diff --git a/tools/tools/zfsboottest/zfsboottest.c b/tools/tools/zfsboottest/zfsboottest.c
index 29e9a485ba20..45715d9624cd 100644
--- a/tools/tools/zfsboottest/zfsboottest.c
+++ b/tools/tools/zfsboottest/zfsboottest.c
@@ -136,19 +136,21 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	STAILQ_FOREACH(spa, &zfs_pools, spa_link) {
+		if (zfs_spa_init(spa)) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "can't init pool %s\n", spa->spa_name);
+			exit(1);
+		}
+	}
+
+	spa_all_status();
+
 	spa = STAILQ_FIRST(&zfs_pools);
 	if (spa == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "no pools\n");
 		exit(1);
 	}
 
-	if (zfs_spa_init(spa)) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "can't init pool\n");
-		exit(1);
-	}
-
-	spa_all_status();
-
 #if 0
 	uint64_t rootobj;
 	if (zfs_get_root(spa, &rootobj)) {