diff --git a/package/system/fstools/Makefile b/package/system/fstools/Makefile
index 9036528dbc..1df3e8c3b6 100644
--- a/package/system/fstools/Makefile
+++ b/package/system/fstools/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ PKG_LICENSE:=GPL-2.0
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=
 
 PKG_USE_MIPS16:=0
-PKG_FLAGS:=nonshared
+PKG_FLAGS:=nonshared hold
 
 PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS := util-linux
 PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS := CONFIG_NAND_SUPPORT CONFIG_FSTOOLS_UBIFS_EXTROOT
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ define Package/block-mount
   SECTION:=base
   CATEGORY:=Base system
   TITLE:=Block device mounting and checking
-  DEPENDS:=+ubox +libubox +libuci +libblobmsg-json +libjson-c
+  DEPENDS:=+ubox +libubox +libuci +libblobmsg-json +libjson-c +blkid
 endef
 
 define Package/blockd
diff --git a/package/system/fstools/files/fstab.init b/package/system/fstools/files/fstab.init
index 08d5601bee..177f752ab9 100644
--- a/package/system/fstools/files/fstab.init
+++ b/package/system/fstools/files/fstab.init
@@ -3,7 +3,68 @@
 
 START=40
 
+check_uuid() {
+	blkid --uuid "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+check_label() {
+	blkid --label "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+check_device() {
+	[ -b "$1" ] >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+wait_essential() {
+	local enabled
+	local target
+	local essential
+	[ $TIMEOUT -gt 0 ] || return 1
+	config_get_bool enabled $1 "enabled" "0"
+	config_get_bool essential $1 essential "0"
+	[ "$enabled" = "0" -o "$essential" = "0" ] && return 0
+	config_get target $1 "target"
+	[ -z "$target" -o "$target" = "/" -o "$target" = "/rom" -o "$target" = "/overlay" ] && return 0
+
+	/bin/mount | grep -qF " on $target type " && return 0
+
+	local uuid label device check_cmd
+	config_get uuid $1 "uuid"
+	config_get label $1 "label"
+	config_get device $1 "device"
+	if [ -n "$uuid" ]; then
+		check_cmd="check_uuid \"$uuid\""
+	elif [ -n "$label" ]; then
+		check_cmd="check_label \"$label\""
+	elif [ -n "$device" ]; then
+		check_cmd="check_device \"$device\""
+	else
+		return 0
+	fi
+	while :; do
+		eval "$check_cmd" && return 0
+		TIMEOUT=$(($TIMEOUT - 1))
+		if [ $TIMEOUT -gt 0 ]; then
+			sleep 1
+		else
+			break
+		fi
+	done
+	echo "fstab: wait essential device(s) timeout on $check_cmd" >/dev/kmsg
+	return 1
+}
+
+check_block_ready() {
+	TIMEOUT=$(uci -q get fstab.@global[0].essential_timeout)
+	[ -z "$TIMEOUT" ] && TIMEOUT=5
+	[ $TIMEOUT -ge 0 ] || return 0
+	TIMEOUT=$(($TIMEOUT + 1))
+	local ORIG=$TIMEOUT
+	config_load fstab
+	config_foreach wait_essential mount
+	[ $TIMEOUT -gt 0 ] && echo "fstab: essential device(s) ready after $(($ORIG - $TIMEOUT)) seconds" >/dev/kmsg
+}
+
 boot() {
+	( check_block_ready )
 	/sbin/block mount
 }