diff --git a/device/device.c b/device/device.c
index 3246193f80..3a2d94e382 100644
--- a/device/device.c
+++ b/device/device.c
@@ -209,11 +209,12 @@ struct device *alloc_dev(struct bus *parent, struct device_path *path,
 	}
 
 	dev = new_device();
-	if (!dev) /* Please don't do this at home */
+	if (!dev)
 		goto out;
 
 	memset(dev, 0, sizeof(*dev));
-	memcpy(&dev->path, path, sizeof(*path));
+	dev->path = *path;
+	dev->id = *devid;
 
 	/* Initialize the back pointers in the link fields. */
 	for (link = 0; link < MAX_LINKS; link++) {
diff --git a/include/device/device.h b/include/device/device.h
index 37b8379915..3b3718c7f7 100644
--- a/include/device/device.h
+++ b/include/device/device.h
@@ -25,18 +25,28 @@
 #include <device/resource.h>
 #include <device/path.h>
 
+/**
+ * Create a 32-bit value from four characters. This is better
+ * than the usual enum values when using (JTAG) debuggers.
+ * It also makes it harder for accidentally assigned type values
+ * to be mistaken for a real value -- e.g. it is more likely in the event
+ * of a programming error that a '1' is somehow assigned
+ * to the type field, whereas these values are more complex. 
+ * Thus errors may be easier to find. 
+ */
+#define TYPENAME(a,b,c,d) ((a<<24)|(b<<16)|(c<<8)|(d))
 #define DEVICE_ID_MAX 64
 enum device_id_type {
-	DEVICE_ID_NONE = 0,
-	DEVICE_ID_ROOT,
-	DEVICE_ID_PCI,
-	DEVICE_ID_PNP,
-	DEVICE_ID_I2C,
-	DEVICE_ID_APIC,
-	DEVICE_ID_PCI_DOMAIN,
-	DEVICE_ID_APIC_CLUSTER,
-	DEVICE_ID_CPU,
-	DEVICE_ID_CPU_BUS,
+	DEVICE_ID_NONE	= 0,
+	DEVICE_ID_ROOT	= TYPENAME('R','O','O','T'),
+	DEVICE_ID_PCI	= TYPENAME(' ','P','C','I'),
+	DEVICE_ID_PNP	= TYPENAME(' ','P','N','P'),
+	DEVICE_ID_I2C	= TYPENAME(' ','I','2','C'),
+	DEVICE_ID_APIC	= TYPENAME('A','P','I','C'),
+	DEVICE_ID_PCI_DOMAIN = TYPENAME('P','C','I','D'),
+	DEVICE_ID_APIC_CLUSTER = TYPENAME('A','P','C','C'),
+	DEVICE_ID_CPU = TYPENAME(' ','C','P','U'),
+	DEVICE_ID_CPU_BUS =  TYPENAME(' ','B','U','S'),
 };
 
 struct device;
diff --git a/include/device/pci.h b/include/device/pci.h
index 9d6eba3a72..ce9a347406 100644
--- a/include/device/pci.h
+++ b/include/device/pci.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <device/device.h>
 #include <device/pci_ops.h>
 #include <device/pci_rom.h>
+#include <device/pci_ids.h>
 
 /*
  *	For more information, please consult the following manuals (look at
diff --git a/util/dtc/flattree.c b/util/dtc/flattree.c
index 828b1ed175..8243454f26 100644
--- a/util/dtc/flattree.c
+++ b/util/dtc/flattree.c
@@ -532,7 +532,33 @@ static void linuxbios_emit_special(FILE *e, struct node *tree)
 	if (tree->config){
 		configname = clean(tree->label, 0);
 		printf("\t.device_configuration = &%s,\n", configname);
+		/* The config property list for a device is derived from the
+		 * device dts, e.g. northbridge/intel/i440bx/dts, not the
+		 * mainboard dts. 
+		 * Almost all of these properties are specific to the device. 
+		 * Some, such as the device id, are part of the common
+		 * device struct. Check the config properties and 
+		 * pull out those properties that are for the common 
+		 * (a.k.a. generic) device struct. 
+		 */
+		/* get the properties out that are generic device props */
+		for_each_config(tree, prop) {
+			if (streq(prop->name, "domainid")){
+				fprintf(f, "\t.id = {.type=DEVICE_ID_PCI_DOMAIN,.u={.pci_domain={ %s }}},\n", 
+					prop->val.val);
+			}
+			if (streq(prop->name, "pciid")){
+				fprintf(f, "\t.id = {.type=DEVICE_ID_PCI,.u={.pci={ %s }}},\n", 
+					prop->val.val);
+			}
+		}
 	}
+	/* Process the properties specified in the mainboard dts. 
+	 * Some of these properties require special initialization 
+	 * (e.g. the path); some are flags, i.e. if the property exists
+	 * then a variable is set to 1 (e.g. on_mainboard); 
+	 * and some are just set directly into the code (e.g. ops_pci).
+	 */
 	for_each_property(tree, prop) {
 		if (streq(prop->name, "pcidomain")){
 			fprintf(f, "\t.path = {.type=DEVICE_PATH_PCI_DOMAIN,.u={.pci_domain={ .domain = %s }}},\n",