diff --git a/build-images.sh b/build-images.sh
index ed7f013..54e1c5f 100755
--- a/build-images.sh
+++ b/build-images.sh
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ build_kexec_bundle() {
 build_kexec_installer() {
   declare -r tag=$1 arch=$2 tmp=$3
   # run the test once we have kvm support in github actions
-  # ignore=$(nix-build ./nix/kexec-installer-test.nix -I "nixpkgs=https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/archive/${tag}.tar.gz" --argstr system "$arch")
-  out=$(nix-build '<nixpkgs/nixos>' -o "$tmp/kexec-installer-$arch" -I nixos-config=./nix/kexec-installer.nix -I "nixpkgs=https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/archive/${tag}.tar.gz" --argstr system "$arch" -A config.system.build.kexecTarball)
+  # ignore=$(nix-build ./nix/kexec-installer/test.nix -I "nixpkgs=https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/archive/${tag}.tar.gz" --argstr system "$arch")
+  out=$(nix-build '<nixpkgs/nixos>' -o "$tmp/kexec-installer-$arch" -I nixos-config=./nix/kexec-installer/module.nix -I "nixpkgs=https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/archive/${tag}.tar.gz" --argstr system "$arch" -A config.system.build.kexecTarball)
   echo "$out/nixos-kexec-installer-$arch.tar.gz"
 }
 
diff --git a/nix/kexec-installer-test.nix b/nix/kexec-installer-test.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index 9b273cc..0000000
--- a/nix/kexec-installer-test.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,75 +0,0 @@
-{ pkgs ? import <nixpkgs> {} }:
-
-let
-  makeTest = import (pkgs.path + "/nixos/tests/make-test-python.nix");
-  makeTest' = args: makeTest args {
-    inherit pkgs;
-    inherit (pkgs) system;
-  };
-
-in makeTest' {
-  name = "kexec-installer";
-  meta = with pkgs.lib.maintainers; {
-    maintainers = [ mic92 ];
-  };
-
-  nodes = {
-    node1 = { ... }: {
-      virtualisation.vlans = [ ];
-      virtualisation.memorySize = 2 * 1024 + 512;
-      virtualisation.diskSize = 4 * 1024;
-      virtualisation.useBootLoader = true;
-      virtualisation.useEFIBoot = true;
-      boot.loader.systemd-boot.enable = true;
-      boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = true;
-      services.openssh.enable = true;
-    };
-
-    node2 = { pkgs, modulesPath, ... }: {
-      virtualisation.vlans = [ ];
-      environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.hello ];
-      imports = [
-        ./kexec-installer.nix
-      ];
-    };
-  };
-
-  testScript = { nodes, ... }: ''
-    # Test whether reboot via kexec works.
-    node1.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
-    node1.succeed('kexec --load /run/current-system/kernel --initrd /run/current-system/initrd --command-line "$(</proc/cmdline)"')
-    node1.execute("systemctl kexec >&2 &", check_return=False)
-    node1.connected = False
-    node1.connect()
-    node1.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
-
-    # Check if the machine with netboot-minimal.nix profile boots up
-    node2.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
-    node2.shutdown()
-
-    node1.wait_for_unit("sshd.service")
-    host_ed25519_before = node1.succeed("cat /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub")
-
-    node1.succeed('ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f /root/.ssh/id_ed25519 -q -N ""')
-    root_ed25519_before = node1.succeed('tee /root/.ssh/authorized_keys < /root/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub')
-    # Kexec node1 to the toplevel of node2 via the kexec-boot script
-    node1.succeed('touch /run/foo')
-    node1.fail('hello')
-    node1.succeed('tar -xf ${nodes.node2.config.system.build.kexecTarball}/nixos-kexec-installer-${pkgs.system}.tar.gz -C /root')
-    node1.execute('/root/kexec/run')
-    # wait for machine to kexec
-    node1.execute('sleep 9999', check_return=False)
-    node1.succeed('! test -e /run/foo')
-    node1.succeed('hello')
-    node1.succeed('[ "$(hostname)" = "node2" ]')
-    node1.wait_for_unit("sshd.service")
-
-    host_ed25519_after = node1.succeed("cat /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub")
-    assert host_ed25519_before == host_ed25519_after, f"{host_ed25519_before} != {host_ed25519_after}"
-
-    root_ed25519_after = node1.succeed("cat /root/.ssh/authorized_keys")
-    assert root_ed25519_before == root_ed25519_after, f"{root_ed25519_before} != {root_ed25519_after}"
-
-    node1.shutdown()
-  '';
-}
diff --git a/nix/kexec-installer.nix b/nix/kexec-installer/module.nix
similarity index 70%
rename from nix/kexec-installer.nix
rename to nix/kexec-installer/module.nix
index 1a9151b..86f376d 100644
--- a/nix/kexec-installer.nix
+++ b/nix/kexec-installer/module.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 { config, lib, modulesPath, pkgs, ... }:
-{
+let
+  restoreNetwork = pkgs.writers.writePython3 "restore-network" {
+    flakeIgnore = ["E501"];
+  } ./restore_routes.py;
+in {
   imports = [
     (modulesPath + "/installer/netboot/netboot-minimal.nix")
   ];
@@ -32,17 +36,27 @@
     for p in /etc/ssh/ssh_host_*; do
       cp -a "$p" ssh
     done
+
+    # save the networking config for later use
+    if type -p ip &>/dev/null; then
+      ip --json addr > addrs.json
+
+      ip -4 --json route > routes-v4.json
+      ip -6 --json route > routes-v6.json
+    else
+      echo "Skip saving static network addresses because no iproute2 binary is available." 2>&1
+      echo "The image can depends only on DHCP to get network after reboot!" 2>&1
+    fi
+
     find | cpio -o -H newc | gzip -9 > ../extra.gz
     popd
-    cat "''${SCRIPT_DIR}/initrd" extra.gz > final-initrd
+    cat extra.gz >> "''${SCRIPT_DIR}/initrd"
+    rm -r "$INITRD_TMP"
 
     "$SCRIPT_DIR/kexec" --load "''${SCRIPT_DIR}/bzImage" \
-      --initrd=final-initrd \
+      --initrd="''${SCRIPT_DIR}/initrd" \
       --command-line "init=${config.system.build.toplevel}/init ${toString config.boot.kernelParams}"
 
-    # kexec will map the new kernel in memory so we can remove the kernel at this point
-    rm -r "$INITRD_TMP"
-
     # Disconnect our background kexec from the terminal
     echo "machine will boot into nixos in in 6s..."
     if [[ -e /dev/kmsg ]]; then
@@ -76,17 +90,42 @@
   # Not really needed. Saves a few bytes and the only service we are running is sshd, which we want to be reachable.
   networking.firewall.enable = false;
 
+  systemd.network.enable = true;
+  networking.dhcpcd.enable = false;
+
   # for detection if we are on kexec
   environment.etc.is_kexec.text = "true";
 
+  systemd.services.restoreNetwork = {
+    before = [ "network-pre.target" ];
+    wants = [ "network-pre.target" ];
+    wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
+
+    serviceConfig = {
+      Type = "oneshot";
+      RemainAfterExit = true;
+      ExecStart = [
+        "${restoreNetwork} /root/network/addrs.json /root/network/routes-v4.json /root/network/routes-v6.json /etc/systemd/network"
+      ];
+    };
+
+    unitConfig.ConditionPathExists = [
+      "/root/network/addrs.json"
+      "/root/network/routes-v4.json"
+      "/root/network/routes-v6.json"
+    ];
+  };
+
   # Restore ssh host and user keys if they are available.
   # This avoids warnings of unknown ssh keys.
   boot.initrd.postMountCommands = ''
     mkdir -m 700 -p /mnt-root/root/.ssh
     mkdir -m 755 -p /mnt-root/etc/ssh
+    mkdir -m 755 -p /mnt-root/root/network
     if [[ -f ssh/authorized_keys ]]; then
       install -m 400 ssh/authorized_keys /mnt-root/root/.ssh
     fi
     install -m 400 ssh/ssh_host_* /mnt-root/etc/ssh
+    cp *.json /mnt-root/root/network/
   '';
 }
diff --git a/nix/kexec-installer/restore_routes.py b/nix/kexec-installer/restore_routes.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9578f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/kexec-installer/restore_routes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+import json
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+
+def filter_interfaces(network: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    output = []
+    for net in network:
+        if net.get("link_type") == "loopback":
+            continue
+        if not net.get("address"):
+            # We need a mac address to match devices reliable
+            continue
+        addr_info = []
+        has_dynamic_address = False
+        for addr in net["addr_info"]:
+            # no link-local ipv4/ipv6
+            if addr.get("scope") == "link":
+                continue
+            # do not explicitly configure addresses from dhcp or router advertisment
+            if addr.get("dynamic", False):
+                has_dynamic_address = True
+                continue
+            else:
+                addr_info.append(addr)
+        if addr_info != [] or has_dynamic_address:
+            net["addr_info"] = addr_info
+            output.append(net)
+
+    return output
+
+
+def filter_routes(routes: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    filtered = []
+    for route in routes:
+        # Filter out routes set by addresses with subnets, dhcp and router advertisment
+        if route.get("protocol") in ["dhcp", "kernel", "ra"]:
+            continue
+        filtered.append(route)
+
+    return filtered
+
+
+def generate_networkd_units(
+    interfaces: list[dict[str, Any]], routes: list[dict[str, Any]], directory: Path
+) -> None:
+    directory.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    for interface in interfaces:
+        name = f"{interface['ifname']}.network"
+        addresses = [
+            f"Address = {addr['local']}/{addr['prefixlen']}"
+            for addr in interface["addr_info"]
+        ]
+
+        route_sections = []
+        for route in routes:
+            if route["dev"] != interface["ifname"]:
+                continue
+
+            route_section = "[Route]\n"
+            if route["dst"] != "default":
+                # can be skipped for default routes
+                route_section += f"Destination = {route['dst']}\n"
+            gateway = route.get("gateway")
+            if gateway:
+                route_section += f"Gateway = {gateway}\n"
+
+            # we may ignore on-link default routes here, but I don't see how
+            # they would be useful for internet connectivity anyway
+            route_sections.append(route_section)
+
+        # FIXME in some networks we might not want to trust dhcp or router advertisments
+        unit = f"""
+[Match]
+MACAddress = {interface["address"]}
+
+[Network]
+DHCP = yes
+IPv6AcceptRA = yes
+"""
+        unit += "\n".join(addresses)
+        unit += "\n" + "\n".join(route_sections)
+        (directory / name).write_text(unit)
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    if len(sys.argv) < 5:
+        print(
+            f"USAGE: {sys.argv[0]} addresses routes-v4 routes-v6 networkd-directory",
+            file=sys.stderr,
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    with open(sys.argv[1]) as f:
+        addresses = json.load(f)
+    with open(sys.argv[2]) as f:
+        v4_routes = json.load(f)
+    with open(sys.argv[3]) as f:
+        v6_routes = json.load(f)
+
+    networkd_directory = Path(sys.argv[4])
+
+    relevant_interfaces = filter_interfaces(addresses)
+    relevant_routes = filter_routes(v4_routes) + filter_routes(v6_routes)
+
+    generate_networkd_units(relevant_interfaces, relevant_routes, networkd_directory)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/nix/kexec-installer/test.nix b/nix/kexec-installer/test.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d46285
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/kexec-installer/test.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
+{ pkgs ? import <nixpkgs> {} }:
+
+let
+  makeTest = import (pkgs.path + "/nixos/tests/make-test-python.nix");
+  makeTest' = args: makeTest args {
+    inherit pkgs;
+    inherit (pkgs) system;
+  };
+
+in makeTest' {
+  name = "kexec-installer";
+  meta = with pkgs.lib.maintainers; {
+    maintainers = [ mic92 ];
+  };
+
+  nodes = {
+    node1 = { modulesPath, ... }: {
+      virtualisation.vlans = [ 1 ];
+      environment.noXlibs = false; # avoid recompilation
+      imports = [
+        (modulesPath + "/profiles/minimal.nix")
+      ];
+
+      virtualisation.memorySize = 2 * 1024 + 512;
+      virtualisation.diskSize = 4 * 1024;
+      virtualisation.useBootLoader = true;
+      virtualisation.useEFIBoot = true;
+      boot.loader.systemd-boot.enable = true;
+      boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = true;
+      services.openssh.enable = true;
+
+      networking = {
+        useNetworkd = true;
+        useDHCP = false;
+      };
+
+      systemd.network = {
+        networks = {
+          # systemd-networkd will load the first network unit file
+          # that matches, ordered lexiographically by filename.
+          # /etc/systemd/network/{40-eth1,99-main}.network already
+          # exists. This network unit must be loaded for the test,
+          # however, hence why this network is named such.
+          "01-eth1" = {
+            name = "eth1";
+            address = [
+              # Some static addresses that we want to see in the kexeced image
+              "192.168.42.1/24"
+              "42::1/64"
+            ];
+            routes = [
+              # Some static routes that we want to see in the kexeced image
+              { routeConfig = { Destination = "192.168.43.0/24"; }; }
+              { routeConfig = { Destination = "192.168.44.0/24"; Gateway = "192.168.43.1"; }; }
+              { routeConfig = { Destination = "43::0/64"; }; }
+              { routeConfig = { Destination = "44::1/64"; Gateway = "43::1"; }; }
+            ];
+            networkConfig = {
+              DHCP = "yes";
+              IPv6AcceptRA = true;
+            };
+          };
+        };
+      };
+    };
+
+    node2 = { pkgs, modulesPath, ... }: {
+      environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.hello ];
+      imports = [
+        ./module.nix
+      ];
+    };
+
+    router = { config, pkgs, ... }: {
+      virtualisation.vlans = [ 1 ];
+      networking = {
+        useNetworkd = true;
+        useDHCP = false;
+        firewall.enable = false;
+      };
+      systemd.network = {
+        networks = {
+          # systemd-networkd will load the first network unit file
+          # that matches, ordered lexiographically by filename.
+          # /etc/systemd/network/{40-eth1,99-main}.network already
+          # exists. This network unit must be loaded for the test,
+          # however, hence why this network is named such.
+          "01-eth1" = {
+            name = "eth1";
+            address = [
+              "2001:db8::1/64"
+            ];
+            ipv6Prefixes = [
+              { ipv6PrefixConfig = { Prefix = "2001:db8::/64"; AddressAutoconfiguration = true; OnLink = true; }; }
+            ];
+            ipv6RoutePrefixes = [
+              { ipv6RoutePrefixConfig = { Route = "::/0"; LifetimeSec = 3600; }; }
+            ];
+            networkConfig = {
+              DHCPServer = true;
+              Address = "10.0.0.1/24";
+              IPv6SendRA = true;
+            };
+            dhcpServerConfig = {
+              PoolOffset = 100;
+              PoolSize = 1;
+              EmitRouter = true;
+            };
+          };
+        };
+      };
+    };
+
+  };
+
+  testScript = { nodes, ... }: ''
+    # Test whether reboot via kexec works.
+
+    router.wait_for_unit("network-online.target")
+    router.succeed("ip addr >&2")
+    router.succeed("ip route >&2")
+    router.succeed("ip -6 route >&2")
+    router.succeed("networkctl status eth1 >&2")
+
+    node1.wait_until_succeeds("ping -c1 10.0.0.1")
+    node1.wait_until_succeeds("ping -c1 2001:db8::1")
+    node1.succeed("ip addr >&2")
+    node1.succeed("ip route >&2")
+    node1.succeed("ip -6 route >&2")
+    node1.succeed("networkctl status eth1 >&2")
+
+    host_ed25519_before = node1.succeed("cat /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub")
+    node1.succeed('ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f /root/.ssh/id_ed25519 -q -N ""')
+    root_ed25519_before = node1.succeed('tee /root/.ssh/authorized_keys < /root/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub')
+
+    # Kexec node1 to the toplevel of node2 via the kexec-boot script
+    node1.succeed('touch /run/foo')
+    node1.fail('hello')
+    node1.succeed('tar -xf ${nodes.node2.config.system.build.kexecTarball}/nixos-kexec-installer-${pkgs.system}.tar.gz -C /root')
+    node1.execute('/root/kexec/run')
+    # wait for machine to kexec
+    node1.execute('sleep 9999', check_return=False)
+    node1.succeed('! test -e /run/foo')
+    node1.succeed('hello')
+    node1.succeed('[ "$(hostname)" = "node2" ]')
+    node1.wait_for_unit("sshd.service")
+
+    host_ed25519_after = node1.succeed("cat /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub")
+    assert host_ed25519_before == host_ed25519_after, f"{host_ed25519_before} != {host_ed25519_after}"
+
+    root_ed25519_after = node1.succeed("cat /root/.ssh/authorized_keys")
+    assert root_ed25519_before == root_ed25519_after, f"{root_ed25519_before} != {root_ed25519_after}"
+
+    # See if we can reach the router after kexec
+    node1.wait_for_unit("restoreNetwork.service")
+    node1.wait_until_succeeds("cat /etc/systemd/network/eth1.network >&2")
+    node1.wait_until_succeeds("ping -c1 10.0.0.1")
+    node1.wait_until_succeeds("ping -c1 2001:db8::1")
+
+    # Check if static addresses have been restored
+    node1.wait_until_succeeds("ping -c1 42::1")
+    node1.wait_until_succeeds("ping -c1 192.168.42.1")
+
+    out = node1.wait_until_succeeds("ip route get 192.168.43.2")
+    print(out)
+    assert "192.168.43.2 dev eth1" in out
+
+    out = node1.wait_until_succeeds("ip route get 192.168.44.2")
+    print(out)
+    assert "192.168.44.2 via 192.168.43.1" in out
+
+    out = node1.wait_until_succeeds("ip route get 43::2")
+    print(out)
+    assert "43::2 from :: dev eth1" in out
+
+    out = node1.wait_until_succeeds("ip route get 44::2")
+    print(out)
+    assert "44::2 from :: via 43::1" in out
+
+    node1.succeed("ip addr >&2")
+    node1.succeed("ip route >&2")
+    node1.succeed("ip -6 route >&2")
+    node1.succeed("networkctl status eth1 >&2")
+
+    node1.shutdown()
+  '';
+}