diff --git a/man/repart.d.xml b/man/repart.d.xml
index d5ce3f8587..1da38a4e91 100644
--- a/man/repart.d.xml
+++ b/man/repart.d.xml
@@ -590,11 +590,16 @@
       <varlistentry>
         <term><varname>Minimize=</varname></term>
 
-        <listitem><para>Takes a boolean. Disabled by default. If enabled, the partition is created at least
-        as big as required for the minimal file system of the type specified by <varname>Format=</varname>,
-        taking into account the sources configured with  <varname>CopyFiles=</varname>. Note that unless the
-        filesystem is a read-only filesystem, <command>systemd-repart</command> will have to populate the
-        filesystem twice, so enabling this option might slow down repart when populating large partitions.
+        <listitem><para>Takes one of <literal>off</literal>, <literal>best</literal>, and
+        <literal>guess</literal> (alternatively, also accepts a boolean value, which is mapped to
+        <literal>off</literal> when false, and <literal>best</literal> when true). Defaults to
+        <literal>off</literal>. If set to <literal>best</literal>, the partition will have the minimal size
+        required to store the sources configured with <varname>CopyFiles=</varname>. <literal>best</literal>
+        is currently only supported for read-only filesystems. If set to <literal>guess</literal>, the
+        partition is created at least as big as required to store the sources configured with
+        <varname>CopyFiles=</varname>. Note that unless the filesystem is a read-only filesystem,
+        <command>systemd-repart</command> will have to populate the filesystem twice to guess the minimal
+        required size, so enabling this option might slow down repart when populating large partitions.
         </para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
     </variablelist>
diff --git a/src/partition/repart.c b/src/partition/repart.c
index b70c54e531..80cd7daba3 100644
--- a/src/partition/repart.c
+++ b/src/partition/repart.c
@@ -178,6 +178,14 @@ typedef enum VerityMode {
         _VERITY_MODE_INVALID = -EINVAL,
 } VerityMode;
 
+typedef enum MinimizeMode {
+        MINIMIZE_OFF,
+        MINIMIZE_BEST,
+        MINIMIZE_GUESS,
+        _MINIMIZE_MODE_MAX,
+        _MINIMIZE_MODE_INVALID = -EINVAL,
+} MinimizeMode;
+
 typedef struct Partition {
         char *definition_path;
         char **drop_in_files;
@@ -221,7 +229,7 @@ typedef struct Partition {
         EncryptMode encrypt;
         VerityMode verity;
         char *verity_match_key;
-        bool minimize;
+        MinimizeMode minimize;
 
         uint64_t gpt_flags;
         int no_auto;
@@ -284,8 +292,15 @@ static const char *verity_mode_table[_VERITY_MODE_MAX] = {
         [VERITY_SIG]  = "signature",
 };
 
+static const char *minimize_mode_table[_MINIMIZE_MODE_MAX] = {
+        [MINIMIZE_OFF]   = "off",
+        [MINIMIZE_BEST]  = "best",
+        [MINIMIZE_GUESS] = "guess",
+};
+
 DEFINE_PRIVATE_STRING_TABLE_LOOKUP_FROM_STRING_WITH_BOOLEAN(encrypt_mode, EncryptMode, ENCRYPT_KEY_FILE);
 DEFINE_PRIVATE_STRING_TABLE_LOOKUP(verity_mode, VerityMode);
+DEFINE_PRIVATE_STRING_TABLE_LOOKUP_FROM_STRING_WITH_BOOLEAN(minimize_mode, MinimizeMode, MINIMIZE_BEST);
 
 static uint64_t round_down_size(uint64_t v, uint64_t p) {
         return (v / p) * p;
@@ -1532,6 +1547,7 @@ static int config_parse_uuid(
 }
 
 static DEFINE_CONFIG_PARSE_ENUM_WITH_DEFAULT(config_parse_verity, verity_mode, VerityMode, VERITY_OFF, "Invalid verity mode");
+static DEFINE_CONFIG_PARSE_ENUM_WITH_DEFAULT(config_parse_minimize, minimize_mode, MinimizeMode, MINIMIZE_OFF, "Invalid minimize mode");
 
 static int partition_read_definition(Partition *p, const char *path, const char *const *conf_file_dirs) {
 
@@ -1559,7 +1575,7 @@ static int partition_read_definition(Partition *p, const char *path, const char
                 { "Partition", "NoAuto",          config_parse_tristate,    0, &p->no_auto           },
                 { "Partition", "GrowFileSystem",  config_parse_tristate,    0, &p->growfs            },
                 { "Partition", "SplitName",       config_parse_string,      0, &p->split_name_format },
-                { "Partition", "Minimize",        config_parse_bool,        0, &p->minimize          },
+                { "Partition", "Minimize",        config_parse_minimize,    0, &p->minimize          },
                 {}
         };
         int r;
@@ -1616,10 +1632,14 @@ static int partition_read_definition(Partition *p, const char *path, const char
                         return log_oom();
         }
 
-        if (p->minimize && !p->format)
+        if (p->minimize != MINIMIZE_OFF && !p->format)
                 return log_syntax(NULL, LOG_ERR, path, 1, SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
                                   "Minimize= can only be enabled if Format= is set");
 
+        if (p->minimize == MINIMIZE_BEST && !fstype_is_ro(p->format))
+                return log_syntax(NULL, LOG_ERR, path, 1, SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
+                                  "Minimize=best can only be used with read-only filesystems");
+
         if ((!strv_isempty(p->copy_files) || !strv_isempty(p->make_directories)) && !mkfs_supports_root_option(p->format) && geteuid() != 0)
                 return log_syntax(NULL, LOG_ERR, path, 1, SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EPERM),
                                   "Need to be root to populate %s filesystems with CopyFiles=/MakeDirectories=",
@@ -5282,7 +5302,7 @@ static int context_minimize(Context *context) {
                 if (!p->format)
                         continue;
 
-                if (!p->minimize)
+                if (p->minimize == MINIMIZE_OFF)
                         continue;
 
                 if (!partition_needs_populate(p))