diff --git a/lib/libc/gen/pw_scan.c b/lib/libc/gen/pw_scan.c
index 0ce9b1d6b19a..a24380f60814 100644
--- a/lib/libc/gen/pw_scan.c
+++ b/lib/libc/gen/pw_scan.c
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ static const char rcsid[] =
 
 #include "pw_scan.h"
 
+/*
+ * Some software assumes that IDs are short.  We should emit warnings
+ * for id's which can not be stored in a short, but we are more liberal
+ * by default, warning for IDs greater than USHRT_MAX.
+ */
+int	pw_big_ids_warning = 1;
+
 int
 pw_scan(bp, pw)
 	char *bp;
@@ -89,8 +96,8 @@ pw_scan(bp, pw)
 		warnx("root uid should be 0");
 		return (0);
 	}
-	if (id > USHRT_MAX) {
-		warnx("%s > max uid value (%d)", p, USHRT_MAX);
+	if (pw_big_ids_warning && id > USHRT_MAX) {
+		warnx("%s > max uid value (%u)", p, USHRT_MAX);
 		/*return (0);*/ /* THIS SHOULD NOT BE FATAL! */
 	}
 	pw->pw_uid = id;
@@ -99,8 +106,8 @@ pw_scan(bp, pw)
 		goto fmt;
 	if(p[0]) pw->pw_fields |= _PWF_GID;
 	id = atol(p);
-	if (id > USHRT_MAX) {
-		warnx("%s > max gid value (%d)", p, USHRT_MAX);
+	if (pw_big_ids_warning && id > USHRT_MAX) {
+		warnx("%s > max gid value (%u)", p, USHRT_MAX);
 		/* return (0); This should not be fatal! */
 	}
 	pw->pw_gid = id;
diff --git a/lib/libc/gen/pw_scan.h b/lib/libc/gen/pw_scan.h
index d1d4bc1ef631..2519bd45db01 100644
--- a/lib/libc/gen/pw_scan.h
+++ b/lib/libc/gen/pw_scan.h
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
  * SUCH DAMAGE.
  *
  *	@(#)pw_scan.h	8.1 (Berkeley) 4/1/94
+ *
+ *	$FreeBSD$
  */
 
+extern int	pw_big_ids_warning;
+
 extern int	pw_scan __P((char *, struct passwd *));
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pw_scan.c b/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pw_scan.c
index 0ce9b1d6b19a..a24380f60814 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pw_scan.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pw_scan.c
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ static const char rcsid[] =
 
 #include "pw_scan.h"
 
+/*
+ * Some software assumes that IDs are short.  We should emit warnings
+ * for id's which can not be stored in a short, but we are more liberal
+ * by default, warning for IDs greater than USHRT_MAX.
+ */
+int	pw_big_ids_warning = 1;
+
 int
 pw_scan(bp, pw)
 	char *bp;
@@ -89,8 +96,8 @@ pw_scan(bp, pw)
 		warnx("root uid should be 0");
 		return (0);
 	}
-	if (id > USHRT_MAX) {
-		warnx("%s > max uid value (%d)", p, USHRT_MAX);
+	if (pw_big_ids_warning && id > USHRT_MAX) {
+		warnx("%s > max uid value (%u)", p, USHRT_MAX);
 		/*return (0);*/ /* THIS SHOULD NOT BE FATAL! */
 	}
 	pw->pw_uid = id;
@@ -99,8 +106,8 @@ pw_scan(bp, pw)
 		goto fmt;
 	if(p[0]) pw->pw_fields |= _PWF_GID;
 	id = atol(p);
-	if (id > USHRT_MAX) {
-		warnx("%s > max gid value (%d)", p, USHRT_MAX);
+	if (pw_big_ids_warning && id > USHRT_MAX) {
+		warnx("%s > max gid value (%u)", p, USHRT_MAX);
 		/* return (0); This should not be fatal! */
 	}
 	pw->pw_gid = id;
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pw_scan.h b/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pw_scan.h
index d1d4bc1ef631..2519bd45db01 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pw_scan.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pw_scan.h
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
  * SUCH DAMAGE.
  *
  *	@(#)pw_scan.h	8.1 (Berkeley) 4/1/94
+ *
+ *	$FreeBSD$
  */
 
+extern int	pw_big_ids_warning;
+
 extern int	pw_scan __P((char *, struct passwd *));
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pwd_mkdb.8 b/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pwd_mkdb.8
index 32233538cef7..1e52b08fc349 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pwd_mkdb.8
+++ b/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pwd_mkdb.8
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 .Op Fl C
 .Op Fl N
 .Op Fl p
+.Op Fl q
 .Op Fl d Ar directory
 .Op Fl s Ar cachesize
 .Op Fl u Ar username
@@ -78,6 +79,12 @@ the rebuilding of the database.
 .It Fl p
 Create a Version 7 style password file and install it into
 .Pa /etc/passwd .
+.It Fl q
+Suppress the warnings that
+.Nm
+normally generates for large user and group IDs.
+Such IDs can cause serious problems with software
+that makes assumptions about the values of IDs.
 .It Fl d Ar directory
 Store databases into specified destination directory instead of
 .Pa /etc .
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pwd_mkdb.c b/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pwd_mkdb.c
index 5ee9699d57b1..ef57dc2ee051 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pwd_mkdb.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pwd_mkdb/pwd_mkdb.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ main(argc, argv)
 	strcpy(prefix, _PATH_PWD);
 	makeold = 0;
 	username = NULL;
-	while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, "Cd:ps:u:vN")) != -1)
+	while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, "Cd:pqs:u:vN")) != -1)
 		switch(ch) {
 		case 'C':                       /* verify only */
 			Cflag = 1;
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@ main(argc, argv)
 		case 'p':			/* create V7 "file.orig" */
 			makeold = 1;
 			break;
+		case 'q':
+			pw_big_ids_warning = 0;
+			break;
 		case 's':			/* change default cachesize */
 			openinfo.cachesize = atoi(optarg) * 1024 * 1024;
 			break;