diff --git a/internal/app/machined/pkg/controllers/runtime/booted_entry.go b/internal/app/machined/pkg/controllers/runtime/booted_entry.go
index c29b84cb1..52764ef7b 100644
--- a/internal/app/machined/pkg/controllers/runtime/booted_entry.go
+++ b/internal/app/machined/pkg/controllers/runtime/booted_entry.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func (ctrl *BootedEntryController) Outputs() []controller.Output {
 // Run implements controller.Controller interface.
 //
 //nolint:gocyclo,cyclop
-func (ctrl *BootedEntryController) Run(ctx context.Context, r controller.Runtime, _ *zap.Logger) error {
+func (ctrl *BootedEntryController) Run(ctx context.Context, r controller.Runtime, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 	// If we're booted in Container mode, short-circuit the controller.
 	if ctrl.V1Alpha1Mode == machineruntime.ModeContainer {
 		return nil
@@ -114,10 +114,16 @@ func (ctrl *BootedEntryController) Run(ctx context.Context, r controller.Runtime
 		// Ref: https://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/EFI_BOOTLOADER_CONTROL.html
 		case loaderEntryRebootReason == "reboot" && loaderEntryOneShot == "kexec reboot":
 			if loaderEntryDefault == "" {
-				return fmt.Errorf("LoaderEntryDefault variable is empty, cannot determine booted entry")
-			}
+				logger.Warn("LoaderEntryDefault variable is empty, falling back to LoaderEntrySelected variable to determine booted entry")
 
-			bootedEntry = loaderEntryDefault
+				if loaderEntrySelected == "" {
+					return fmt.Errorf("LoaderEntrySelected variable is empty, cannot determine booted entry")
+				}
+
+				bootedEntry = loaderEntrySelected
+			} else {
+				bootedEntry = loaderEntryDefault
+			}
 		// this case is when we have a `LoaderEntryDefault` set by the installer and during a reboot the user selected
 		// a different entry, so we set the `LoaderEntrySelected` as the booted entry
 		// we can use this information later to decide which UKI's to clean up
diff --git a/internal/integration/api/uki.go b/internal/integration/api/uki.go
index 9857b8b47..57824b95c 100644
--- a/internal/integration/api/uki.go
+++ b/internal/integration/api/uki.go
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ func (suite *UKISuite) TestUKIBooted() {
 			asrt.True(r.TypedSpec().BootedWithUKI)
 		},
 	)
+
+	rtestutils.AssertResources(ctx, suite.T(), suite.Client.COSI, []resource.ID{runtimeres.BootedEntryID},
+		func(r *runtimeres.BootedEntry, asrt *assert.Assertions) {
+			asrt.NotEmpty(r.TypedSpec().BootedEntry, "BootedEntry should not be empty when booted with UKI")
+		},
+	)
 }
 
 func init() {