diff --git a/package/base-files/files/etc/init.d/boot b/package/base-files/files/etc/init.d/boot
index d33e8ce7f81..de6a2a60253 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/etc/init.d/boot
+++ b/package/base-files/files/etc/init.d/boot
@@ -48,11 +48,7 @@ start() {
 	grep -q debugfs /proc/filesystems && mount -o noatime -t debugfs debugfs /sys/kernel/debug
 	[ "$FAILSAFE" = "true" ] && touch /tmp/.failsafe
 
-	if [ -f /sbin/kmodloader ]; then
-		/sbin/kmodloader
-	else
-		load_modules /etc/modules.d/*
-	fi
+	/sbin/kmodloader
 
 	# allow wifi modules time to settle
 	sleep 1
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
index f51bfea45da..42d76fd67db 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
@@ -203,13 +203,6 @@ config_list_foreach() {
 	done
 }
 
-load_modules() {
-	[ -d /etc/modules.d ] && {
-		cd /etc/modules.d
-		sed 's/^[^#]/insmod &/' $* | ash 2>&- || :
-	}
-}
-
 include() {
 	local file