diff --git a/package/urandom-scripts/Config.in b/package/urandom-scripts/Config.in
index 987e442e22..6b4a609f95 100644
--- a/package/urandom-scripts/Config.in
+++ b/package/urandom-scripts/Config.in
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 config BR2_PACKAGE_URANDOM_SCRIPTS
 	bool "urandom-initscripts"
 	default y if BR2_PACKAGE_INITSCRIPTS
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX
 	depends on !BR2_PACKAGE_SYSTEMD
 	help
 	  Initscript to preserve the random seed between reboots.
-
-	  WARNING: this is a poor fit to try and get high-quality
-	  entropy at boot. There are better ways, like haveged, or
-	  rng-tools.
diff --git a/package/urandom-scripts/S20seedrng b/package/urandom-scripts/S20seedrng
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0fea0bea83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/urandom-scripts/S20seedrng
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#! /bin/sh
+#
+# Preserve the random seed between reboots. See urandom(4).
+#
+# This script can be called multiple times during operation (e.g. with
+# "reload" argument) to refresh the seed.
+
+# The following arguments can be added to SEEDRNG_ARGS in
+# /etc/default/seedrng:
+#   --seed-dir=/path/to/seed/directory
+#     Path to the directory where the seed and the lock files are stored.
+#     for optimal operation, this should be a persistent, writeable
+#     location. Default is /var/lib/seedrng
+#
+#  --skip-credit
+#     Set this to true only if you do not want seed files to actually
+#     credit the RNG, for example if you plan to replicate this file
+#     system image and do not have the wherewithal to first delete the
+#     contents of /var/lib/seedrng.
+#
+# Example:
+# SEEDRNG_ARGS="--seed-dir=/data/seedrng --skip-credit"
+#
+
+DAEMON="seedrng"
+SEEDRNG_ARGS=""
+
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+[ -r "/etc/default/$DAEMON" ] && . "/etc/default/$DAEMON"
+
+case "$1" in
+	start|stop|restart|reload)
+		# Never fail, as this isn't worth making a fuss
+		# over if it doesn't go as planned.
+		# shellcheck disable=SC2086 # we need the word splitting
+		seedrng $SEEDRNG_ARGS || true;;
+	*)
+		echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|reload}"
+		exit 1
+esac
diff --git a/package/urandom-scripts/S20urandom b/package/urandom-scripts/S20urandom
deleted file mode 100644
index 6c6aea9eee..0000000000
--- a/package/urandom-scripts/S20urandom
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,70 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/sh
-#
-# Preserve the random seed between reboots. See urandom(4).
-#
-
-# Quietly do nothing if /dev/urandom does not exist
-[ -c /dev/urandom ] || exit 0
-
-URANDOM_SEED="/var/lib/random-seed"
-
-# shellcheck source=/dev/null
-[ -r "/etc/default/urandom" ] && . "/etc/default/urandom"
-
-if pool_bits=$(cat /proc/sys/kernel/random/poolsize 2> /dev/null); then
-	pool_size=$((pool_bits/8))
-else
-	pool_size=512
-fi
-
-init_rng() {
-	[ -f "$URANDOM_SEED" ] || return 0
-	printf 'Initializing random number generator: '
-	dd if="$URANDOM_SEED" bs="$pool_size" of=/dev/urandom count=1 2> /dev/null
-	status=$?
-	if [ "$status" -eq 0 ]; then
-		echo "OK"
-	else
-		echo "FAIL"
-	fi
-	return "$status"
-}
-
-save_random_seed() {
-	printf 'Saving random seed: '
-	status=1
-	if touch "$URANDOM_SEED.new" 2> /dev/null; then
-		old_umask=$(umask)
-		umask 077
-		dd if=/dev/urandom of="$URANDOM_SEED.tmp" bs="$pool_size" count=1 2> /dev/null
-		cat "$URANDOM_SEED" "$URANDOM_SEED.tmp" 2>/dev/null \
-			| sha256sum \
-			| cut -d ' ' -f 1 > "$URANDOM_SEED.new" && \
-		mv "$URANDOM_SEED.new" "$URANDOM_SEED" && status=0
-		rm -f "$URANDOM_SEED.tmp"
-		umask "$old_umask"
-		if [ "$status" -eq 0 ]; then
-			echo "OK"
-		else
-			echo "FAIL"
-		fi
-
-	else
-		echo "SKIP (read-only file system detected)"
-	fi
-	return "$status"
-}
-
-case "$1" in
-	start|restart|reload)
-		# Carry a random seed from start-up to start-up
-		# Load and then save the whole entropy pool
-		init_rng && save_random_seed;;
-	stop)
-		# Carry a random seed from shut-down to start-up
-		# Save the whole entropy pool
-		save_random_seed;;
-	*)
-		echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|reload}"
-		exit 1
-esac
diff --git a/package/urandom-scripts/urandom-scripts.mk b/package/urandom-scripts/urandom-scripts.mk
index 2c09728c46..32f3e09343 100644
--- a/package/urandom-scripts/urandom-scripts.mk
+++ b/package/urandom-scripts/urandom-scripts.mk
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 define URANDOM_SCRIPTS_INSTALL_INIT_SYSV
-	$(INSTALL) -D -m 0755 $(URANDOM_SCRIPTS_PKGDIR)/S20urandom \
-		$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/init.d/S20urandom
+	$(INSTALL) -D -m 0755 $(URANDOM_SCRIPTS_PKGDIR)/S20seedrng \
+		$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/init.d/S20seedrng
 endef
 
 $(eval $(generic-package))