diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index dff6cd8b474fe90276ec84f1cec5f009a6b9793a..10ab0f71d8a2d087afe46790abd55e500a908dee 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -184,6 +184,13 @@ class xen_dom0__::centos
 	    ensure => installed;
     }
     rh_sysconfig {
+	default-kernel-xen:
+	    # Unless we set this, grub.conf will continue to default to
+	    # boot the non-Xen kernel, and updates of the kernel-xen
+	    # package later will not set the default to the new kernel.
+	    subsystem => "kernel",
+	    setting => "DEFAULTKERNEL", value => "kernel-xen",
+	    before => Package["kernel-xen"];
 	hypervisor-log:
 	    subsystem => "xend",
 	    setting => "XENCONSOLED_LOG_HYPERVISOR", value => "yes",