diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/ipxe.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/ipxe.py
index e60cb1c872..349b0f2aa2 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/ipxe.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/ipxe.py
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ class iPXEBoot(pxe_base.PXEBaseMixin, base.BootInterface):
 
         pxe_options = pxe_utils.build_pxe_config_options(
             task, pxe_info, ipxe_enabled=True, ramdisk_params=ramdisk_params)
+        # TODO(dtantsur): backwards compability hack, remove in the V release
+        if ramdisk_params.get("ipa-api-url"):
+            pxe_options["ipa-api-url"] = ramdisk_params["ipa-api-url"]
 
         pxe_config_template = deploy_utils.get_pxe_config_template(node)
 
diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/pxe.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/pxe.py
index a73f18abfe..e70a05721d 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/pxe.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/pxe.py
@@ -166,6 +166,9 @@ class PXEBoot(pxe_base.PXEBaseMixin, base.BootInterface):
         pxe_options = pxe_utils.build_pxe_config_options(
             task, pxe_info, ipxe_enabled=ipxe_enabled,
             ramdisk_params=ramdisk_params)
+        # TODO(dtantsur): backwards compability hack, remove in the V release
+        if ramdisk_params.get("ipa-api-url"):
+            pxe_options["ipa-api-url"] = ramdisk_params["ipa-api-url"]
 
         pxe_config_template = deploy_utils.get_pxe_config_template(node)
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/ramdisk-params-6083bfaa7ffa9dfe.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/ramdisk-params-6083bfaa7ffa9dfe.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f0c816974c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/ramdisk-params-6083bfaa7ffa9dfe.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    The operators using custom PXE/iPXE/Grub templates should update them to
+    remove an explicit mention of ``ipa-api-url``. This field is now a part
+    of ``pxe_append_params`` when required.