diff --git a/lib/vm-base b/lib/vm-base
index 0f36927b..7b6b0207 100644
--- a/lib/vm-base
+++ b/lib/vm-base
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
 # IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
 # POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
-VERSION=1.4.1
-VERSION_INT=104001
+VERSION=1.4.2
+VERSION_INT=104002
 VERSION_BSD=$(uname -K)
 PATH=${PATH}:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/sbin
 
diff --git a/lib/vm-core b/lib/vm-core
index 738d5205..02d57c9e 100644
--- a/lib/vm-core
+++ b/lib/vm-core
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ core::__start(){
     config::get "_uefi" "uefi"
 
     # check minimum configuration
-    if [ -z "${_cpu}" -o -z "${_memory}" -o -z "${_disk}" ]; then
+    if [ -z "${_cpu}" -o -z "${_memory}" ]; then
         echo "  ! incomplete virtual machine configuration"
         return 1
     fi
diff --git a/lib/vm-guest b/lib/vm-guest
index 446f3142..48782be6 100644
--- a/lib/vm-guest
+++ b/lib/vm-guest
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ guest::load(){
     local _iso="$1"
     local _args _command _timeout _grub_opt _bsd_loader
 
+    # require a boot disk
+    if [ -z "${_bootdisk}" ]; then
+        util::log "guest" "${_name}" "fatal; non-uefi loaders require a boot disk device"
+        return 15
+    fi
+
     # all loaders have same console and wired memory options
     [ -z "${VM_OPT_FOREGROUND}" ] && _args="-c ${_com}"
     [ "${_wiredmem}" = "1" ] && _args="${_args}${_args:+ }-S"
diff --git a/lib/vm-run b/lib/vm-run
index f9240dea..54994a32 100644
--- a/lib/vm-run
+++ b/lib/vm-run
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ vm::run(){
       " [primary disk dev: ${_bootdisk_dev}]"
 
     # check basic settings
-    if [ -z "${_loader}" -o -z "${_cpu}" -o -z "${_memory}" -o -z "${_bootdisk}" ]; then
+    if [ -z "${_loader}" -o -z "${_cpu}" -o -z "${_memory}" ]; then
         util::log "guest" "${_name}" "fatal; unable to start - missing required configuration"
         exit 15
     fi
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ vm::run(){
     util::checkyesno "${_debug}" && _logpath="${VM_DS_PATH}/${_name}/bhyve.log"
 
     # complete the boot disk path
-    vm::get_disk_path "_bootdisk" "${_name}" "${_bootdisk}" "${_bootdisk_dev}"
+    [ -n "${_bootdisk}" ] && vm::get_disk_path "_bootdisk" "${_name}" "${_bootdisk}" "${_bootdisk_dev}"
 
     # build bhyve device string
     vm::bhyve_device_comports