diff --git a/sbin/gvinum/gvinum.c b/sbin/gvinum/gvinum.c
index 524a08ebbab2..bb3166c6ff64 100644
--- a/sbin/gvinum/gvinum.c
+++ b/sbin/gvinum/gvinum.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ void	gvinum_parityop(int, char **, int);
 void	gvinum_printconfig(int, char **);
 void	gvinum_rm(int, char **);
 void	gvinum_saveconfig(void);
+void	gvinum_setstate(int, char **);
 void	gvinum_start(int, char **);
 void	gvinum_stop(int, char **);
 void	parseline(int, char **);
@@ -481,6 +482,61 @@ gvinum_init(int argc, char **argv)
 	gvinum_list(0, NULL);
 }
 
+void
+gvinum_setstate(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+	struct gctl_req *req;
+	int flags, i;
+	const char *errstr;
+
+	flags = 0;
+
+	optreset = 1;
+	optind = 1;
+
+	while ((i = getopt(argc, argv, "f")) != -1) {
+		switch (i) {
+		case 'f':
+			flags |= GV_FLAG_F;
+			break;
+		case '?':
+		default:
+			warn("invalid flag: %c", i);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+
+	if (argc != 2) {
+		warnx("usage: setstate [-f] <state> <obj>");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * XXX: This hack is needed to avoid tripping over (now) invalid
+	 * 'classic' vinum states and will go away later.
+	 */
+	if (strcmp(argv[0], "up") && strcmp(argv[0], "down") &&
+	    strcmp(argv[0], "stale")) {
+		warnx("invalid state '%s'", argv[0]);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	req = gctl_get_handle();
+	gctl_ro_param(req, "class", -1, "VINUM");
+	gctl_ro_param(req, "verb", -1, "setstate");
+	gctl_ro_param(req, "state", -1, argv[0]);
+	gctl_ro_param(req, "object", -1, argv[1]);
+	gctl_ro_param(req, "flags", sizeof(int), &flags);
+
+	errstr = gctl_issue(req);
+	if (errstr != NULL)
+		warnx("%s", errstr);
+	gctl_free(req);
+}
+
 void
 gvinum_list(int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -801,6 +857,8 @@ parseline(int argc, char **argv)
 		gvinum_rm(argc, argv);
 	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "saveconfig"))
 		gvinum_saveconfig();
+	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "setstate"))
+		gvinum_setstate(argc, argv);
 	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "start"))
 		gvinum_start(argc, argv);
 	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "stop"))
diff --git a/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.c b/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.c
index 5a54bee58729..7b5b456abddb 100644
--- a/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.c
+++ b/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.c
@@ -512,6 +512,9 @@ gv_config(struct gctl_req *req, struct g_class *mp, char const *verb)
 	} else if (!strcmp(verb, "start")) {
 		gv_start_obj(gp, req);
 
+	} else if (!strcmp(verb, "setstate")) {
+		gv_setstate(gp, req);
+
 	} else
 		gctl_error(req, "Unknown verb parameter");
 }
diff --git a/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.h b/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.h
index c215e2ea0095..15216dc09549 100644
--- a/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.h
+++ b/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ void	gv_remove(struct g_geom *, struct gctl_req *);
 
 /* geom_vinum_state.c */
 int	gv_sdstatemap(struct gv_plex *);
+void	gv_setstate(struct g_geom *, struct gctl_req *);
 int	gv_set_drive_state(struct gv_drive *, int, int);
 int	gv_set_sd_state(struct gv_sd *, int, int);
 void	gv_update_sd_state(struct gv_sd *);
diff --git a/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum_state.c b/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum_state.c
index 4e1710815dfe..6913a4bf66c9 100644
--- a/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum_state.c
+++ b/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum_state.c
@@ -37,7 +37,78 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 #include <geom/vinum/geom_vinum.h>
 #include <geom/vinum/geom_vinum_share.h>
 
-/* Update drive state; return 1 if the state changes, otherwise 0. */
+void
+gv_setstate(struct g_geom *gp, struct gctl_req *req)
+{
+	struct gv_softc *sc;
+	struct gv_sd *s;
+	struct gv_drive *d;
+	char *obj, *state;
+	int err, f, *flags, newstate, type;
+
+	f = 0;
+	obj = gctl_get_param(req, "object", NULL);
+	if (obj == NULL) {
+		gctl_error(req, "no object given");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	state = gctl_get_param(req, "state", NULL);
+	if (state == NULL) {
+		gctl_error(req, "no state given");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	flags = gctl_get_paraml(req, "flags", sizeof(*flags));
+	if (flags == NULL) {
+		gctl_error(req, "no flags given");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (*flags & GV_FLAG_F)
+		f = GV_SETSTATE_FORCE;
+
+	sc = gp->softc;
+	type = gv_object_type(sc, obj);
+	switch (type) {
+	case GV_TYPE_VOL:
+	case GV_TYPE_PLEX:
+		gctl_error(req, "volume or plex state cannot be set currently");
+		break;
+
+	case GV_TYPE_SD:
+		newstate = gv_sdstatei(state);
+		if (newstate < 0) {
+			gctl_error(req, "invalid subdisk state '%s'", state);
+			break;
+		}
+		s = gv_find_sd(sc, obj);
+		err = gv_set_sd_state(s, newstate, f);
+		if (err)
+			gctl_error(req, "cannot set subdisk state");
+		break;
+
+	case GV_TYPE_DRIVE:
+		newstate = gv_drivestatei(state);
+		if (newstate < 0) {
+			gctl_error(req, "invalid drive state '%s'", state);
+			break;
+		}
+		d = gv_find_drive(sc, obj);
+		err = gv_set_drive_state(d, newstate, f);
+		if (err)
+			gctl_error(req, "cannot set drive state");
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		gctl_error(req, "unknown object '%s'", obj);
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return;
+}
+
+/* Update drive state; return 0 if the state changes, otherwise -1. */
 int
 gv_set_drive_state(struct gv_drive *d, int newstate, int flags)
 {
@@ -49,12 +120,12 @@ gv_set_drive_state(struct gv_drive *d, int newstate, int flags)
 	oldstate = d->state;
 	
 	if (newstate == oldstate)
-		return (1);
+		return (0);
 
 	/* We allow to take down an open drive only with force. */
 	if ((newstate == GV_DRIVE_DOWN) && gv_is_open(d->geom) &&
 	    (!(flags & GV_SETSTATE_FORCE)))
-		return (0);
+		return (-1);
 
 	d->state = newstate;
 
@@ -67,7 +138,7 @@ gv_set_drive_state(struct gv_drive *d, int newstate, int flags)
 	if (flags & GV_SETSTATE_CONFIG)
 		gv_save_config_all(d->vinumconf);
 
-	return (1);
+	return (0);
 }
 
 int
@@ -130,6 +201,8 @@ gv_set_sd_state(struct gv_sd *s, int newstate, int flags)
 
 			if (p->org != GV_PLEX_RAID5)
 				break;
+			else if (flags & GV_SETSTATE_FORCE)
+				break;
 			else
 				s->state = GV_SD_STALE;
 
@@ -145,7 +218,7 @@ gv_set_sd_state(struct gv_sd *s, int newstate, int flags)
 			 * first.
 			 */
 			p = s->plex_sc;
-			if (p == NULL)
+			if (p == NULL || flags & GV_SETSTATE_FORCE)
 				break;
 
 			if ((p->org != GV_PLEX_RAID5) &&