diff --git a/target/linux/uml/base-files/etc/inittab b/target/linux/uml/base-files/etc/inittab
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..22b83aa360
--- /dev/null
+++ b/target/linux/uml/base-files/etc/inittab
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2013 The Linux Foundation. All rights reserved.
+::sysinit:/etc/init.d/rcS S boot
+::shutdown:/etc/init.d/rcS K shutdown
+tty0::askfirst:/usr/libexec/login.sh