diff --git a/autotest_lib.sh b/autotest_lib.sh
index fe76cb7663..f60382c5c8 100644
--- a/autotest_lib.sh
+++ b/autotest_lib.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@
 #
 # Provides common commands for dealing running/building autotest
 
-DEFINE_string board "" "The board for which you are building autotest"
+. "$(dirname "$0")/common.sh"
+
+get_default_board
+
+DEFINE_string board "$DEFAULT_BOARD" \
+    "The board for which you are building autotest"
 
 function check_board() {
   local board_names=""
diff --git a/build_autotest.sh b/build_autotest.sh
index 24c8eca15d..b5b8ad20fc 100755
--- a/build_autotest.sh
+++ b/build_autotest.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 # The user can later run autotest against an ssh enabled test client system, or
 # install the compiled client tests directly onto the rootfs image.
 
-. "$(dirname "$0")/common.sh"
+# Includes common already
 . "$(dirname $0)/autotest_lib.sh"
 
 # Script must be run inside the chroot
diff --git a/common.sh b/common.sh
index 419ff48f04..6c97adc2d2 100644
--- a/common.sh
+++ b/common.sh
@@ -141,6 +141,28 @@ esac
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Functions
 
+function setup_board_warning {
+  echo  
+  echo "$V_REVERSE=================  WARNING  ======================$V_VIDOFF"  
+  echo
+  echo "*** No default board detected in " \
+    "$GCLIENT_ROOT/src/scripts/.default_board"
+  echo "*** Either run setup_board with default flag set"
+  echo "*** or echo |board_name| > $GCLIENT_ROOT/src/scripts/.default_board"
+  echo
+}
+
+
+# Sets the default board variable for calling script
+function get_default_board {
+  DEFAULT_BOARD= 
+  
+  if [ -f "$GCLIENT_ROOT/src/scripts/.default_board" ] ; then
+    DEFAULT_BOARD=`cat "$GCLIENT_ROOT/src/scripts/.default_board"`
+  fi
+}
+
+
 # Make a package
 function make_pkg_common {
   # Positional parameters from calling script.  :? means "fail if unset".
diff --git a/image_to_usb.sh b/image_to_usb.sh
index c674e2f8fd..b1e533ee49 100755
--- a/image_to_usb.sh
+++ b/image_to_usb.sh
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@
 # The path to common.sh should be relative to your script's location.
 . "$(dirname "$0")/common.sh"
 
+get_default_board
 
 # Flags
-DEFINE_string board "" "Board for which the image was built"
+DEFINE_string board "$DEFAULT_BOARD" "Board for which the image was built"
 DEFINE_string from "" \
   "Directory containing rootfs.image and mbr.image"
 DEFINE_string to "" "$DEFAULT_TO_HELP"
@@ -38,12 +39,23 @@ fi
 # Die on any errors.
 set -e
 
-# If from isn't explicitly set
+# No board, no default and no image set then we can't find the image
+if [ -z $FLAGS_from ] && [ -z $FLAGS_board ] ; then 
+  setup_board_warning
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# We have a board name but no image set.  Use image at default location
 if [ -z "$FLAGS_from" ]; then
   IMAGES_DIR="${DEFAULT_BUILD_ROOT}/images/${FLAGS_board}"
   FLAGS_from="${IMAGES_DIR}/$(ls -t $IMAGES_DIR 2>&-| head -1)"
 fi
 
+if [ ! -d "$FLAGS_from" ] ; then
+  echo "Cannot find image directory $FLAGS_from"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 # If to isn't explicitly set
 if [ -z "$FLAGS_to" ]; then
   # Script can be run either inside or outside the chroot.
diff --git a/mod_image_for_test.sh b/mod_image_for_test.sh
index c544732462..e6982a1fc1 100755
--- a/mod_image_for_test.sh
+++ b/mod_image_for_test.sh
@@ -10,21 +10,34 @@
 # The path to common.sh should be relative to your script's location.
 . "$(dirname "$0")/common.sh"
 
-DEFAULT_BOARD=x86-generic
-IMAGES_DIR="${DEFAULT_BUILD_ROOT}/images/${DEFAULT_BOARD}"
-DEFAULT_IMAGE="${IMAGES_DIR}/$(ls -t $IMAGES_DIR 2>&-| head -1)/rootfs.image"
+get_default_board
 
 DEFINE_string board "$DEFAULT_BOARD" "Board for which the image was built"
-DEFINE_string image "$DEFAULT_IMAGE"    \
-  "Location of the rootfs raw image file"
+DEFINE_string image "" "Location of the rootfs raw image file"
 DEFINE_boolean yes $FLAGS_FALSE "Answer yes to all prompts" "y"
 
 # Parse command line
 FLAGS "$@" || exit 1
 eval set -- "${FLAGS_ARGV}"
 
-IMAGES_DIR="${DEFAULT_BUILD_ROOT}/images/${DEFAULT_BOARD}"
-DEFAULT_IMAGE="${IMAGES_DIR}/$(ls -t $IMAGES_DIR 2>&-| head -1)/rootfs.image"
+# No board, no default and no image set then we can't find the image
+if [ -z $FLAGS_IMAGE ] && [ -z $FLAGS_board ] ; then 
+  setup_board_warning
+  echo "*** mod_image_for_test failed.  No board set and no image set"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# We have a board name but no image set.  Use image at default location
+if [ -z $FLAGS_image ] ; then
+  IMAGES_DIR="${DEFAULT_BUILD_ROOT}/images/${FLAGS_board}"
+  FLAGS_image="${IMAGES_DIR}/$(ls -t $IMAGES_DIR 2>&-| head -1)/rootfs.image"
+fi
+
+# Abort early if we can't find the image
+if [ ! -f $FLAGS_image ] ; then
+  echo "No image found at $FLAGS_image"
+  exit 1
+fi
 
 # Make sure anything mounted in the rootfs is cleaned up ok on exit.
 cleanup_rootfs_mounts() {