. "
-    exit 1
-  fi
   STATEFUL_SIZE_BYTES=$((1024 * 1024 * ${FLAGS_statefulfs_size}))
   dd if=/dev/zero of="${STATEFUL_FS_IMG}" bs=1 count=1 \
       seek=$((STATEFUL_SIZE_BYTES - 1))
@@ -636,7 +630,11 @@ create_base_image() {
   # Tune and mount the stateful partition.
   UUID=$(uuidgen)
   DISK_LABEL="C-STATE"
-  sudo losetup "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}" "${STATEFUL_FS_IMG}"
+  STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV=$(sudo losetup --show -f "${STATEFUL_FS_IMG}")
+  if [ -z "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}" ] ; then
+    echo "No free loop device.  Free up a loop device or reboot.  exiting. "
+    exit 1
+  fi
   sudo mkfs.ext3 "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}"
   sudo tune2fs -L "${DISK_LABEL}" -U "${UUID}" -c 0 -i 0 "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}"
   sudo mount -t ext3 "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}" "${STATEFUL_FS_DIR}"
diff --git a/image_to_vm.sh b/image_to_vm.sh
index fb0d627aec..d4ee0a2434 100755
--- a/image_to_vm.sh
+++ b/image_to_vm.sh
@@ -156,16 +156,14 @@ else
     fi
 
     echo "Resizing stateful partition to ${FLAGS_statefulfs_size}MB"
-    STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV=$(sudo losetup -f)
-    if [ -z "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}" ]; then
-      die "No free loop device. Free up a loop device or reboot. Exiting."
-    fi
-
     # Extend the original file size to the new size.
     dd if=/dev/zero of="${TEMP_STATE}" bs=1 count=1 \
         seek=$((STATEFUL_SIZE_BYTES - 1))
     # Resize the partition.
-    sudo losetup "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}" "${TEMP_STATE}"
+    STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV=$(sudo losetup --show -f "${TEMP_STATE}")
+    if [ -z "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}" ]; then
+      die "No free loop device. Free up a loop device or reboot. Exiting."
+    fi
     sudo e2fsck -pf "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}"
     sudo resize2fs "${STATEFUL_LOOP_DEV}"
     sync
diff --git a/mod_image_for_recovery.sh b/mod_image_for_recovery.sh
index 8248caa865..e223719658 100755
--- a/mod_image_for_recovery.sh
+++ b/mod_image_for_recovery.sh
@@ -203,16 +203,13 @@ emerge_recovery_kernel() {
 create_recovery_kernel_image() {
   local sysroot="${FLAGS_build_root}/${FLAGS_board}"
   local vmlinuz="$sysroot/boot/vmlinuz"
-  local root_dev=$(sudo losetup -f)
   local root_offset=$(partoffset "$FLAGS_image" 3)
   local root_size=$(partsize "$FLAGS_image" 3)
 
-  sudo losetup \
-       -o $((root_offset * 512)) \
-       --sizelimit $((root_size * 512)) \
-       "$root_dev" \
-       "$FLAGS_image"
-
+  local root_dev=$(sudo losetup --show -f \
+                   -o $((root_offset * 512)) \
+                   --sizelimit $((root_size * 512)) \
+                   "$FLAGS_image")
   trap "sudo losetup -d $root_dev" EXIT
 
   cros_root="PARTUUID=%U/PARTNROFF=1"  # only used for non-verified images
@@ -273,15 +270,13 @@ create_recovery_kernel_image() {
 
   # Update the EFI System Partition configuration so that the kern_hash check
   # passes.
-  local efi_dev=$(sudo losetup -f)
   local efi_offset=$(partoffset "$FLAGS_image" 12)
   local efi_size=$(partsize "$FLAGS_image" 12)
 
-  sudo losetup \
-       -o $((efi_offset * 512)) \
-       --sizelimit $((efi_size * 512)) \
-       "$efi_dev" \
-       "$FLAGS_image"
+  local efi_dev=$(sudo losetup --show -f \
+                  -o $((efi_offset * 512)) \
+                  --sizelimit $((efi_size * 512)) \
+                  "$FLAGS_image")
   local efi_dir=$(mktemp -d)
   trap "sudo losetup -d $efi_dev && rmdir \"$efi_dir\"" EXIT
   sudo mount "$efi_dev" "$efi_dir"
diff --git a/resize_stateful_partition.sh b/resize_stateful_partition.sh
index 455807491b..00392592d3 100755
--- a/resize_stateful_partition.sh
+++ b/resize_stateful_partition.sh
@@ -46,14 +46,6 @@ cleanup_loop_dev() {
   sudo losetup -d ${1} || /bin/true
 }
 
-get_loop_dev() {
-  local loop_dev=$(sudo losetup -f)
-  if [ -z "${loop_dev}" ]; then
-    die "No free loop device. Free up a loop device or reboot. Exiting."
-  fi
-  echo ${loop_dev}
-}
-
 # Resize stateful partition of install shim to hold payload content
 # Due to this resize, we need to create a new partition table and a new image.
 # (see update_partition_table() for details)
@@ -66,15 +58,16 @@ enlarge_partition_image() {
   local resized_sectors=$(roundup $(expr $source_sectors + $add_num_sectors))
   info "resized partition has ${resized_sectors} 512-byte sectors."
 
-  local loop_dev=$(get_loop_dev)
-  trap "cleanup_loop_dev ${loop_dev}" EXIT
-
   # Extend the source file size to the new size.
   dd if=/dev/zero of="${source_part}" bs=1 count=1 \
       seek=$((512 * ${resized_sectors} - 1)) &>/dev/null
 
   # Resize the partition.
-  sudo losetup "${loop_dev}" "${source_part}"
+  local loop_dev=$(losetup --show -f "${source_part}")
+  if [ -z "${loop_dev}" ]; then
+    die "No free loop device. Free up a loop device or reboot. Exiting."
+  fi
+  trap "cleanup_loop_dev ${loop_dev}" EXIT
   sudo e2fsck -fp "${loop_dev}" &> /dev/null
   sudo resize2fs "${loop_dev}" &> /dev/null
   # trap handler will clean up the loop device
diff --git a/update_bootloaders.sh b/update_bootloaders.sh
index 5cede9deba..12b67906cb 100755
--- a/update_bootloaders.sh
+++ b/update_bootloaders.sh
@@ -142,24 +142,21 @@ if [[ ! -e "${FLAGS_to}" ]]; then
   # We'll hard-code it to 16M for now.
   ESP_BLOCKS=16384
   /usr/sbin/mkfs.vfat -C "${FLAGS_to}" ${ESP_BLOCKS}
-  ESP_DEV=$(sudo losetup -f)
+  ESP_DEV=$(sudo losetup --show -f "${FLAGS_to}")
   if [ -z "${ESP_DEV}" ]; then
     die "No free loop devices."
   fi
-  sudo losetup "${ESP_DEV}" "${FLAGS_to}"
 else
   if [[ -f "${FLAGS_to}" ]]; then
-    ESP_DEV=$(sudo losetup -f)
-    if [ -z "${ESP_DEV}" ]; then
-      die "No free loop devices."
-    fi
-
     esp_offset="--offset ${FLAGS_to_offset}"
     esp_size="--sizelimit ${FLAGS_to_size}"
     if [ ${FLAGS_to_size} -lt 0 ]; then
       esp_size=
     fi
-    sudo losetup ${esp_offset} ${esp_size} "${ESP_DEV}" "${FLAGS_to}"
+    ESP_DEV=$(sudo losetup --show -f ${esp_offset} ${esp_size} "${FLAGS_to}")
+    if [ -z "${ESP_DEV}" ]; then
+      die "No free loop devices."
+    fi
   else
     # If it is a block device or something else, try to mount it anyway.
     ESP_DEV="${FLAGS_to}"