diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 74719416c..a5e94f360 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ else
 fi
 
 # Check for functions and headers.
-AC_CHECK_FUNCS(posix_memalign memalign getextmntent)
+AC_CHECK_FUNCS(posix_memalign memalign getextmntent atexit)
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS(sys/param.h sys/mount.h sys/mnttab.h limits.h)
 
 # glibc 2.25 still includes sys/sysmacros.h in sys/types.h but emits deprecation
diff --git a/include/grub/util/install.h b/include/grub/util/install.h
index b93c73caa..7df3191f4 100644
--- a/include/grub/util/install.h
+++ b/include/grub/util/install.h
@@ -275,4 +275,25 @@ extern char *grub_install_copy_buffer;
 int
 grub_install_is_short_mbrgap_supported (void);
 
+/*
+ * grub-install-common tries to make backups of modules & auxiliary files,
+ * and restore the backup upon failure to install core.img. There are
+ * platforms with additional actions after modules & core got installed
+ * in place. It is a point of no return, as core.img cannot be reverted
+ * from this point onwards, and new modules should be kept installed.
+ * Before performing these additional actions call grub_set_install_backup_ponr()
+ * to set the grub_install_backup_ponr flag. This way failure to perform
+ * subsequent actions will not result in reverting new modules to the
+ * old ones, e.g. in case efivars updates fails.
+ */
+#ifdef HAVE_ATEXIT
+extern void
+grub_set_install_backup_ponr (void);
+#else
+static inline void
+grub_set_install_backup_ponr (void)
+{
+}
+#endif
+
 #endif
diff --git a/util/grub-install-common.c b/util/grub-install-common.c
index b4f28840f..4e212e690 100644
--- a/util/grub-install-common.c
+++ b/util/grub-install-common.c
@@ -185,38 +185,164 @@ grub_install_mkdir_p (const char *dst)
   free (t);
 }
 
+static int
+strcmp_ext (const char *a, const char *b, const char *ext)
+{
+  char *bsuffix = grub_util_path_concat_ext (1, b, ext);
+  int r = strcmp (a, bsuffix);
+
+  free (bsuffix);
+  return r;
+}
+
+enum clean_grub_dir_mode
+{
+  CLEAN_NEW,
+  CLEAN_BACKUP,
+  CREATE_BACKUP,
+  RESTORE_BACKUP
+};
+
+#ifdef HAVE_ATEXIT
+static size_t backup_dirs_size = 0;
+static char **backup_dirs = NULL;
+static pid_t backup_process = 0;
+static int grub_install_backup_ponr = 0;
+
+void
+grub_set_install_backup_ponr (void)
+{
+  grub_install_backup_ponr = 1;
+}
+#endif
+
 static void
-clean_grub_dir (const char *di)
+clean_grub_dir_real (const char *di, enum clean_grub_dir_mode mode)
 {
   grub_util_fd_dir_t d;
   grub_util_fd_dirent_t de;
+  const char *suffix = "";
+
+  if ((mode == CLEAN_BACKUP) || (mode == RESTORE_BACKUP))
+    suffix = "~";
 
   d = grub_util_fd_opendir (di);
   if (!d)
-    grub_util_error (_("cannot open directory `%s': %s"),
-		     di, grub_util_fd_strerror ());
+    {
+      if (mode == CLEAN_BACKUP)
+	return;
+      grub_util_error (_("cannot open directory `%s': %s"),
+		       di, grub_util_fd_strerror ());
+    }
 
   while ((de = grub_util_fd_readdir (d)))
     {
       const char *ext = strrchr (de->d_name, '.');
-      if ((ext && (strcmp (ext, ".mod") == 0
-		   || strcmp (ext, ".lst") == 0
-		   || strcmp (ext, ".img") == 0
-		   || strcmp (ext, ".mo") == 0)
-	   && strcmp (de->d_name, "menu.lst") != 0)
-	  || strcmp (de->d_name, "efiemu32.o") == 0
-	  || strcmp (de->d_name, "efiemu64.o") == 0)
+
+      if ((ext && (strcmp_ext (ext, ".mod", suffix) == 0
+		   || strcmp_ext (ext, ".lst", suffix) == 0
+		   || strcmp_ext (ext, ".img", suffix) == 0
+		   || strcmp_ext (ext, ".efi", suffix) == 0
+		   || strcmp_ext (ext, ".mo", suffix) == 0)
+	   && strcmp_ext (de->d_name, "menu.lst", suffix) != 0)
+	  || strcmp_ext (de->d_name, "modinfo.sh", suffix) == 0
+	  || strcmp_ext (de->d_name, "efiemu32.o", suffix) == 0
+	  || strcmp_ext (de->d_name, "efiemu64.o", suffix) == 0)
 	{
-	  char *x = grub_util_path_concat (2, di, de->d_name);
-	  if (grub_util_unlink (x) < 0)
-	    grub_util_error (_("cannot delete `%s': %s"), x,
-			     grub_util_fd_strerror ());
-	  free (x);
+	  char *srcf = grub_util_path_concat (2, di, de->d_name);
+
+	  if (mode == CREATE_BACKUP)
+	    {
+	      char *dstf = grub_util_path_concat_ext (2, di, de->d_name, "~");
+
+	      if (grub_util_rename (srcf, dstf) < 0)
+		grub_util_error (_("cannot backup `%s': %s"), srcf,
+				 grub_util_fd_strerror ());
+	      free (dstf);
+	    }
+	  else if (mode == RESTORE_BACKUP)
+	    {
+	      char *dstf = grub_util_path_concat (2, di, de->d_name);
+
+	      dstf[strlen (dstf) - 1] = '\0';
+	      if (grub_util_rename (srcf, dstf) < 0)
+		grub_util_error (_("cannot restore `%s': %s"), dstf,
+				 grub_util_fd_strerror ());
+	      free (dstf);
+	    }
+	  else
+	    {
+	      if (grub_util_unlink (srcf) < 0)
+		grub_util_error (_("cannot delete `%s': %s"), srcf,
+				 grub_util_fd_strerror ());
+	    }
+	  free (srcf);
 	}
     }
   grub_util_fd_closedir (d);
 }
 
+#ifdef HAVE_ATEXIT
+static void
+restore_backup_atexit (void)
+{
+  size_t i;
+
+  /*
+   * Some child inherited atexit() handler, did not clear it, and called it.
+   * Thus skip clean or restore logic.
+   */
+  if (backup_process != getpid ())
+    return;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < backup_dirs_size; i++)
+    {
+      /*
+       * If past point of no return simply clean the backups. Otherwise
+       * cleanup newly installed files, and restore the backups.
+       */
+      if (grub_install_backup_ponr)
+	clean_grub_dir_real (backup_dirs[i], CLEAN_BACKUP);
+      else
+	{
+	  clean_grub_dir_real (backup_dirs[i], CLEAN_NEW);
+	  clean_grub_dir_real (backup_dirs[i], RESTORE_BACKUP);
+	}
+      free (backup_dirs[i]);
+    }
+
+  backup_dirs_size = 0;
+
+  free (backup_dirs);
+}
+
+static void
+append_to_backup_dirs (const char *dir)
+{
+  backup_dirs = xrealloc (backup_dirs, sizeof (char *) * (backup_dirs_size + 1));
+  backup_dirs[backup_dirs_size] = xstrdup (dir);
+  backup_dirs_size++;
+  if (!backup_process)
+    {
+      atexit (restore_backup_atexit);
+      backup_process = getpid ();
+    }
+}
+#else
+static void
+append_to_backup_dirs (const char *dir __attribute__ ((unused)))
+{
+}
+#endif
+
+static void
+clean_grub_dir (const char *di)
+{
+  clean_grub_dir_real (di, CLEAN_BACKUP);
+  clean_grub_dir_real (di, CREATE_BACKUP);
+  append_to_backup_dirs (di);
+}
+
 struct install_list
 {
   int is_default;
diff --git a/util/grub-install.c b/util/grub-install.c
index a0babe3ef..0fbe7f78c 100644
--- a/util/grub-install.c
+++ b/util/grub-install.c
@@ -1719,10 +1719,14 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 			
 	/*  Now perform the installation.  */
 	if (install_bootsector)
-	  grub_util_bios_setup (platdir, "boot.img", "core.img",
-				install_drive, force,
-				fs_probe, allow_floppy, add_rs_codes,
-				!grub_install_is_short_mbrgap_supported ());
+	  {
+	    grub_util_bios_setup (platdir, "boot.img", "core.img",
+				  install_drive, force,
+				  fs_probe, allow_floppy, add_rs_codes,
+				  !grub_install_is_short_mbrgap_supported ());
+
+	    grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+	  }
 	break;
       }
     case GRUB_INSTALL_PLATFORM_SPARC64_IEEE1275:
@@ -1746,10 +1750,14 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 			
 	/*  Now perform the installation.  */
 	if (install_bootsector)
-	  grub_util_sparc_setup (platdir, "boot.img", "core.img",
-				 install_drive, force,
-				 fs_probe, allow_floppy,
-				 0 /* unused */, 0 /* unused */ );
+	  {
+	    grub_util_sparc_setup (platdir, "boot.img", "core.img",
+				   install_drive, force,
+				   fs_probe, allow_floppy,
+				   0 /* unused */, 0 /* unused */ );
+
+	    grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+	  }
 	break;
       }
 
@@ -1776,6 +1784,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	  grub_elf = grub_util_path_concat (2, core_services, "grub.elf");
 	  grub_install_copy_file (imgfile, grub_elf, 1);
 
+	  grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+
 	  f = grub_util_fopen (mach_kernel, "a+");
 	  if (!f)
 	    grub_util_error (_("Can't create file: %s"), strerror (errno));
@@ -1878,6 +1888,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	  boot_efi = grub_util_path_concat (2, core_services, "boot.efi");
 	  grub_install_copy_file (imgfile, boot_efi, 1);
 
+	  grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+
 	  f = grub_util_fopen (mach_kernel, "r+");
 	  if (!f)
 	    grub_util_error (_("Can't create file: %s"), strerror (errno));
@@ -1916,6 +1928,9 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
       {
 	char *dst = grub_util_path_concat (2, efidir, efi_file);
 	grub_install_copy_file (imgfile, dst, 1);
+
+	grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+
 	free (dst);
       }
       if (!removable && update_nvram)
@@ -1967,6 +1982,14 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
       break;
     }
 
+  /*
+   * Either there are no platform specific code, or it didn't raise
+   * ponr. Raise it here, because usually this is already past point
+   * of no return. If we leave this flag false, at exit all the modules
+   * will be removed from the prefix which would be very confusing.
+   */
+  grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+
   fprintf (stderr, "%s\n", _("Installation finished. No error reported."));
 
   /* Free resources.  */
diff --git a/util/grub-mknetdir.c b/util/grub-mknetdir.c
index 602574d52..a2461cda1 100644
--- a/util/grub-mknetdir.c
+++ b/util/grub-mknetdir.c
@@ -159,6 +159,9 @@ process_input_dir (const char *input_dir, enum grub_install_plat platform)
   grub_install_make_image_wrap (input_dir, prefix, output,
 				0, load_cfg,
 				targets[platform].mkimage_target, 0);
+
+  grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+
   grub_install_pop_module ();
 
   /* TRANSLATORS: First %s is replaced by platform name. Second one by filename.  */
diff --git a/util/grub-mkrescue.c b/util/grub-mkrescue.c
index 51831027f..fb4dcc6d5 100644
--- a/util/grub-mkrescue.c
+++ b/util/grub-mkrescue.c
@@ -530,6 +530,9 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 			       boot_grub, plat);
       source_dirs[plat] = xstrdup (grub_install_source_directory);
     }
+
+  grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+
   if (system_area == SYS_AREA_AUTO || grub_install_source_directory)
     {
       if (source_dirs[GRUB_INSTALL_PLATFORM_I386_PC]
diff --git a/util/grub-mkstandalone.c b/util/grub-mkstandalone.c
index edf309717..5f50a3b84 100644
--- a/util/grub-mkstandalone.c
+++ b/util/grub-mkstandalone.c
@@ -318,6 +318,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   grub_install_copy_files (grub_install_source_directory,
 			   boot_grub, plat);
 
+  grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
+
   char *memdisk_img = grub_util_make_temporary_file ();
 
   memdisk = grub_util_fopen (memdisk_img, "wb");