diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 360e848..a537921 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
@@ -31,9 +32,18 @@ const (
 	etcPivotFile          = "/etc/pivot/image-pullspec"
 	runPivotRebootFile    = "/run/pivot/reboot-needed"
 	// Pull secret.  Written by the machine-config-operator
-	kubeletAuthFile       = "/var/lib/kubelet/config.json"
+	kubeletAuthFile = "/var/lib/kubelet/config.json"
+	// File containing kernel arg changes for tuning
+	kernelTuningFile = "/etc/pivot/kernel-args"
+	cmdLineFile      = "/proc/cmdline"
 )
 
+// TODO: fill out the whitelist
+// tuneableArgsWhitelist contains allowed keys for tunable arguments
+var tuneableArgsWhitelist = map[string]bool{
+	"nosmt": true,
+}
+
 // RootCmd houses the cobra config for the main command
 var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use: "pivot [FLAGS] [IMAGE_PULLSPEC]",
@@ -51,6 +61,133 @@ func init() {
 	pflag.CommandLine.AddGoFlagSet(flag.CommandLine)
 }
 
+// isArgTuneable returns if the argument provided is allowed to be modified
+func isArgTunable(arg string) bool {
+	return tuneableArgsWhitelist[arg]
+}
+
+// isArgInUse checks to see if the argument is already in use by the system currently
+func isArgInUse(arg, cmdLinePath string) (bool, error) {
+	if cmdLinePath == "" {
+		cmdLinePath = cmdLineFile
+	}
+	content, err := ioutil.ReadFile(cmdLinePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	checkable := string(content)
+	if strings.Contains(checkable, arg) {
+		return true, nil
+	}
+	return false, nil
+}
+
+// parseTuningFile parses the kernel argument tuning file
+func parseTuningFile(tuningFilePath, cmdLinePath string) ([]types.TuneArgument, []types.TuneArgument, error) {
+	addArguments := []types.TuneArgument{}
+	deleteArguments := []types.TuneArgument{}
+	if tuningFilePath == "" {
+		tuningFilePath = kernelTuningFile
+	}
+	if cmdLinePath == "" {
+		cmdLinePath = cmdLineFile
+	}
+	// Return fast if the file does not exist
+	if _, err := os.Stat(tuningFilePath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		glog.V(2).Infof("no kernel tuning needed as %s does not exist", tuningFilePath)
+		// This isn't an error. Return out.
+		return addArguments, deleteArguments, err
+	}
+	// Read and parse the file
+	file, err := os.Open(tuningFilePath)
+	// Clean up
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	if err != nil {
+		// If we have an issue reading return an error
+		glog.Infof("Unable to open %s for reading: %v", tuningFilePath, err)
+		return addArguments, deleteArguments, err
+	}
+
+	// Parse the tuning lines
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "ADD ") {
+			// NOTE: Today only specific bare kernel arguments are allowed so
+			// there is not a need to split on =.
+			key := strings.TrimSpace(line[len("ADD "):])
+			if isArgTunable(key) {
+				// Find out if the argument is in use
+				inUse, err := isArgInUse(key, cmdLinePath)
+				if err != nil {
+					return addArguments, deleteArguments, err
+				}
+				if !inUse {
+					addArguments = append(addArguments, types.TuneArgument{Key: key, Bare: true})
+				} else {
+					glog.Infof(`skipping "%s" as it is already in use`, key)
+				}
+			} else {
+				glog.Infof("%s not a whitelisted kernel argument", key)
+			}
+		} else if strings.HasPrefix(line, "DELETE ") {
+			// NOTE: Today only specific bare kernel arguments are allowed so
+			// there is not a need to split on =.
+			key := strings.TrimSpace(line[len("DELETE "):])
+			if isArgTunable(key) {
+				inUse, err := isArgInUse(key, cmdLinePath)
+				if err != nil {
+					return addArguments, deleteArguments, err
+				}
+				if inUse {
+					deleteArguments = append(deleteArguments, types.TuneArgument{Key: key, Bare: true})
+				} else {
+					glog.Infof(`skipping "%s" as it is not present in the current argument list`, key)
+				}
+			} else {
+				glog.Infof("%s not a whitelisted kernel argument", key)
+			}
+		} else {
+			glog.V(2).Infof(`skipping malformed line in %s: "%s"`, tuningFilePath, line)
+		}
+	}
+	return addArguments, deleteArguments, nil
+}
+
+// updateTuningArgs executes additions and removals of kernel tuning arguments
+func updateTuningArgs(tuningFilePath, cmdLinePath string) (bool, error) {
+	if cmdLinePath == "" {
+		cmdLinePath = cmdLineFile
+	}
+	changed := false
+	additions, deletions, err := parseTuningFile(tuningFilePath, cmdLinePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return changed, err
+	}
+
+	// Execute additions
+	for _, toAdd := range additions {
+		if toAdd.Bare {
+			changed = true
+			utils.Run("rpm-ostree", "kargs", fmt.Sprintf("--append=%s", toAdd.Key))
+		} else {
+			// TODO: currently not supported
+		}
+	}
+	// Execute deletions
+	for _, toDelete := range deletions {
+		if toDelete.Bare {
+			changed = true
+			utils.Run("rpm-ostree", "kargs", fmt.Sprintf("--delete=%s", toDelete.Key))
+		} else {
+			// TODO: currently not supported
+		}
+	}
+	return changed, nil
+}
+
 // podmanRemove kills and removes a container
 func podmanRemove(cid string) {
 	utils.RunIgnoreErr("podman", "kill", cid)
@@ -241,6 +378,21 @@ func Execute(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		utils.RunIgnoreErr("podman", "rmi", imgid)
 	}
 
+	// Check to see if we need to tune kernel arguments
+	tuningChanged, err := updateTuningArgs(kernelTuningFile, cmdLineFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.Infof("unable to parse tuning file %s: %s", kernelTuningFile, err)
+	}
+	// If tuning changes but the oscontainer didn't we still denote we changed
+	// for the reboot
+	if tuningChanged {
+		changed = true
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.Infof(`Unable to remove kernel tuning file %s: "%s"`, kernelTuningFile, err)
+		}
+
+	}
+
 	if !changed {
 		glog.Info("Already at target pivot; exiting...")
 		if exit_77 {
diff --git a/cmd/root_test.go b/cmd/root_test.go
index a2209a1..72749c6 100644
--- a/cmd/root_test.go
+++ b/cmd/root_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -30,3 +32,111 @@ func TestCompareOSImageURL(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected err")
 	}
 }
+
+// writeTestFile writes out a file to use in the test
+func writeTestFile(content []byte) (filePath string, err error) {
+	tmpfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "testFile")
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	filePath = tmpfile.Name()
+	if _, err := tmpfile.Write(content); err != nil {
+		return filePath, err
+	}
+	if err := tmpfile.Close(); err != nil {
+		return filePath, err
+	}
+	return filePath, nil
+}
+
+func TestParseTuningFile(t *testing.T) {
+	cmdLineFileMock, err := writeTestFile([]byte(
+		"BOOT_IMAGE=/a/vmlinuz.x86_64 resume=/dev/mapper/swap rhgb quiet root=/a/b/c/root ostree=/ostree/boot.0/a/0"))
+	defer os.Remove(cmdLineFileMock)
+
+	// Test with addition/deletion and verify white list
+	testFilePath, err := writeTestFile([]byte("ADD nosmt\nADD aaaa\nDELETE nosmt\nDELETE nope"))
+	defer os.Remove(testFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to write test file %s: %s", testFilePath, err)
+	}
+	add, delete, err := parseTuningFile(testFilePath, cmdLineFileMock)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf(`Expected no error, got %s`, err)
+	}
+	if len(add) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 1 addition, got %v", len(add))
+	}
+
+	if len(delete) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 0 deletion, got %v", len(delete))
+	}
+
+	deleteCmdLineFileMockWith, err := writeTestFile([]byte(
+		"BOOT_IMAGE=/a/vmlinuz.x86_64 nosmt resume=/dev/mapper/swap rhgb quiet root=/a/b/c/root ostree=/ostree/boot.0/a/0"))
+	defer os.Remove(deleteCmdLineFileMockWith)
+
+	// Test with addition/deletion and verify white list
+	testFilePath, err = writeTestFile([]byte("ADD nosmt\nADD aaaa\nDELETE nosmt\nDELETE nope"))
+	defer os.Remove(testFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to write test file %s: %s", testFilePath, err)
+	}
+	add, delete, err = parseTuningFile(testFilePath, deleteCmdLineFileMockWith)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf(`Expected no error, got %s`, err)
+	}
+	if len(add) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 1 addition, got %v", len(add))
+	}
+
+	if len(delete) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 1 deletion, got %v", len(delete))
+	}
+
+	// Test with no changes
+	testFilePath, err = writeTestFile([]byte(""))
+	defer os.Remove(testFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to write test file %s: %s", testFilePath, err)
+	}
+	add, delete, err = parseTuningFile(testFilePath, cmdLineFileMock)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf(`Expected no error, got %s`, err)
+	}
+
+	if len(add) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 0 addition, got %v", len(add))
+	}
+
+	if len(delete) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 0 deletion, got %v", len(add))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestIsArgInUse(t *testing.T) {
+	testFilePath, err := writeTestFile([]byte(
+		"BOOT_IMAGE=/a/vmlinuz.x86_64 resume=/dev/mapper/swap rhgb quiet root=/a/b/c/root ostree=/ostree/boot.0/a/0"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to write test file %s: %s", testFilePath, err)
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(testFilePath)
+
+	// Should be present
+	available, err := isArgInUse("quiet", testFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf(`Expected no error, got %s`, err)
+	}
+	if available != true {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected true, got false")
+	}
+
+	// Should not be present
+	available, err = isArgInUse("idonotexist", testFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf(`Expected no error, got %s`, err)
+	}
+	if available != false {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected false, got true")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/types/tuneargument.go b/types/tuneargument.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f317e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/types/tuneargument.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package types
+
+// TuneArgument represents a single tuning argument
+type TuneArgument struct {
+	Key   string `json:"key"`   // The name of the argument (or argument itself if Bare)
+	Value string `json:"value"` // The value of the argument
+	Bare  bool   `json:"bare"`  // If the kernel argument is a bare argument (no value expected)
+}