diff --git a/image/initrd/BUILD.bazel b/image/initrd/BUILD.bazel
index 926c82e619..682c9d70e7 100644
--- a/image/initrd/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/image/initrd/BUILD.bazel
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ mkosi_image(
     ]),
     outs = [
         "image",
-        "image.cpio",
+        "image.cpio.zst",
     ],
     extra_trees = [
         "//image:sysroot_tar",
diff --git a/image/initrd/mkosi.conf b/image/initrd/mkosi.conf
index 748afb9810..64063e0f89 100644
--- a/image/initrd/mkosi.conf
+++ b/image/initrd/mkosi.conf
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ Release=38
 [Output]
 Format=cpio
 Output=image
-CompressOutput=false
+# CompressOutput=false
+CompressOutput=zstd
 Seed=b04a9a33-4559-4af4-8b38-9249cf933229
 
 [Content]