diff --git a/answerfile.py b/answerfile.py
index 490b49ec..2dd5360e 100644
--- a/answerfile.py
+++ b/answerfile.py
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ def parseFreshInstall(self):
         results['preserve-settings'] = False
         results['backup-existing-installation'] = False
 
+        results.update(self.parseAssembleRaid())
         results.update(self.parseDisks())
         results.update(self.parseInterface())
         results.update(self.parseRootPassword())
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ def parseRestore(self):
 
         results['install-type'] = INSTALL_TYPE_RESTORE
 
+        results.update(self.parseAssembleRaid())
         backups = product.findXenSourceBackups()
         if len(backups) == 0:
             raise AnswerfileException("Could not locate exsisting backup.")
@@ -227,6 +229,7 @@ def parseCommon(self):
     def parseExistingInstallation(self):
         results = {}
 
+        results.update(self.parseAssembleRaid())
         inst = getElementsByTagName(self.top_node, ['existing-installation'],
                                     mandatory=True)
         disk = normalize_disk(getText(inst[0]))
@@ -293,6 +296,15 @@ def parseDriverSource(self):
             results['extra-repos'].append((rtype, address))
         return results
 
+    def parseAssembleRaid(self):
+        results = {}
+        nodes = getElementsByTagName(self.top_node, ['assemble-raid'])
+        if nodes:
+            results['assemble-raid'] = True # possibly useless
+            logger.log("Assembling any RAID volumes")
+            rv = util.runCmd2([ 'mdadm', '--assemble', "--scan" ])
+        return results
+
     def parseDisks(self):
         results = {}
 
diff --git a/doc/answerfile.txt b/doc/answerfile.txt
index 76221624..a4093b62 100644
--- a/doc/answerfile.txt
+++ b/doc/answerfile.txt
@@ -129,6 +129,15 @@ Common Elements
     Discovery on.
 
 
+  <assemble-raid/>?
+
+    Run `mdadm --assemble --scan` before looking for the device
+    specified in <primary-disk>, <existing-installation>, or
+    <backup-disk>.
+
+    Used to be the default behavior.
+
+
 (Re)Install Elements
 --------------------