diff --git a/cmd/installer/pkg/install/errata.go b/cmd/installer/pkg/install/errata.go
index efe7c5e3b..ac6737dc8 100644
--- a/cmd/installer/pkg/install/errata.go
+++ b/cmd/installer/pkg/install/errata.go
@@ -5,72 +5,22 @@
 package install
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
-	"compress/gzip"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log"
 	"os"
-	"runtime"
 	"time"
 
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 
-	pkgkernel "github.com/siderolabs/talos/pkg/kernel"
 	"github.com/siderolabs/talos/pkg/machinery/client"
 	"github.com/siderolabs/talos/pkg/machinery/compatibility"
 	"github.com/siderolabs/talos/pkg/machinery/constants"
-	"github.com/siderolabs/talos/pkg/machinery/kernel"
 	"github.com/siderolabs/talos/pkg/machinery/role"
 )
 
-// errataArm64ZBoot handles the case when upgrading from Talos < 1.8.0 on arm64 to compressed kernel.
-func errataArm64ZBoot() {
-	if runtime.GOARCH != "arm64" {
-		return
-	}
-
-	oldConfig, err := os.OpenFile("/proc/config.gz", os.O_RDONLY, 0)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("failed to open /proc/config.gz: %s", err)
-
-		return
-	}
-
-	defer oldConfig.Close() //nolint:errcheck
-
-	r, err := gzip.NewReader(oldConfig)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("failed to read /proc/config.gz: %s", err)
-
-		return
-	}
-
-	contents, err := io.ReadAll(r)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("failed to read /proc/config.gz: %s", err)
-
-		return
-	}
-
-	if bytes.Contains(contents, []byte("CONFIG_ARM64_ZBOOT=y")) {
-		// nothing to do
-		return
-	}
-
-	log.Printf("disabling kexec due to upgrade to the compressed kernel")
-
-	if err = pkgkernel.WriteParam(&kernel.Param{
-		Key:   "proc.sys.kernel.kexec_load_disabled",
-		Value: "1",
-	}); err != nil {
-		log.Printf("failed to disable kexec: %s", err)
-	}
-}
-
 // errataNetIfnames appends the `net.ifnames=0` kernel parameter to the kernel command line if upgrading
 // from an old enough version of Talos.
 func (i *Installer) errataNetIfnames(talosVersion *compatibility.TalosVersion) {
diff --git a/cmd/installer/pkg/install/install.go b/cmd/installer/pkg/install/install.go
index 231ec100c..684dd9d75 100644
--- a/cmd/installer/pkg/install/install.go
+++ b/cmd/installer/pkg/install/install.go
@@ -240,8 +240,6 @@ func (i *Installer) Install(ctx context.Context, mode Mode) (err error) {
 	}
 
 	if mode == ModeUpgrade {
-		errataArm64ZBoot()
-
 		i.errataNetIfnames(hostTalosVersion)
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/app/machined/pkg/runtime/v1alpha1/bootloader/sdboot/sdboot.go b/internal/app/machined/pkg/runtime/v1alpha1/bootloader/sdboot/sdboot.go
index 8afa518f5..22ad0316c 100644
--- a/internal/app/machined/pkg/runtime/v1alpha1/bootloader/sdboot/sdboot.go
+++ b/internal/app/machined/pkg/runtime/v1alpha1/bootloader/sdboot/sdboot.go
@@ -77,16 +77,18 @@ func ProbeWithCallback(disk string, options options.ProbeOptions, callback func(
 
 	// here we need to read the EFI vars to see if we have any defaults
 	// and populate config accordingly
-	// https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd-boot.html#LoaderEntryDefault
-	// this should be set on install/upgrades
+	// https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemd-boot.html#LoaderEntryDefault
+	// this is set by systemd-boot.
 	efiCtx := efivario.NewDefaultContext()
 
-	bootedEntry, err := ReadVariable(efiCtx, LoaderEntrySelectedName)
+	// first we start by checking if we have a Default entry
+	// this is set by installer
+	bootedEntry, err := ReadVariable(efiCtx, LoaderEntryDefaultName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	config := &Config{}
+	var sdbootConf *Config
 
 	// read /boot/EFI and find if sd-boot is already being used
 	// this is to make sure sd-boot from Talos is being used and not sd-boot from another distro
@@ -116,20 +118,24 @@ func ProbeWithCallback(disk string, options options.ProbeOptions, callback func(
 				return err
 			}
 
-			for _, ukiFile := range ukiFiles {
-				if strings.EqualFold(filepath.Base(ukiFile), bootedEntry) {
-					config.Default = bootedEntry
+			// here we handle a case when we boot of just kernel+initrd/uki/iso and we don't have a booted entry
+			// then we know we're booted of UKI
+			if bootedEntry == "" && len(ukiFiles) == 1 {
+				sdbootConf = &Config{
+					Default: filepath.Base(ukiFiles[0]),
 				}
 			}
 
-			// here we handle a case when we boot of just kernel+initrd/uki and we don't have a booted entry
-			if bootedEntry == "" && len(ukiFiles) == 1 {
-				// we have only one UKI, so we can assume it's the default
-				config.Default = filepath.Base(ukiFiles[0])
+			for _, ukiFile := range ukiFiles {
+				if strings.EqualFold(filepath.Base(ukiFile), bootedEntry) {
+					sdbootConf = &Config{
+						Default: bootedEntry,
+					}
+				}
 			}
 
-			if callback != nil {
-				return callback(config)
+			if sdbootConf != nil && callback != nil {
+				return callback(sdbootConf)
 			}
 
 			return nil
@@ -150,7 +156,7 @@ func ProbeWithCallback(disk string, options options.ProbeOptions, callback func(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return config, nil
+	return sdbootConf, nil
 }
 
 // Probe for existing sd-boot bootloader.