diff --git a/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.8 b/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.8
index 8c8f0aab3603..9222ec6293c5 100644
--- a/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.8
+++ b/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.8
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 .Op Fl L
 .Op Fl k
 .Op Fl m
+.Op Fl n
 .Ar interface
 .Op Cm create
 .Op Ar address_family
@@ -1579,6 +1580,13 @@ For example, the values of 802.11 WEP keys will be printed, if accessible to
 the current user.
 This information is not printed by default, as it may be considered
 sensitive.
+.Pp 
+If the network interface driver is not present in the kernel then
+.Nm
+will attempt to load it.
+The
+.Fl n
+flag disables this behavior.
 .Pp
 Only the super-user may modify the configuration of a network interface.
 .Sh NOTES
diff --git a/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.c b/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.c
index e03a54d243f9..2f502b53a049 100644
--- a/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.c
+++ b/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.c
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ int	doalias;
 int	clearaddr;
 int	newaddr = 1;
 int	verbose;
+int	noload;
 
 int	supmedia = 0;
 int	printkeys = 0;		/* Print keying material for interfaces. */
@@ -150,10 +151,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct option *p;
 	size_t iflen;
 
-	all = downonly = uponly = namesonly = verbose = 0;
+	all = downonly = uponly = namesonly = noload = verbose = 0;
 
 	/* Parse leading line options */
-	strlcpy(options, "adklmuv", sizeof(options));
+	strlcpy(options, "adklmnuv", sizeof(options));
 	for (p = opts; p != NULL; p = p->next)
 		strlcat(options, p->opt, sizeof(options));
 	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, options)) != -1) {
@@ -173,6 +174,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case 'm':	/* show media choices in status */
 			supmedia = 1;
 			break;
+		case 'n':	/* suppress module loading */
+			noload++;
+			break;
 		case 'u':	/* restrict scan to "up" interfaces */
 			uponly++;
 			break;
@@ -898,6 +902,10 @@ ifmaybeload(const char *name)
 	char ifkind[35], *dp;
 	const char *cp;
 
+	/* loading suppressed by the user */
+	if (noload)
+		return;
+
 	/* turn interface and unit into module name */
 	strcpy(ifkind, "if_");
 	for (cp = name, dp = ifkind + 3;