--- cloudinit/distros/opensuse.py.orig
+++ cloudinit/distros/opensuse.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 # This file is part of cloud-init. See LICENSE file for license information.
 
 import logging
+import os
 
 from cloudinit import distros, helpers, subp, util
 from cloudinit.distros import rhel_util as rhutil
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ class Distro(distros.Distro):
         distros.Distro.__init__(self, name, cfg, paths)
         self._runner = helpers.Runners(paths)
         self.osfamily = "suse"
+        self.update_method = None
         cfg["ssh_svcname"] = "sshd"
         if self.uses_systemd():
             self.init_cmd = ["systemctl"]
@@ -74,12 +76,45 @@ class Distro(distros.Distro):
         if pkgs is None:
             pkgs = []
 
+        if self.update_method == None:
+            result = util.get_mount_info("/")
+            fs_type = ""
+            if result:
+                (devpth, fs_type, mount_point) = result
+                if (
+                        fs_type.lower() == 'btrfs' and
+                        os.path.exists("/usr/sbin/transactional-update")
+                ):
+                    self.update_method = 'transactional'
+                else:
+                    self.update_method = 'zypper' 
+            else:
+                LOG.info(
+                    "Could not determine filesystem type of '/' using zypper"
+                )
+                self.update_method = 'zypper'
+
         # No user interaction possible, enable non-interactive mode
-        cmd = ["zypper", "--non-interactive"]
+        if self.update_method == 'zypper':
+            cmd = ["zypper", "--non-interactive"]
+        else:
+            cmd = [
+                "transactional-update",
+                "--non-interactive",
+                "--drop-if-no-change",
+                "pkg"
+            ]
 
         # Command is the operation, such as install
         if command == "upgrade":
             command = "update"
+            if self.update_method == 'transactional' and not pkgs:
+                command = "up"
+                cmd = [
+                    "transactional-update",
+                    "--non-interactive",
+                    "--drop-if-no-change"
+                ]
         cmd.append(command)
 
         # args are the arguments to the command, not global options