diff --git a/etc/defaults/rc.conf b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
index dd8a03b990f7..9ce5d1d283af 100644
--- a/etc/defaults/rc.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
@@ -7,10 +7,9 @@
 # instead and you will be able to update these defaults later without
 # spamming your local configuration information.
 #
-# A common mistake is to copy the contents of this file into one of the
-# ${rc_conf_files} files (e.g. /etc/rc.conf). That does not work, because
-# this file ends up recursing on itself. The ${rc_conf_files} files should
-# only contain values which override values set in this file.
+# The ${rc_conf_files} files should only contain values which override
+# values set in this file.  This eases the upgrade path when defaults
+# are changed and new features are added.
 #
 # All arguments must be in double or single quotes.
 #
@@ -289,14 +288,26 @@ update_motd="YES"	# update version info in /etc/motd (or NO)
 start_vinum=""		# set to YES to start vinum
 
 ##############################################################
-### Allow local configuration override at the very end here ##
+### Define source_rc_confs, the mechanism used by /etc/rc.* ##
+### scripts to source rc_conf_files overrides safely.	    ##
 ##############################################################
-#
-#
 
-for i in ${rc_conf_files}; do
-	if [ -f $i ]; then
-        	. $i
-	fi
-done
+if [ -z "${source_rc_confs_defined}" ]; then
+        source_rc_confs_defined=yes
+        source_rc_confs ( ) {
+                local i sourced_files
+                for i in ${rc_conf_files}; do
+                        case ${sourced_files} in
+                        *:$i:*)
+                                ;;
+                        *)
+                                sourced_files="${sourced_files}:$i:"
+                                if [ -r $i ]; then
+                                        . $i
+                                fi
+                                ;;
+                        esac
+                done
+        }
+fi
 
diff --git a/etc/netstart b/etc/netstart
index 21e67edc9546..041f1fe8646c 100755
--- a/etc/netstart
+++ b/etc/netstart
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # If there is a global system configuration file, suck it in.
 if [ -f /etc/defaults/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/defaults/rc.conf
+	source_rc_confs
 elif [ -f /etc/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/rc.conf
 fi
diff --git a/etc/pccard_ether b/etc/pccard_ether
index dafbc2370e81..f725d611f36e 100755
--- a/etc/pccard_ether
+++ b/etc/pccard_ether
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #
 if [ -r /etc/defaults/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/defaults/rc.conf
+	source_rc_confs
 elif [ -r /etc/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/rc.conf
 fi
diff --git a/etc/rc b/etc/rc
index b9dbfd8aec86..4e80185ee7b0 100644
--- a/etc/rc
+++ b/etc/rc
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ fi
 #
 if [ -r /etc/defaults/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/defaults/rc.conf
+	source_rc_confs
 elif [ -r /etc/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/rc.conf
 fi
@@ -500,6 +501,9 @@ fi
 # ---- rc.local ----
 #	if [ -r /etc/defaults/rc.conf ]; then
 #		. /etc/defaults/rc.conf
+#		source_rc_confs
+#	elif [ -r /etc/rc.conf ]; then
+#		. /etc/rc.conf
 #	fi
 #
 #	... additional startup conditionals ...
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/diskless b/etc/rc.d/diskless
index 9ccdfa80ed14..091ed1367c91 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/diskless
+++ b/etc/rc.d/diskless
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 		bpi="-i $4"
 	fi
 	/sbin/mdconfig -a -t malloc -s $1 -u $3
+	/sbin/disklabel -r -w md$3 auto
 	/sbin/newfs $bpi /dev/md$3c
 	/sbin/mount /dev/md$3c $2
 }
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/resolv b/etc/rc.d/resolv
index 9ccdfa80ed14..091ed1367c91 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/resolv
+++ b/etc/rc.d/resolv
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 		bpi="-i $4"
 	fi
 	/sbin/mdconfig -a -t malloc -s $1 -u $3
+	/sbin/disklabel -r -w md$3 auto
 	/sbin/newfs $bpi /dev/md$3c
 	/sbin/mount /dev/md$3c $2
 }
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/tmp b/etc/rc.d/tmp
index 9ccdfa80ed14..091ed1367c91 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/tmp
+++ b/etc/rc.d/tmp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 		bpi="-i $4"
 	fi
 	/sbin/mdconfig -a -t malloc -s $1 -u $3
+	/sbin/disklabel -r -w md$3 auto
 	/sbin/newfs $bpi /dev/md$3c
 	/sbin/mount /dev/md$3c $2
 }
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/var b/etc/rc.d/var
index 9ccdfa80ed14..091ed1367c91 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/var
+++ b/etc/rc.d/var
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 		bpi="-i $4"
 	fi
 	/sbin/mdconfig -a -t malloc -s $1 -u $3
+	/sbin/disklabel -r -w md$3 auto
 	/sbin/newfs $bpi /dev/md$3c
 	/sbin/mount /dev/md$3c $2
 }
diff --git a/etc/rc.devfs b/etc/rc.devfs
index d8bb74811794..ffb67807af36 100644
--- a/etc/rc.devfs
+++ b/etc/rc.devfs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #
 if [ -r /etc/defaults/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/defaults/rc.conf
+	source_rc_confs
 elif [ -r /etc/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/rc.conf
 fi
diff --git a/etc/rc.diskless2 b/etc/rc.diskless2
index 17b0bcb31203..c3069fa881df 100644
--- a/etc/rc.diskless2
+++ b/etc/rc.diskless2
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #
 if [ -r /etc/defaults/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/defaults/rc.conf
+	source_rc_confs
 elif [ -r /etc/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/rc.conf
 fi
diff --git a/etc/rc.firewall b/etc/rc.firewall
index 37428808e7a2..a56cdf6e81b2 100644
--- a/etc/rc.firewall
+++ b/etc/rc.firewall
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # Suck in the configuration variables.
 if [ -r /etc/defaults/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/defaults/rc.conf
+	source_rc_confs
 elif [ -r /etc/rc.conf ]; then
 	. /etc/rc.conf
 fi