diff --git a/vm-init.d/qubes-core b/vm-init.d/qubes-core
index a2fa325..1a01829 100755
--- a/vm-init.d/qubes-core
+++ b/vm-init.d/qubes-core
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@ start()
 	chmod 0775 /var/run/qubes
 
 	if [ -e /dev/xvdb ] ; then
+		# check if private.img (xvdb) is empty - all zeros
+		private_size_512=`blockdev --getsz /dev/xvdb`
+		if dd if=/dev/zero bs=512 count=$private_size_512 | diff /dev/xvdb - >/dev/null; then
+			# the device is empty, create filesystem
+			echo "--> Virgin boot of the VM: creating filesystem on private.img"
+			mkfs.ext4 -m 0 -q /dev/xvdb || exit 1
+		fi
+
 		resize2fs /dev/xvdb 2> /dev/null || echo "'resize2fs /dev/xvdb' failed"
 		mount /rw
 
diff --git a/vm-systemd/mount-home.sh b/vm-systemd/mount-home.sh
index 3307551..a8e298b 100644
--- a/vm-systemd/mount-home.sh
+++ b/vm-systemd/mount-home.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+# check if private.img (xvdb) is empty - all zeros
+private_size_512=`blockdev --getsz /dev/xvdb`
+if dd if=/dev/zero bs=512 count=$private_size_512 | diff /dev/xvdb - >/dev/null; then
+    # the device is empty, create filesystem
+    echo "--> Virgin boot of the VM: creating filesystem on private.img"
+    mkfs.ext4 -m 0 -q /dev/xvdb || exit 1
+fi
+
 resize2fs /dev/xvdb 2> /dev/null || echo "'resize2fs /dev/xvdb' failed"
 tune2fs -m 0 /dev/xvdb
 mount /rw