diff --git a/minix/llvm/clientctl b/minix/llvm/clientctl
index d0868c1fc..aa8bebef4 100755
--- a/minix/llvm/clientctl
+++ b/minix/llvm/clientctl
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ function minix_test {
     LOG=$(pwd)/test.log
     if [ "$C" == "full" ]; then
         cd $ROOT
-        JOBS=$JOBS BUILDVARS="-V MKBITCODE=yes" ./releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh 2>&1 | tee $LOG; test ${PIPESTATUS[0]} -eq 0 || exit 125
+        JOBS=$JOBS BUILDVARS="-V MKBITCODE=yes" ./releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh -b 2>&1 | tee $LOG; test ${PIPESTATUS[0]} -eq 0 || exit 125
         cd -
     else
         C=$C ./relink.llvm 2>&1 | tee $LOG; test ${PIPESTATUS[0]} -eq 0 || exit 125
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ function minix_bisect {
 
 case "$mode" in
   'buildimage')
-    (cd $ROOT && CREATE_IMAGE_ONLY=1 releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh)
+    (cd $ROOT && CREATE_IMAGE_ONLY=1 releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh -b)
     ;;
   'buildboot')
     (cd $ROOT && $MAKE -C releasetools do-hdboot)
diff --git a/minix/llvm/configure.llvm b/minix/llvm/configure.llvm
index 8e0bf07fb..6f11aca3f 100755
--- a/minix/llvm/configure.llvm
+++ b/minix/llvm/configure.llvm
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ if [ "${REBUILD_MINIX}" == "yes" ]; then
 	echo "BUILDVARS:$BUILDVARS"
 	echo 
 	cd ${MINIX_ROOT}
-	./releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh || EXITCODE=1
+	./releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh -b || EXITCODE=1
 	cd ${MYPWD}
 	if [ "$EXITCODE" != "0" ]; then
         	echo "Error: Failed building Minix source code."
diff --git a/releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh b/releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh
index 194a64b6f..77ba4fcab 100755
--- a/releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh
+++ b/releasetools/x86_hdimage.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ set -e
 # This script creates a bootable image and should at some point in the future
 # be replaced by makefs.
 #
+# Supported command line switches:
+#   -i   build iso image instead of qemu imaeg
+#   -b   bitcode build, increase partition sizes as necessary
+#
 
 : ${ARCH=i386}
 : ${OBJ=../obj.${ARCH}}
@@ -30,6 +34,9 @@ set -e
 # we create a disk image of about 2 gig's
 # for alignment reasons, prefer sizes which are multiples of 4096 bytes
 #
+# these sizes are insufficient for bitcode builds!
+# invoke this script with the -b flag to increase sizes accordingly
+#
 : ${ROOT_SIZE=$((   64*(2**20) / 512))}
 : ${HOME_SIZE=$((  128*(2**20) / 512))}
 : ${USR_SIZE=$((  1792*(2**20) / 512))}
@@ -43,12 +50,16 @@ set -e
 # Where the kernel & boot modules will be
 MODDIR=${DESTDIR}/boot/minix/.temp
 
-while getopts "i" c
+while getopts "ib" c
 do
 	case "$c" in
 		i)	: ${IMG=minix_x86.iso}
 			ISOMODE=1
 			;;
+		b)	# bitcode build: increase partition sizes
+			ROOT_SIZE="$((${ROOT_SIZE} + 192*(2**20) / 512))"
+			USR_SIZE="$((${USR_SIZE} + 256*(2**20) / 512))"
+			;;
 	esac
 done