diff --git a/etc/devd.conf b/etc/devd.conf
index 0c4ed1428ba6..5385e06af913 100644
--- a/etc/devd.conf
+++ b/etc/devd.conf
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ detach 100 {
 # When a USB keyboard arrives, attach it as the console keyboard.
 attach 100 {
 	device-name "ukbd0";
-	action "kbdcontrol -k /dev/ukbd0 < /dev/console && /etc/rc.d/syscons restart";
+	action "/etc/rc.d/syscons setkeyboard /dev/ukbd0 && /etc/rc.d/syscons restart";
 };
 detach 100 {
 	device-name "ukbd0";
-	action "kbdcontrol -k /dev/kbd0 < /dev/console";
+	action "/etc/rc.d/syscons setkeyboard /dev/kbd0";
 };
 
 # The entry below starts moused when a mouse is plugged in. Moused
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/syscons b/etc/rc.d/syscons
index b525f5eeed57..751f69a5089c 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/syscons
+++ b/etc/rc.d/syscons
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 . /etc/rc.subr
 
 name="syscons"
+extra_commands="setkeyboard"
+setkeyboard_cmd="syscons_setkeyboard"
 start_precmd="syscons_precmd"
 start_cmd="syscons_start"
 
@@ -42,6 +44,21 @@ start_cmd="syscons_start"
 kbddev=/dev/ttyv0
 viddev=/dev/ttyv0
 
+syscons_setkeyboard()
+{
+	kbd=$1
+                
+	if [ -z "${kbd}" ]; then
+		return 1
+	fi
+
+	# Check if the kbdmux(4) is the current active keyboard
+	kbdcontrol -i < ${kbddev} | grep kbdmux > /dev/null 2>&1
+	if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+		kbdcontrol -k ${kbd} < ${kbddev} > /dev/null 2>&1
+	fi
+}
+
 syscons_precmd()
 {
 	if [ ! -c $kbddev ]
@@ -62,8 +79,7 @@ syscons_start()
 	# keyboard
 	#
 	if [ -n "${keyboard}" ]; then
-		echo -n ' keyboard';	kbdcontrol < ${kbddev} \
-		    -k "${keyboard}" >/dev/null
+		echo -n ' keyboard';	syscons_setkeyboard ${keyboard}
 	fi
 
 	# keymap
@@ -207,4 +223,5 @@ syscons_start()
 }
 
 load_rc_config $name
-run_rc_command "$1"
+run_rc_command $*
+